AUGUST 22 Mon Queenship of Mary Memorial 2 Thes 1:1-5, 11-12/Mt 23:13-22 

23 Tue Weekday [St Rose of Lima, Virgin] 2 Thes 2:1-3a, 14-17/Mt 23:23-26 

24 Wed St Bartholomew, Apostle Feast Rv 21:9b-14/Jn 1:45-51 

25 Thu Weekday [St Louis; Saint Joseph Calasanz, Priest] 1 Cor 1:1-9/Mt 24:42-51 

26 Fri Weekday 1 Cor 1:17-25/Mt 25:1-13

Blessed Dominic Barberi, CP  

27 Sat Saint Monica Memorial 1 Cor 1:26-31/Mt 25:14-30 

28 SUN TWENTY-SECOND SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Sir 3:17-18, 20, 28-29/Heb 12:18-19, 22-24a/Lk 14:1, 7-14 

Readings this week from the 23-24 chapters of St. Matthew describe the fierce opposition Jesus faced from the Pharisees and his condemnation of them.  Commentators remind us that these accounts reveal the conflict Matthew’s church had with the Pharisees, but what is said of the Pharisees can also be said of members of Matthew’s church as well.

We’re also reading from the 2nd Letter to Thessalonians the first few days of this week; then we will read extensively from Paul’s 1st Letter to the Corinthians till the 24th week of the year. Both letters are among the earliest documents describing the early church and are written before the gospels.

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians answers some questions they raise about the 2nd Coming of Christ and warns against  other “teachers” using Paul’s name, who were deceiving people,  Paul urges the Thessalonians to be faithful to his oral teaching and letters. ( 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-17) 

In Paul’s letters we’re seeing the Pharisees in another way. They’re in the church of every age, including ours.

The Queenship of Mary, August 22, is a memorial related to the feast of the Assumption of Mary into heaven, August 15.

Bartholomew is the apostle celebrated in August. St. Rose of Lima and St. Monica, mother of St. Augustine, are also celebrated this month. 

August 26, the Passionists celebrate the feast of Blessed Dominic Barberi, who received St. John Newman into the Catholic Church.