Reflections on Daily Readings 2026
July 26th - August 29th, 2026
July 26 – August 1, 2026
17th Week of Ordinary Time | Readings: Sunday Cycle A; Weekday Cycle 2.
The Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1Kings 3:5, 7-12; Psalm 118; Romans 8:28-30; Matthew 13:44-52
Our first reading today comes from the first Book of the Kings and shows us Solomon who has just succeeded his father, David, as King of Israel. The Lord comes to Solomon and tells him to ask for whatever he wants but Solomon asks for just one thing – “a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil.” And this, the Lord grants him. In the gospel, Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven to fine pearls for which a person will give up everything else to attain them. The message is that the way to the kingdom is through wisdom and not through riches. We are also told in the second half of the passage that the Lord will separate the good from the bad at the end of time.
In the second reading, St Paul tells us that the Wisdom of God is the Word of God and by taking it to our hearts and living according to its values then we will share the Lord’s glory.
Monday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 13:1-11; Psalm – Deuteronomy 32; Matthew 13:31-35
In our first reading today from the Prophet Jeremiah, we see that the Lord is dissatisfied with his people because they have not been faithful to him. He likens them to a rotting linen cloth which is good for nothing and which eventually decays to nothing. It is possible that Jeremiah is referring to the Babylonian captivity where the people would go into exile near the river Euphrates. The Psalm, taken from Deuteronomy, continues this theme – “You forget the God who fathered you.” Again in the Gospel we see Jesus speaking to the people through parables because there are those who do not want to listen to his message and understand it. Those who do want to hear the word and believe will easily understand the meaning of the message and conform their lives to the truth, unlike the people in the first reading.
Memorial of Blessed Titus Brandsma, Carmelite Priest & Martyr
Anno Sjoerd Brandsma was born at Bolsward, The Netherlands, in 1881, joined the Carmelite Order in 1898 taking the name ‘Titus’, and was ordained priest in 1905. Following studies in Rome he lectured in philosophy at the Catholic University of Nijmegen from 1923 to 1942, where he also served as professor and Rector Magnificus. He was also a journalist and was involved in a number of publications, being appointed ecclesiastical advisor to Catholic journalists in 1935. During the 1930’s he visited Ireland and stayed in Kinsale with the Carmelite Community there – to improve his English – before giving a series of lectures in the United States. Throughout the 1930s Nazi propaganda was on the rise but Fr Titus refused to support or print anything in support of the Nazi regime, working instead to maintain the freedom of the Catholic press and education in the Netherlands. By 1942 it was required that the press in the Netherlands print articles in favour of the Nazi regime but, continuing to refuse, Titus was arrested by the Gestapo on January 19, 1942, and imprisoned in his native country before being sent to the concentration camp at Dachau where he brought comfort and peace to his fellow prisoners. In Dachau he was experimented on in the medical wing and was finally put to death by lethal injection on July 26, 1942.
Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 14:17-22; Psalm 78; Matthew 13:36-43
In the reading from Jeremiah we read that the southern kingdom of Judah has been stricken with a drought because the people were unfaithful to the covenant. The people need food and call on God to be merciful to them and to end the drought. The people gather in Jerusalem for a penitential service in which they acknowledge that their sins have caused the drought. In the Gospel, Christ tells us that on judgement day those who have not lived according to the will of God will be weeded out just as the darnel is weeded out and burned. Unlike the people in the first reading, we are called on to be faithful to God in good times as well as in bad.
Memorial of St Martha
Little is known about Martha other than what is recounted in the Gospels. She was the sister of Lazarus and Mary, and a friend of the Lord. She is the sister who frets over the guests while her sister sits and listens to Jesus. She is also the one who addresses Jesus when he arrives following the death of her brother, Lazarus, and who makes her declaration of faith (“I believe you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world”).
Readings
1 John 4:7-16; Psalm 33; John 11:19-27 or Luke 10:38-42
The first reading from St John’s first letter speaks of love – love for God and love for others. Love was also a characteristic of Martha. We have two images of Martha presented to us in the gospels. The first is from St Luke in which we see Martha rushing about the house when our Lord arrives. She becomes annoyed because her sister, Mary, is sitting listening to Christ rather than looking after him. When she complains about this, Jesus tells her to stop worrying and to sit in his presence and listen as her sister is doing. In the second image, this time from St John’s Gospel, we are presented with the arrival of Jesus at the tomb of his friend Lazarus. Martha greets him while Mary stays indoors. Martha says that if Christ had come sooner her brother would not have died but that whatever Christ asks of the Father will happen. When asked if she believed that Christ was the resurrection and the life, Martha answers that she does and that she believes him to be the Christ, the Son of God. This is the faith to which we are all called to profess and to show in our lives through love of God and neighbour.
Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 18:1-6; Psalm 145; Matthew 13:47-53
We have the allegory of the potter in today’s reading from Jeremiah. As the potter gently reshapes something which goes wrong and starts it afresh, so we are like clay in the hands of God who can restart creation whenever he wishes. Jeremiah realises that the sufferings the people are put through by God, are simply God’s way of remoulding the people and coaxing them back to the covenant and their promises to him. Christ again tells us in the Gospel that the good and the bad will be sifted on judgement day and only the good will be allowed in to the kingdom. We must allow the word of God to mould us each day in to a new people just as the potter moulds his clay.
Friday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 26:1-9; Psalm 68; Matthew 13:54-58
We see Jeremiah in the first reading preaching the word of God in the Temple. He tells the people that if they are not more faithful to God that God would destroy the Temple built by Solomon. This was blasphemous for the people, who nearly rioted, but Jeremiah reminds them that this happened before at Shiloh when the Lord allowed that most sacred of places to be destroyed by the enemies of Israel. In the Gospel, we see Jesus being rejected by his own people because they think they know him just because he is from their district. In both readings the people had little faith and so the word of God could do no work in them. If we are not open to the word of God then it will not work in us either.
Memorial of St Ignatius of Loyola, Priest
Born in 1491 in Loyola of noble stock, Ignatius became a soldier. Having been wounded in battle against the French, Ignatius began reading sacred texts while he was recovering from his injuries and then went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land. He became a priest and began founding the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in 1534 and whose members are ready to serve the Church wherever needed. He died in 1556.
Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24; Psalm 68; Matthew 14:1-12
The authorities wish to kill Jeremiah in the first reading because they did not like his message. He had predicted that God would destroy his own Temple in Jerusalem because of the sins of the nation. He tells the people that even if they kill him the message will be carried by others and it will never die because the message he brings are God’s own words. In the Gospel, we read of the beheading of John the Baptist for the sake of a foolish promise. The truth of the message and its constancy is put before us today and we are called on to believe it as the people did in the time of Jeremiah after they heard him speak.
Memorial of St Alphonsus Liguori, Bishop & Doctor of the Church
Born near Naples in 1696, Alphonsus became a lawyer before becoming a priest, being ordained in 1726. He created the Redemptoristines in 1730 and founded the Redemptorists (Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer – C.Ss.R) in 1732 to work among the country peasants. By the time of his death in 1787 however, the Redemptorists were in a terrible state though he was no longer at its helm to help heal the rifts. From 1762 to 1775 he was bishop of the small diocese of Sant’Agata dei Goti.
August 2 – August 8, 2026
18th Week of Ordinary Time | Readings: Sunday Cycle A; Weekday Cycle 2.
The Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 55:1-3; Psalm 144; Romans 8:35, 37-39; Matthew 14:13-21
Today’s readings speak of being fed by the Lord. In the first reading from the prophet Isaiah, the Lord tells us to come and eat even if we have no money. If we do so then our soul will live. In the gospel, we see Jesus feeding the multitude with five loaves and two fish, which reminds us of the feeding of the Israelites in the desert with manna from heaven. The true bread is Christ himself which he gave us on Holy Thursday and it is the only nourishment we need in order to reach the kingdom, but only if we believe in it.
St Paul tells us in the second reading that nothing can come between us and the love of God and that the trials which come our way serve to strengthen our faith and the presence of God within each of us. In truth, the only things which can separate us from God are the barriers we ourselves create or by our own rejection of the love of God.
Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 28:1-17; Psalm 118; Matthew 14:22-36
We read in the first reading today how the prophet Hananiah gave a prophecy in the Temple which was false but which the people accepted and believed. Hananiah even takes on Jeremiah in front of the people but God assures Jeremiah that Jeremiah is the true prophet. For leading the people astray, Hananiah died. In the Gospel, we see that Jesus has just heard of the death of his cousin, John, and goes away to be on his own. When he returns to the lakeside the disciples are having trouble fishing in their boats but he calls out to them and calls to Peter to walk across the water to him. St Peter starts out but soon his faith fails and he begins to sink. The text reminds us that we must trust the Lord at all times even when it is difficult to do so and our perceptions lead us astray.
Tuesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 31:1-2, 12-15, 18-22; Psalm 101; Matthew 15:1-2, 10-14
We read in the first reading from the Prophet Jeremiah that despite the sins and transgressions of the people, which the Lord had punished them for, he is now going to restore the fortunes of Jerusalem and rebuild the city. This comes at the end of the Babylonian Captivity, about the year 539 BC, and at a time when the people were disheartened at the restoration work which lay ahead of them. In the Gospel, we see Jesus answering the questions of the scribes and Pharisees about ritual cleansing. He reminds them that what goes into a man is not what makes him unclean but what comes from within him. This was seen as an attack on the Laws concerning cleanliness from the Book of Deuteronomy and would not have gone down well with some of his listeners. However, the message is correct – what we have within us, and the choices we make along with the things we say and do, are the things which determine whether or not we are worthy enough to be in the Lord’s presence.
Memorial of St John Mary Vianney, Priest
Vianney, commonly known as the Curé d’Ars, was born in Dardilly, France in 1786. Due to his educational difficulties he was almost refused ordination but was ordained priest in 1815, being appointed curate in the town of Ars near Lyons in 1818, where he was to minister for the rest of his life. Nothing in life mattered to him except matters spiritual so that his clothes were falling apart, his food was insufficient and he hardly slept, but he still attracted thousands to his little church where many benefited from his hidden knowledge and his gifts of healing. It is said that over 1,000 people a week came to him in the twelve months before he died in 1859. He was canonized in 1925 and named patron saint of parish clergy four years later.
Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Jeremiah 31:1-7; Psalm – Jeremiah 31; Matthew 15:21-28
The Lord reminds us in our first reading that he has always loved his people with an everlasting love. And out of his love he is now going to restore the fortunes of his people. Again, this is following the end of the Babylonian Captivity and Jeremiah is painting a wonderful picture for the people of the New Jerusalem when all its people will come to it when the exiles are over. It is his way of encouraging the people to get on with the task of rebuilding the Temple and their dedication to the covenants with God. We read in the Gospel of the cure of a young girl because of her mother’s great faith and because she refused to take ‘no’ for an answer. Even though she was a Canaanite and not of the House of Israel, she had faith greater than some who had heard the Good News for themselves. With faith, we too can overcome the trials which afflict us throughout our life.
Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
This feast commemorates the day when Jesus, in the company of Peter, James and John, was transformed before their eyes on a mountain top. It reminds us of the various occasions in the Old Testament when people, such as Moses, met with God on mountains and spoke with him there. In the Transfiguration, God is heard to speak from heaven which re-enforces who Jesus Christ is for the Apostles who were with him.
Readings
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Psalm 96; 2 Peter 1:16-19; Matthew 17:1-9 or Mark 9:2-10 or Luke 9:28-36
This feast recalls the day when Christ was on top of Mount Tabor with a few of his disciples and in their sight he was transfigured. The glory with which he stood before them is the glory which awaits us on the last day when we shall enter the kingdom of heaven and be counted among the elect. The first reading from the book of Daniel speaks of the glory of God, of his appearance and of his white robes. The second reading from St Peter (a witness to the transfiguration) also speaks of the glory of Christ.
The gospel text from St Matthew recounts the transfiguration of the Lord on the mountain in the presence of Peter, James and John. While the disciples look on Jesus is changed and his clothes appear as white as light while he speaks with Moses and Elijah. This suggests that Jesus is greater than both the Law and the Prophets. In the transfiguration we are given an insight into the glory which awaits us and so we are reminded to remain always faithful if we are to attain that glory.
Feast of St Albert of Trapani, Carmelite Priest
Albert was born in Trapani, Sicily, in the 1240s. He joined the Carmelite Order and was ordained priest, becoming Provincial in Sicily in 1296. Due to his piety and holiness many came to hear him preach and to be cured of their illnesses. He took part in missionary journeys. During the Siege of Messina in 1301 the authorities asked Albert and his companions to pray for an end to the siege. The story is told that as Albert finished Mass some ships ran the blockade with food for the people and soon after the siege was lifted. He died at Messina in 1306/1307.
Readings:
Isaiah 58:6-12; Psalm 1; 2Corinthians 4:1-6; Mark 10:17-30
Our first reading from the Prophet Isaiah exhorts us to live a life of integrity and to be a light that leads people out of darkness towards the light of Jesus Christ. The text speaks very much about the life of Albert of Trapani for he did give his bread to the hungry, he did clothe the poor, he was a man of great integrity and the people came to him to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ from his lips.
