Intro to the day:  “Weakness is assumed by strength, lowliness by majesty, mortality by eternity, in order that One and the same Mediator of God and men might die in one and rise in the other—for this was our fitting remedy. Unless He was God, He would not have brought a remedy, and unless He was man, He could not have set an example.” –Pope Saint Leo the Great

Today is Wednesday, the Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest. We are praying for the faculty, staff, and families of St. Bernard Preparatory School in Cullman, AL.

The saint of the day is St. Francis Xavier, patron of foreign missionaries and co-founder of the Jesuits. He led the first Catholic mission to Japan and brought the love of Christ to all he encountered in his travels. He is credited with numerous miracles, including bilocation, the gift of tongues, and raising the dead.

Gospel: Matthew 15:29-37

Saint of the Day: St. Thomas Aquinas on the Necessity of Christ’s Incarnation from Summa Theologica

Marian prayer for the day: Alma Redemptoris Mater

Mother of Christ, hear thou thy people's cry

Star of the deep and Portal of the sky!

Mother of Him who thee made from nothing made.

Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid:

Oh, by what joy which Gabriel brought to thee,

Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.

V. The Angel of the Lord announced unto Mary.

R. And she conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts: that as we have known the incarnation of Thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an Angel, so too by His Cross and passion may we be brought to the glory of His resurrection. Amen.

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