For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For it is the God who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, to show that the transcendent power belongs to God and not to us.


RESPONSORIAL PSALM          Ps 96: 1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8, 10

R.\ Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all the earth.
Sing to the LORD, bless his name;
R.\ Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Announce his salvation day after day.
Tell God's glory among the nations;
among all peoples, God's marvelous deeds.
R.\ Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and might;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
Bring gifts and enter his courts;
R.\ Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.
Say among the nations: The LORD is king.
The world will surely stand fast, never to be moved.
God rules the peoples with fairness.
R.\ Proclaim God's marvelous deeds to all the nations.


ALLELUIA          Mk 1:17
Come after me, says the Lord, /and I will make you fishers of men.


GOSPEL           Luke 5:1-11
While the people pressed upon Jesus to hear the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret. And He saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, He asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when He had ceased speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at Your word I will let down the nets." And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.


PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
All-powerful God,
look upon the gifts we bring on this feast
in honor of Saint John Leonardi.
May we who celebrate the mystery of the death of the Lord
imitate the love we celebrate.
We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.


COMMUNION ANTIPHON
I will feed my sheep, says the Lord, and give them repose. - Ez 34:15


PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
Lord,
Saint John Leonardi worked tirelessly for the faith,
spending his life in its service.
With the power this Eucharist gives
make your people strong in the same true faith
and help us to proclaim it everywhere
by all we say and do.
Grant this in the name of Jesus the Lord. Amen.

They will be like skilled physicians taking great pains to dispose of all the diseases that afflict the Church and require a cure. They will ready themselves to provide suitable remedies for each illness.

As far as remedies applicable to the whole Church are concerned, reform must begin with high and low alike, with superiors and inferiors. Yet the reformers must look first to those who are set over the rest, so that reform can begin at the point from which it may spread to others.

Be especially concerned with cardinals, patriarchs, archbishops, bishops and priests, whose particular duty is the care of souls, and make them men to whom guidance of the Lord's flock can be safely entrusted. So let us work down from the highest to the lowest, from superiors to inferiors. Those men who must initiate ecclesiastical reform must not be looked down upon.

Nothing should be left untried that can train children from early childhood in good morals and in the earnest practice of Christianity. To this end nothing is more effective than pious instructions in Christian doctrine. Children should be entrusted only to good and God-fearing teachers.

These are the thoughts, most holy Father, that the Lord has chosen to inspire in me for the present on this most important matter. If at first glance they appear difficult, compare them with the magnitude of the situation. Then they will seem very easy indeed. Great works are accomplished only by great men, and great men should be involved in great works.


RESPONSORY
This holy man accomplished everything God asked of him,
and God said to him:
- Of all the peoples of this world,
you alone I have found just in my sight.
Enter in my resting place.

He renounced earthly joys,
and so gained the kingdom of heaven.
- Of all the peoples of this world,
you alone I have found just in my sight.
Enter in my resting place.


PRAYER
Father,
giver of all good things,
you proclaimed the good news to countless people
through the ministry of St. John Leonardi.
By the help of his prayers
may the true faith continue to grow.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.