3 December 2025 (Wednesday) / Saint Francis Xavier, Priest, Missionary Obligatory Memorial. Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest

3 December 2025 (Wednesday)

Saint Francis Xavier, Priest, Missionary Obligatory Memorial.

Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, Priest.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Isaiah 25: 6-10

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 23: 1-6

Gospel: Matthew 15: 29-37

First Reading: Isaiah 25: 6-10

And the Lord of hosts shall make unto all people in this mountain, a feast of fat things, a feast of wine, of fat things full of marrow, of wine purified from the lees. And he shall destroy in this mountain the face of the bond with which all people were tied, and the web that he began over all nations. He shall cast death down headlong for ever: and the Lord God shall wipe away tears from every face, and the reproach of his people he shall take away from off the whole earth: for the Lord hath spoken it. And they shall say in that day: Lo, this is our God, we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord, we have patiently waited for him, we shall rejoice and be joyfull in his salvation. For the hand of the Lord shall rest in this mountain.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 23: 1-6

R. (6) I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing. He hath set me in a place of pasture. He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment: He hath converted my soul.

R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

He hath led me on the paths of justice, for his own name’s sake. For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me.

R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it!

R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

And thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life. And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Behold, the Lord comes to save his people; blessed are those prepared to meet him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Matthew 15: 29-37

And when Jesus had passed away from thence, he came nigh the sea of Galilee. And going up into a mountain, he sat there. And there came to him great multitudes, having with them the dumb, the blind, the lame, the maimed, and many others: and they cast them down at his feet, and he healed them: So that the multitudes marvelled seeing the dumb speak, the lame walk, and the blind see: and they glorified the God of Israel. And Jesus called together his disciples, and said: I have compassion on the multitudes, because they continue with me now three days, and have not what to eat, and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. And the disciples say unto him: Whence then should we have so many loaves in the desert, as to fill so great a multitude? And Jesus said to them: How many loaves have you? But they said: Seven, and a few little fishes. And he commanded the multitude to sit down upon the ground. And taking the seven loaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the people. And they did all eat, and had their fill. And they took up seven baskets full, of what remained of the fragments.

For our reflection today:

Today, in place of the crowds mentioned in the Gospel, entire peoples are suffering more as a result of the greed of others than from their own hunger. In stark contrast to the dire poverty of many, the amassing of wealth by a few is the sign of an arrogant indifference that produces pain and injustice. Rather than sharing, it squanders the fruits of the earth and human labour. Especially in this Jubilee Year, the Lord’s example is a yardstick that should guide our actions and our service: we are called to share our bread, to multiply hope and to proclaim the coming of God’s Kingdom. In saving the crowds from hunger, Jesus proclaims that he will save everyone from death. That is the mystery of faith, which we celebrate in the sacrament of the Eucharist. For just as hunger is a sign of our radical needs in this life, so breaking bread is a sign of God’s gift of salvation. Christ is God’s answer to our human hunger, because his Body is the bread of eternal life: Take this and eat of it, all of you! (Pope Leo XIV, Feast of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, 22 June 2025)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant, 

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)