The second reading from St Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians reminds us to be faithful to Jesus Christ and to the full message which he preached: we are not to shy away from proclaiming ourselves to be his disciples and we are not to water down the message to make it acceptable to those who are unhappy with parts of it. Albert fulfilled the second reading by preaching about Jesus Christ throughout his life.
The gospel from St Mark sees a rich young man asking Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life and Jesus tells him that he must keep the commandments, give to the poor from his abundant wealth, and follow him. The young man was able do two of the three but, for eternal life, all three are required. This is a reminder that there are obstacles which we place between ourselves and God and which we must overcome if we are to be his true disciples. Albert is an example for us for he was able to live out all three showing that it is possible.
Saturday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Habakkuk 1:12-2:4; Psalm 9; Matthew 17:14-20
We are told in the first reading, this time from Habakkuk (written between 605 and 597 BC), that if we live by faith then we will not flag like those who do not live at rights with God. We must not worry about how others live or how successful they appear to be but must look at how we ourselves live in the eyes of God. In our Gospel text, the disciples have been unable to cure a boy and when they ask Jesus why this is he tells them that it is because of their lack of faith. While they believe in him they have doubts and uncertainties and this holds them back. Like the disciples, we too must have total trust and confidence in God no matter what.
Memorial of St Dominic, Priest
Born in Spain about the year 1170, Dominic first became an Augustinian canon regular. Throughout this time the Albigensian heresy was prevalent across southern France due to a lack of proper teaching and preaching. As a result, Dominic founded the Friars Preachers (Order of Preachers – O.P.), more commonly known as the Dominicans, for the purpose of preaching the true faith and in particular to combat Albigensianism. He died in 1221.
August 9 – August 15, 2026
19th Week of Ordinary Time | Readings: Sunday Cycle A; Weekday Cycle 2.
The Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
1Kings 19:9, 11-13; Psalm 84; Romans 9:1-5; Matthew 14:22-33
The power of God is a common thread in our readings today. In the first reading we see that God was to be found not in the mighty forces of nature but in the gentle breeze. The holy Prophet Elijah had gone to Horeb and took shelter in a cave and only came out when he heard the gentle breeze for he recognised this as being the presence of God. In the gospel we see Christ having power over the physical forces of nature and walking on water. Christ is always with us whether it be in the gentle breeze or in mighty power. While God is the Creator of all that there is he does always make his presence known in a great show of power but is to be seen and felt even in the quietest and most still moments in life.
In the second reading, we see St Paul lamenting the fact that the Israelites have prayed for centuries for the Messiah and yet they refuse to accept Jesus as the Messiah despite his miracles and his teaching. We are called on to believe in Christ and his presence even though we cannot see him. We are asked to take to heart his words in today’s gospel – “Do not be afraid.”
Feast of St Laurence the Deacon, Martyr
Laurence was one of the seven deacons in Rome under Pope St Sixtus II. Three days after Sixtus was martyred in 258, Laurence was himself martyred by being roasted alive on a grid-iron. He is remembered in the Roman Canon of the Mass (Eucharistic Prayer I).
Readings
2Corinthians 9:6-10; Psalm 111; John 12:24-26
In our first reading today St Paul exhorts his readers to give alms to the poor and to look after them in any way possible, knowing that there will be abundant blessings from the Lord for this work or mercy. In our text from St John’s Gospel the Lord tells us that we must be like a grain of wheat because unless we die to the ways of this life and are born of the true and everlasting life we will be lost for ever. Lawrence lost his life but he did so with a great heart because what he did was done for the Lord and so his name and his example lives on to this day. He is an example to us that the life to come is of far greater value than the present life we live and that we should do all we can to secure our place alongside Lawrence in the kingdom.
Tuesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 2:8-3:4; Psalm 118; Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
In our first reading we see that Ezekiel is being sent to the house of Israel by the Lord but before he goes, the Lord puts his words into Ezekiel’s mouth. In consuming the scroll, Ezekiel is showing that he accepts the role of the prophet and that the words which he will preach from his heart will be the words of God himself (we find a similar image of St John the Evangelist swallowing a scroll in the Book of the Apocalypse). We are told by Christ in today’s Gospel that we must change and become as pure as little children if we are to enter the kingdom of heaven. Our trust in God must be as complete as that of a little child. As a child depends completely on their parents for everything, so too we must place our complete trust and confidence in God for all things come from him and he alone can save us.
