Ordinary Weekday/ Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Doctor
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 81: 3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab
Alleluia: First Peter 1: 25
Gospel: Matthew 13: 54-58
First Reading: Leviticus 23: 1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
4 These also are the holy days of the Lord, which you must celebrate in their seasons.
5 The first month, the fourteenth day of the month at evening, is the phase of the Lord:
6 And the fifteenth day of the same month is the solemnity of the unleavened bread of the Lord. Seven days shall you eat unleavened bread.
7 The first day shall be most solemn unto you, and holy: you shall do no servile work therein:
8 But you shall offer sacrifice in fire to the Lord seven days. And the seventh day shall be more solemn, and more holy: and you shall do no servile work therein.
9 And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
10 Speak to the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: When you shall have entered into the land which I will give you, and shall reap your corn, you shall bring sheaves of ears, the firstfruits of your harvest to the priest:
11 Who shall lift up the shed before the Lord, the next day after the sabbath, that it may be acceptable for you, and shall sanctify it.
15 You shall count therefore from the morrow after the sabbath, wherein you offered the sheaf of the firstfruits, seven full weeks.
16 Even unto the marrow after the seventh week be expired, that is to say, fifty days, and so you shall offer a new sacrifice to the Lord.
27 Upon the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the day of atonement, it shall be most solemn, and shall be called holy: and you shall afflict your souls on that day, and shall offer a holocaust to the Lord.
34b From the fifteenth day of this same seventh month, shall be kept the feast of tabernacles seven days to the Lord.
35 The first day shall be called most solemn and most holy: you shall do no servile work therein. And seven days you shall offer holocausts to the Lord.
36 The eighth day also shall be most solemn and most holy, and you shall offer holocausts to the Lord: for it is the day of assembly and congregation: you shall do no servile work therein.
37 These are the feasts of the Lord, which you shall call most solemn and most holy, and shall offer on them oblations to the Lord, holocausts and libations according to the rite of every day,
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 81: 3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab
R. (2a) Sing with joy to God our help.
3 Take a psalm, and bring hither the timbrel: the pleasant psaltery with the harp.
4 Blow up the trumpet on the new moon, on the noted day of your solemnity.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
5 For it is a commandment in Israel, and a judgment to the God of Jacob.
6 He ordained it for a testimony in Joseph, when he came out of the land of Egypt: he heard a tongue which he knew not.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
10 There shall be no new god in thee: neither shalt thou adore a strange god.
11ab For I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt.
R. Sing with joy to God our help.
Alleluia: First Peter 1: 25
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
25 The word of the Lord remains forever; This is the word that has been proclaimed to you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 13: 54-58
54 And coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogues, so that they wondered and said: How came this man by this wisdom and miracles?
55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude:
56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence therefore hath he all these things?
57 And they were scandalized in his regard. But Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
58 And he wrought not many miracles there, because of their unbelief.
Reflection
The appointed feasts gave Israel a rhythm for remembering that life and harvest were gifts from the Lord. Sacred days gathered the people into worship, sacrifice, repentance, gratitude, and joy. The psalm makes the purpose clear: sing to God our help, the God who brought his people out of Egypt. Worship keeps memory alive and protects the heart from replacing the Lord with false gods.
Yet the Gospel shows how easily familiarity can become an obstacle to faith. The people of Jesus’ own country recognized his family and ordinary background, but they could not receive the wisdom and power present in him. Their closeness to what seemed familiar prevented them from seeing what God was doing. The enduring word of God still asks for this openness from us. Christ may speak through worship, Scripture, and the ordinary people and moments we are tempted to overlook. Keeping holy time is more than observing a schedule; it is making room to remember God’s saving work and to receive him anew. A grateful, attentive heart can recognize the Lord where pride or familiarity would see nothing extraordinary.
Prayer
Lord God, you are our help and the source of every good gift. Teach us to remember your saving work with grateful hearts and to honor the sacred time you give us for worship, repentance, and joy. Free us from false gods and from the familiarity that makes us inattentive to your presence. Jesus, open our eyes to recognize your wisdom and grace, even when you come to us through ordinary people, familiar words, or simple acts of faithfulness. Give us humble hearts that welcome your word and courage to live it. Amen.
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