Friday of the First Week of Advent
Reading 1 Isaiah 29:17-24
Thus says the Lord GOD:
But a very little while,
and Lebanon shall be changed into an orchard,
and the orchard be regarded as a forest!
On that day the deaf shall hear
the words of a book;
And out of gloom and darkness,
the eyes of the blind shall see.
The lowly will ever find joy in the LORD,
and the poor rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
For the tyrant will be no more
and the arrogant will have gone;
All who are alert to do evil will be cut off,
those whose mere word condemns a man,
Who ensnare his defender at the gate,
and leave the just man with an empty claim.
Therefore thus says the LORD,
the God of the house of Jacob,
who redeemed Abraham:
Now Jacob shall have nothing to be ashamed of,
nor shall his face grow pale.
When his children see
the work of my hands in his midst,
They shall keep my name holy;
they shall reverence the Holy One of Jacob,
and be in awe of the God of Israel.
Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding,
and those who find fault shall receive instruction.
Responsorial Psalm Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14
R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold, our Lord shall come with power;
he will enlighten the eyes of his servants.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Matthew 9:27-31
As Jesus passed by, two blind men followed him, crying out,
"Son of David, have pity on us!"
When he entered the house,
the blind men approached him and Jesus said to them,
"Do you believe that I can do this?"
"Yes, Lord," they said to him.
Then he touched their eyes and said,
"Let it be done for you according to your faith."
And their eyes were opened.
Jesus warned them sternly,
"See that no one knows about this."
But they went out and spread word of him through all that land.
Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.
Saturday, August 2, 2025
Happy Saturday, friend! We are so excited to share with you what's coming up this week as we all prepare our hearts by praying with readings for Sunday, the day of rest with our Lord.
Live Liturgically // This Week’s Feast Days
Saturday, August 2 (today!) // Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, Priest // Optional Memorial of Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, Bishop
Sunday, August 3 // Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Monday, August 4 // Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest
Tuesday, August 5 // Optional Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome
Wednesday, August 6 // Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord
Thursday, August 7 // Optional Memorial of Saint Sixtus II, Pope and Martyr, and his Companions, Martyrs // Optional Memorial of Saint Cajetan, Priest
Friday, August 8 // Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest
Letter from the Editor //
Dear Sister,
This Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time comes at the height of summer in the Northern hemisphere, a time when farms and gardens are producing a bountiful harvest, just like the one Jesus speaks about in the Gospel. As we partake of the fresh produce, it is a good time to examine the fruits we produce with our lives. Are we “rich in what matters to God”(Luke 12:21)? The parable of the rich man who dies and leaves his riches behind is a poignant reminder that all earthly things are vanity. Yes, our bodies are important to provide and care for—but the Lord does not want us to have “anxiety of heart” over our possessions (Ecclesiastes 2:22). Instead He would have us entrust our earthly needs to the “gracious care of the LORD our God” and ask Him to “prosper the work of our hand for us” (Psalm 90:17)! He would have us trust to His providence that when we use our gifts well, we will have what we need.
Saint Paul tells us that we “were raised with Christ” and our lives should reflect this here and now, for our “life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1, 3). So often our daily work feels like vanity, things that are easily undone, things that have to be done again and again, or things that pass away quickly. However, we have something eternal to add to our work if, when we do it, we are seeking “what is above” (Colossians 3:2). Only with the help of the Lord will we produce a bountiful harvest that will have eternal fruit, for the Lord has redeemed even the work of our hands.
In Christ’s Love,
Susanna
Read the Readings for the Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time:
First Reading // Ecclesiastes 1:2; 2:21-23
Psalm // Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17
Second Reading // Colossians 3:1-5, 9-11
Gospel // Luke 12:13-21
Susanna Spencer holds a master's in Theology from the Franciscan University of Steubenville and is the Devotions Editor for Blessed is She. She is a freelance writer and editor and a teacher-in-training living with her philosopher husband and four kids in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She loves reading theology, attending beautiful liturgies, cooking delicious food, and casually following baseball. She is the author of the Gospel Studies including Seek His Kingdom: A Meditation on Matthew , Listen to Him: A Meditation on Mark, and Abide in His Love: A Meditation on John. She was narrator for Found: Advent With the Good Shepherd and Rescued: Lent With the Lamb of God and a contributing author and editor for our children’s devotional prayer book, Rise Up. She was the Theological Editor of the Blessed Conversations Studies. Find out more about her here.
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