Memorial of St Clare, Virgin & Religious
Clare was born in Assisi 1193 and left home at the age of 18 to join St Francis of Assisi. Influenced by his ideas she established the first convent of Franciscan nuns, today known as the Poor Clares, at San Damiano, and spent the rest of her life in that convent. She died in 1253 and was canonized two years later.
Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 9:1-7, 10:18-22; Psalm 112; Matthew 18:15-20
In our reading today from the prophet Ezekiel we see the Lord sending out his messengers to weed out his faithful people from those who have departed from his Law. All of this comes to Ezekiel in a dream which goes on to show the glory of the Lord leaving the Temple in Jerusalem because of the sinfulness of the people. In the Gospel, Jesus tells us that we must help keep our brothers and sisters on the right path, especially if they go astray from the word of God. Everything we do has an effect on others and so we must be very careful to live according to God’s Law in public as well as in private. Our actions can build up or destroy the faith of those around us and we must never be found as a stumbling block to faith in God.
Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 12:1-12; Psalm 77; Matthew 18:21-19:1
In today’s first reading we see how Ezekiel is ordered by the Lord to leave the city because of its evil ways. But he is to do it in broad daylight so that the people will see what he does and may, in this way, be persuaded of their sinfulness and so return to God. These actions are to be a symbol of God’s dissatisfaction with the House of Israel in the hopes that the people will heed what is happening and return to the right path. However, the people have grown stubborn and don’t believe that God would destroy his own city. In the Gospel from St Matthew, Christ tells us that there is to be no limit to the number of times we are to forgive others if they wrong us and seek forgiveness. As the Lord is merciful with us so we must be merciful with others.
Friday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63; Psalm – Isaiah 12; Matthew 19:3-12
The Lord speaks to Jerusalem through the Prophet Ezekiel in the first reading and tells the city – which is a symbol of the Jewish nation – how he looked after it and nurtured it. But now the city has become infatuated with itself and is no longer faithful to the one who cared for it. Now is the time for the city and its inhabitants to remember the covenant and to be ashamed. Our Gospel text is a particularly difficult one for it speaks of the Lord’s displeasure with divorce as he tells his disciples that it is not in keeping with his Law or his vision for us. At the same time, he does not condemn those whose marriages have ended in this way.
Memorial of St Maximilian Kolbe, Priest & Martyr
Maximilian was born near Lodz, in Poland in 1894 (then part of Russia). He became a Franciscan in 1910 and both his parents also entered religious orders. He also founded a community in Japan in 1930 and returned to Europe in 1936. With the Nazi invasion of Poland in 1939 he and his community gave shelter to Poles and Jews who were being rounded up by the Nazi regime. For this he was imprisoned in the Auschwitz Concentration Camp where he ministered to his fellow prisoners. In reprisal for an escape by some prisoners, the camp authorities took ten men to be starved to death, one of which came from Maximilian’s bunker. Maximilian volunteered to take the man’s place and so was deprived of food for two weeks. He was eventually put to death by lethal injection on August 14, 1941. He was canonized by his fellow countryman, Pope John Paul II, in 1982. Among those at the canonization was the man whose life he had saved by his heroic act in 1941.
Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Blessed Lady into Heaven
This solemnity celebrates the fact that at the end of Mary’s life, her body was assumed into heaven rather than undergo decay in the earth. Though maintained by the faithful for centuries, it was only proclaimed a dogma of the faith by Pope Pius XII in 1950.
Readings
Apocalypse (Revelations) 11:19, 12:1-6, 10; Psalm 44; 1Corinthians 15:20-26; Luke 1:39-56
The first reading from the Book of the Apocalypse refers to our Lady who, as Queen of Heaven, is robed in splendour and majesty. She gives birth to one of great importance who is taken directly to the throne of God, whose Son he is, while the Virgin flees to a special place – reminding us of her special place in heaven. In the second reading, St Paul tells us that Christ is the first-fruit – the first to rise from the dead. The gospel from St Luke contains the Magnificat – Mary’s beautiful hymn which she said upon meeting her cousin Elizabeth shortly after the Annunciation. Today’s solemnity commemorates our Lady’s entry into glory, a glory which awaits us and which was prefigured on August 6th in the celebration of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
August 16 – August 22, 2026
20th Week of Ordinary Time | Readings: Sunday Cycle A; Weekday Cycle 2.
The Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 56:1, 6-7; Psalm 66; Romans 11:13-15, 29-32; Matthew 15:21-28
In our readings for today we see that the Word of God is meant not just for those who are baptized but for all peoples who live the gospel values. The one important criterion is belief in God. The first reading from Isaiah clearly tells us that those who live by God’s word and are faithful to him will be joyful in his house of prayer as the Lord gathers to his holy mountain all those who live by his precepts. In the gospel we see Jesus encountering a Canaanite woman who asked him to heal her daughter. Despite her ethnicity she professes faith in Christ and her daughter is healed. We must all believe in God and his Word and live lives worthy of the gospel values if we are to be saved.
The second reading from the letter to the Romans tells us that God is always merciful and that this mercy is always available to those who seek it. The mercy of God will always be there for us even if – for a time – we reject God and fail to live as he wants us to live.
Monday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 24:15-24; Psalm – Deuteronomy 32; Matthew 19:16-22
In the first reading from the Prophet Ezekiel, the people have sinned and as a result the Lord is about to punish them. Ezekiel is told that his wife is soon to die which is a symbol of the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and of the grief which the people will have for their great loss. The Psalm continues this theme. In the Gospel we read the account of the rich young man who came to Jesus to be a follower. However he was unable to follow him because even though he had kept the Commandments he could not give up his wealth. It is one thing to have possessions but it is quite another to be too attached to them. To be true followers we must be able to give up all we have for the sake of the kingdom.
Memorial of Our Lady of Knock
Readings of the Day or from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
At about 8.00pm on August 21, 1879, a wet evening, fifteen people in a remote part of Co Mayo witnessed an apparition on the gable wall of the parish church in Knock. In the apparition were Our Lady, St Joseph her spouse, St John the Evangelist, an altar and cross, angels, and a lamb. Everything was in white and nothing was said. The apparition lasted about two hours and over the years several inquiries were held – even as late as 1936 with the remaining survivors, some of whom were then living abroad. Today, Knock Shrine is the most important Marian shrine in Ireland and draws many pilgrims from around the world. In 1979, Blessed John Paul II, on his Apostolic Visit to Ireland, prayed at the site of the apparition.
Tuesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 28:1-10; Psalm – Deuteronomy 32; Matthew 19:23-30
In our first reading we see God about to punish an imaginary prince in the port city of Tyre for the prince likened himself to a god and was not faithful to the true God. This comes from a section of the book of the Prophet Ezekiel in which warnings are given to the neighbouring kingdoms around Israel and Judah. The Psalm, taken from Deuteronomy, could easily have been the words spoken by God in his anger. Today’s Gospel text follows on from yesterday’s passage and in it Christ tells us that it is difficult to enter heaven if we place too much store on our possessions. First and foremost in our life must always be Christ and the Kingdom. We need possessions to live comfortably in this life but we need Christ to live peacefully for all time.
Wednesday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 34:1-11; Psalm 22; Matthew 20:1-16
We read in the first reading that the people have turned away from God and have been lured by other gods because their shepherds – their religious and political leaders – have not looked after them properly. These shepherds are now to have their flocks taken from them and, ultimately, the Lord himself will be their shepherd. This latter part was fulfilled in the person of Jesus. In the Gospel parable of the generous landowner, Christ reminds us that all are equal in the sight of God whether they be rich or poor, clergy or laity, young or old. All are judged equally in his eyes. No matter our station in life we have a duty to uphold God’s word and to assist in its spread.
Thursday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 36:23-28; Psalm 50; Matthew 22:1-14
In our first reading today from the Prophet Ezekiel the Lord tells his people that he will lead them to their own soil and bring them home from where they have been scattered. Once home he will give them a new spirit so that they will be able to keep his laws. This reminds us of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Day. The Psalm could have been the people’s response to this – “A pure heart create for me, O God . . .” Today’s Gospel parable speaks of the kingdom of heaven. The message of the kingdom was first proclaimed to the Jews who rejected it and so it was proclaimed to the Gentiles and hence to all people. We are all invited to the kingdom of heaven but unless we live a life worthy of that call we will not be allowed to enter. The Holy Spirit has been given to us to show us the way but we must receive him openly and without condition.
Memorial of St Bernard, Abbot & Doctor of the Church
Bernard was born near Dijon in France in 1090. In 1112 he joined the Cistercian monastery of Cîteaux along with thirty other young men. Soon after he established the monastery of Clairvaux and was its first abbot. He worked tirelessly for the unity of the Church and against heresies and was not afraid to dispute with princes or to give advice to popes. He took part in Oecumenical and other councils, travelled extensively to preach the faith and established 68 other Cistercian monasteries. He died in 1153 and was canonized twenty-one years later.
