If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.]

Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.


RESPONSORIAL PSALM           Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
Or: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

I will bless the LORD at all times;
praise shall be always in my mouth.
My soul will glory in the LORD
that the poor may hear and be glad.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
Or: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Magnify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.
I sought the LORD, who answered me,
delivered me from all my fears.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
Or: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Look to God that you may be radiant with joy
and your faces may not blush for shame.
In my misfortune I called,
the LORD heard and saved me from all distress.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
Or: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

The angel of the LORD, who encamps with them,
delivers all who fear God.
Learn to savor how good the LORD is;
happy are those who take refuge in him.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
Or: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

Fear the LORD, you holy ones;
nothing is lacking to those who fear him.
The powerful grow poor and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
Or: Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.


ALLELUIA          John 15:9b,5b
Remain in my love, says the Lord;
whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit.


GOSPEL          Matthew 18:1-5
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

"Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me."


PRAYER OVER THE OFFERINGS
Lord,
accept the gifts your people bring
in memory of your saints.
May our sharing in this mystery
help us to live the example of love you give us.
Grant this in the name of Jesus our Lord.


COMMUNION ANTIPHON          Matthew 18:3
Unless you change and become like little children, says the Lord, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.


PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
All powerful God,
may this holy meal help us
to follow the example of Saint Joseph Calasanz
by showing in our lives
the light of your truth and the love of our brothers and sisters.
We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Moreover the strongest support is provided not only to protect the young from evil, but also to rouse them and attract them more easily and gently to the performance of good works. Whatever the type of condition, it is well known that when the young are given this help the change for the better is so great that it becomes impossible to distinguish those who are educated from those who are not. Like the twigs of plants the young are easily influenced, as long as someone works to change their souls. But if they are allowed to grow hard, we know well that the possibility of one day bending them diminishes a great deal and is sometimes utterly lost.

All who belong to the society of men, and especially all Christians, praise those who increase the human dignity of young boys, especially poor boys by giving them a proper education Above all, parents are happy that their children are led through straight paths. civil leaders rejoice to gain upright subjects and good citizens. The Church is especially joyful that others who love Christ and proclaim the Gospel are added to its following.

All who undertake to teach must be endowed with deep love, the greatest patience, and, most of all, profound humility. They must perform their work with earnest zeal. Then, through their humble prayers, the Lord will find them worthy to become fellow workers with him in the cause of truth. He will console them in the fulfillment of this most noble duty, and, finally, will enrich them with the gift of heaven.

As Scripture says: Those who instruct many in justice will shine as stars for all eternity. They will attain this more easily if they make a covenant of perpetual obedience and strive to cling to Christ and please him alone, because, in his words: What you did to one of the least of my brethren, you did for me.


RESPONSORY          1 Thess. 2:8; Gal. 4:19
I have longed to give you the Gospel,
and more than that, to give you my very life;
- you have become very dear to me.

My little children, I am like a mother giving birth to you,
until Christ is formed in you.
- you have become very dear to me.


PRAYER
Lord,
you blessed St. Joseph Calasanz
with such charity and patience
that he dedicated himself
to the formation of Christian youth.
As we honor this teacher of wisdom
may we follow his example in working for truth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.