St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

January 28, 2022

Saints

Daily Readings:

First Option

  • First Reading

    2 Samuel 11:1-10, 13-17

    1In the spring of the year, the time when kings go forth to battle, David sent Jo'ab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. 2It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking upon the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. 3And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathshe'ba, the daughter of Eli'am, the wife of Uri'ah the Hittite?" 4So David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house. 5And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David, "I am with child." 6So David sent word to Jo'ab, "Send me Uri'ah the Hittite." And Jo'ab sent Uri'ah to David. 7When Uri'ah came to him, David asked how Jo'ab was doing, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered. 8Then David said to Uri'ah, "Go down to your house, and wash your feet." And Uri'ah went out of the king's house, and there followed him a present from the king. 9But Uri'ah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. 10When they told David, "Uri'ah did not go down to his house," David said to Uri'ah, "Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?" 13And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house. 14In the morning David wrote a letter to Jo'ab, and sent it by the hand of Uri'ah. 15In the letter he wrote, "Set Uri'ah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die." 16And as Jo'ab was besieging the city, he assigned Uri'ah to the place where he knew there were valiant men. 17And the men of the city came out and fought with Jo'ab; and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uri'ah the Hittite was slain also.

  • Responsorial Psalm

    Psalms 51:3-7, 10-11

    1Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love; according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment. 5Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 8Fill me with joy and gladness; let the bones which thou hast broken rejoice. 9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.

  • Gospel

    Mark 4:26-34

    26And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, 27and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how. 28The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." 30And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." 33With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

Second Option

  • First Reading

    Wisdom 7:7-10, 15-16

    7Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me. 8I preferred her to scepters and thrones, and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her. 9Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all gold is but a little sand in her sight, and silver will be accounted as clay before her. 10I loved her more than health and beauty, and I chose to have her rather than light, because her radiance never ceases. 15May God grant that I speak with judgment and have thought worthy of what I have received, for he is the guide even of wisdom and the corrector of the wise. 16For both we and our words are in his hand, as are all understanding and skill in crafts.

  • Responsorial Psalm

    Psalms 119:9-14

    9How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to thy word. 10With my whole heart I seek thee; let me not wander from thy commandments! 11I have laid up thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee. 12Blessed be thou, O LORD; teach me thy statutes! 13With my lips I declare all the ordinances of thy mouth. 14In the way of thy testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.

  • Gospel

    Matthew 23:8-12

    8But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren. 9And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. 11He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; 12whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.