Friday of the Twentieth Week in Ordinary Time
Ezekiel 37:1-4; Psalm 106; Matthew 22:34-40
In our reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel we see that God is going to raise his faithful ones from the dead and give them new life. The bones symbolise the whole house of Israel which the Lord will bring back from Babylon to their own homeland in Palestine. In our Gospel, the Pharisees are testing Jesus by asking him about the Commandments. His answer is a reminder for us that we must place God above all else and love him with our whole being. Not alone this, we must also love our neighbour as we love ourselves. In giving us this commandment, Jesus put together two rules from the Old Testament and gave a greater standard to strive for and by which to live.
Memorial of Pope St Pius X
Giuseppe Sarto was born in 1835 and was ordained priest in 1858. He was made Bishop of Mantua in 1884 and eight years later was created Cardinal Patriarch of Venice. In 1903 he was elected Pope. During his pontificate he urged daily communion and facilitated the communion of children and the sick. He encouraged Bible reading and tackled Modernism. He died two weeks after the outbreak of World War I in 1914 and was canonized forty years later.
Memorial of the Queenship of Mary
This memorial celebrates the crowning of Mary as Queen of Heaven following the Solemnity of the Assumption seven days ago.
Readings
Isaiah 9:1-6; Psalm 112; Luke 1:26-38
Our first reading today comes from the Prophet Isaiah and is commonly heard coming up to Christmas. In the text the prophet tells us about the Son who will be given to us and will bring us salvation through his self-sacrifice. The gospel text is St Luke’s account of the Annunciation in which we hear how the Son spoken of in the first reading will be born. As always, the readings on memorials and feastdays of Our Lady remind us of her great service to the word and will of God.
August 23 – August 29, 2026
21st Week of Ordinary Time | Readings: Sunday Cycle A; Weekday Cycle 2.
The Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isaiah 22:19-23; Psalm 137; Romans 11:33-36; Matthew 16:13-20
Our first reading from the Prophet Isaiah sees the Lord removing the key of the House of David from Shebna and giving it to Eliakim because the former had been a poor keeper of the key and servant of God. Eliakim is given full authority and whatever he closes will remain closed and whatever he opens will remain open. A similar scene is found in the gospel text from St Matthew in that, following his great profession of faith, St Peter is given the keys of the kingdom by Christ. The Lord tells Peter and his successors that whatever he binds on earth will be considered bound in heaven and whatever he should loose on earth will be considered loosed in heaven. Peter is also made the rock on which the Church is to be built.
In the second reading from St Paul to the Romans, Paul tells us that everything that exists comes from God, everything is by God and everything is for God. Our passage concludes with Paul telling us that it is to God that we should give glory for ever.
Feast of St Bartholomew the Apostle
Very little is known about Bartholomew apart from his being listed among the Twelve in the Synoptic Gospels. Many scholars identify him as the Nathanael who came to visit Jesus under the cover of darkness in the first chapter of St John’s Gospel. Tradition holds that he preached the faith in India, though there is no evidence of this.
Readings
Apocalypse (Revelations) 21:9-14; Psalm 144; John 1:45-51
Our first reading from the Book of the Revelations made to St John the Evangelist, speaks of the new Jerusalem which has twelve foundation stones. The new Jerusalem is a metaphor for the Church established by Christ and built on the foundation of the apostles themselves. The wall symbolises the people of God. In the gospel we see Nathanael (Nathaniel) being brought to Jesus and we read of his declaration of faith because of what Jesus said to him. It is believed that this Nathanael is the St Bartholomew we honour today.
Tuesday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 14-17; Psalm 95; Matthew 23:23-26
Today, St Paul exhorts his readers in Thessalonica to remain faithful to Christ’s message and not allow themselves to be led astray by false prophets or by those who proclaim that ‘the end is nigh.’ This was in answer to the idea that the Second Coming of Christ was about to happen very soon but Paul warns the people not to be deceived by false prophecies about this event but to remain faithful to the faith which he gave them. In our Gospel, Jesus continues to rebuke the scribes and Pharisees. He tells them that they have been more concerned with the measure of things than with justice, mercy and good faith. He also tells them that what is in their hearts is of far more importance than their outward appearances. We too should be more concerned with our inner disposition than with how we dress and appear to others and we must make justice and mercy priorities in our whole life while building up our faith.
