Understanding the Day
Season
Time After Pentecost
Week
Week 1 of Time After Pentecost
Rank
Weekday
Time after Pentecost (also called Ordinary Time in some traditions) is the long stretch of the liturgical year when the Church reflects on the life and ministry of Jesus and how Christians live out that mission in daily life. This Wednesday is a feria, meaning it is an ordinary weekday of the season without the rank of a feast, solemnity, or saint’s memorial. In plain language, a feria is a regular liturgical day when the community prays the appointed weekday prayers, Scripture readings, and Eucharist, focusing on the season’s themes rather than celebrating a particular saint or major feast. There is no octave or special vigil attached to this day; it is part of Week 1 of Time after Pentecost and follows the sequence of weekday liturgies for that week.
Introit (Daily Prayer)
Ps 12:6
O Lord, I have trusted in thy mercy. My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation: I will sing to the Lord, who giveth me good things.
Ps 12:1
How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me unto the end? how long dost thou turn away thy face from me?
Glory Be to the Father…
O Lord, I have trusted in thy mercy. My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation: I will sing to the Lord, who giveth me good things.
Ps 12:1
How long, O Lord, wilt thou forget me unto the end? how long dost thou turn away thy face from me?
Glory Be to the Father…
O God, the Strength of all them that put their trust in thee, mercifully accept our prayers, and because through the weakness of our mortal nature we can do no good thing without thee, grant us the help of thy grace, that in keeping of thy commandments we may please thee, both in will and deed.
Through our Lord…
Through our Lord…
Weekly Prayer
Act of Spiritual Communion
My Jesus,
I believe that Thou art present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love Thee above all things,
and I desire to receive Thee into my soul.
Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace Thee as if Thou wert already there,
and unite myself wholly to Thee.
Never permit me to be separated from Thee. Amen.
I believe that Thou art present in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love Thee above all things,
and I desire to receive Thee into my soul.
Since I cannot now receive Thee sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace Thee as if Thou wert already there,
and unite myself wholly to Thee.
Never permit me to be separated from Thee. Amen.
Weekly Formation
Commandment 6
The Ten Commandments
Be faithful in marriage and respect God’s gift of the body.
The Sixth Commandment guards fidelity in marriage and the holiness of God’s gift of the body. It requires purity appropriate to each state of life, respect for personal boundaries, and faithful conduct in thought, word, and action.
Featured Saint
Modern saintFeatured saintCalendar title
Wednesday of Week 1 of Time after Pentecost
Saint Anna Schäffer
A biography or feast reflection has not yet been prepared.
Today in Church History
Appointment of François de Laval as Vicar Apostolic
1658FoundingIn 1658, Pope Alexander VII appointed François de Laval as the first vicar apostolic in New France, marking a significant step in the establishment of the Catholic Church in North America. Laval's leadership helped to lay the foundations for the Church's growth and influence in the region.
The appointment of leaders is essential for the growth of the Church and the spread of the Gospel.
Catechism
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism teaches that every person who has not yet been baptized may receive Baptism. Where the Gospel is newly proclaimed, adult Baptism is common, and the catechumenate has an important place in preparing adults to receive God’s gift in Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist. This formation helps catechumens’ conversion and faith mature within the Church, introducing them to Christian life, faith, liturgy, charity, and the practice of the evangelical virtues through successive sacred rites. Catechumens are already joined to the Church and are embraced with love and care.
Children also need the new birth of Baptism because they are born with a fallen human nature and original sin. In Baptism, they are freed from the power of darkness and brought into the freedom of God’s children. The Church encourages parents to have their children baptized shortly after birth, recognizing both the priceless grace offered to the child and parents’ role as nurturers of the life God has entrusted to them. Infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church, with explicit testimony from the second century onward.
Children also need the new birth of Baptism because they are born with a fallen human nature and original sin. In Baptism, they are freed from the power of darkness and brought into the freedom of God’s children. The Church encourages parents to have their children baptized shortly after birth, recognizing both the priceless grace offered to the child and parents’ role as nurturers of the life God has entrusted to them. Infant Baptism is an immemorial tradition of the Church, with explicit testimony from the second century onward.
Baptism is the sacrament of faith and the source of new life in Christ, from which the whole Christian life begins. Faith is received and grows within the community of the Church, and after Baptism it is called to develop. Parents, godparents, and the whole ecclesial community share responsibility for helping the baptized—children and adults alike—grow in faith and for safeguarding the grace given in Baptism. The Church teaches that Baptism is necessary for salvation for those who have received the Gospel and can ask for it, while trusting God’s mercy for those who desire Baptism but cannot receive it, including catechumens who die before Baptism. For children who die without Baptism, the Church entrusts them to God’s mercy and hopes in his saving love. For Catholic families, these teachings encourage us to nurture faith at home, support the baptized on their Christian path, and not prevent little children from coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.