Transverberation of St Teresa of Jesus (Avila)
This memorial, known also as the Ecstasy of Teresa of Avila or the ‘piercing of the heart’, marks the moment when her heart was pierced by an angel and set ablaze with the love of Christ. This is when Teresa entered into a spiritual marriage with the Lord, which very few people achieve. It was recorded in detail by Teresa in her Life and, when the saint had died and her body exhumed, while her body was incorrupt, it was discovered that her heart did in fact have a wound in keeping with that caused by being pierced by a spear.
Readings:
1Corinthians 12:31; 13:1-10, 12-13; Psalm 39; John 14:23-27
Our first reading is one of the most beautiful texts in the New Testament and is quite appropriate for today’s memorial. In the text, from his first letter to the Corinthians, St Paul speaks about love and what love is, which he does by telling us in part what love is not. No matter how great a person is or how powerful or intelligent, if they do not have love as the foundation of all that they do then they are nothing at all.
That theme is taken up in the gospel from St John in which Jesus says that those who love him will keep his word and he will make his home in their heart. This very much describes what happened to Teresa when she had the encounter with the angel and was joined in a powerful spiritual union with the Lord.
Thursday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
1 Corinthians 1:1-9; Psalm 144; Matthew 24:42-51
Today we turn to St Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians which was written by Paul between 55 and 57 AD, about five years after he had left the port town in southern Greece. In today’s passage Paul tells us that we have been enriched with so many graces by God. If we put our faith and trust in Christ then he will keep us on the right path towards heaven. In the Gospel, Jesus reminds us that we do not know the day or the hour when he will return, or indeed when we will be called to give an account of our life. Therefore, we must always be ready and must be living a Christian life at every moment by being faithful to Christ and to his Gospel.
Memorial of St Monica
Born in North Africa to a Christian family in 332, Monica married a pagan, Patricius, who was converted due to her gentle ways. She then spent her energies in converting her eldest son – Augustine – to the faith. She followed him to Milan where she enlisted the help of St Ambrose, then Bishop of Milan, and in time Augustine was converted and became one of the greatest teachers in the Church. She died in Ostia in 387 while Augustine was taking her home to North Africa. Her last words, recorded in Augustine’s ‘Confessions’ were – “Lay this body wherever it may be. Let no care of it disturb you: this only I ask of you that you should remember me at the altar of the Lord wherever you may be” (Confessions Book 9, Chapter 11).
Friday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
1 Corinthians 1:17-25; Psalm 32; Matthew 25:1-13
We are reminded by St Paul in his letter to the Christians in Corinth that for many people preaching about a crucified saviour is nonsense – the Jews could never accept a Messiah who suffers and the Greeks could never understand a God who dies. But for those of us who believe in the wisdom of God it is our salvation and our hope. We are reminded again in our Gospel reading to be always ready for we do not know when the Lord will return or when he will call us to himself. Those who are ready and have lived a Christian life will enter the kingdom but those who have not been faithful will find themselves outside in the cold.
Memorial of St Augustine, Bishop & Doctor of the Church
Augustine was born in Thagaste in North Africa in 354, one of four children of St Monica. He studied law and spent several years of his life following the ways of Manichaeism and fathered a child with his mistress. He was converted through the prayers of his mother, St Monica, with the help of St Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, who baptised him in 387. He returned to Africa and was made Bishop of Hippo in 396 where he established communities of priests and nuns. His Rule for religious institutes is the basis for many Congregations and Institutes of Apostolic Life today. He became the greatest of the Latin Fathers of the Church and spent much of his energies fighting heresies. His two best known works are ‘The Confessions’ and ‘De Civitate Dei’ (‘City of God’) which are still influential today. He died in 430.
Memorial of the Beheading of St John the Baptist
As the name of this memorial suggests, today recalls the martyrdom of St John the Baptist, his last and greatest act of witness for Christ.
Readings
Jeremiah 1:17-19; Psalm 70; Mark 6:17-29
The first reading sees the Lord telling Jeremiah not to be afraid but to stand up before the people and to preach as he has been commanded to by the Lord. The reading is also a good description of John the Baptist and his fearless belief in Christ who also stood before a king and gave him warning of how to act righteously before God. Both Jeremiah and John suffered violent deaths. The gospel passage recalls the martyrdom of John and how he died for the faith as a result of a promise vainly made to a lovely girl by Herod.
