August 2, 2012 
Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Saint of the day
Saint Eusebius of Vercelli (283-371)
Saint Eusebius was born on the island of Sardinia, Italy. After his father was martyred, he moved to Rome, where he eventually became a bishop. He stood up for the Church during one of its most difficult periods. This hard time for the Church had to do with the Arian heresy, which claimed that Jesus was not God. The Arians had great power—some of their members were prominent people in the city. Eusebius attended the Council of Milan, which was called to fix the difficulties between the Catholics and the Arians. The Arians wanted to convict Athanasius, who was one of their greatest adversaries. However, Eusebius would not let them condemn him; he placed the Nicene Creed on the table and asked other members of the council to sign it before denouncing Athanasius. The Nicene Creed proclaims that Jesus is one in being with the Father, and directly goes against Arian beliefs. Refusing to convict Athanasius, Eusebius was exiled and harassed by the Arians. Eventually, a new emperor came into power, and welcomed Eusebius back to Vercelli. Eusebius died on August 1, 371. He is the patron of Vercelli.
Reflection
Saint Eusebius maintained his convictions and beliefs in the face of overwhelming opposition. He faced grave consequences for his unyielding attitude. He is a reminder to us that, sometimes, sustaining our convictions will be difficult and require sacrifices of us.
Prayer
Dear Jesus, help me be prepared to make any necessary sacrifices in order to adhere to the convictions of my faith.
Liturgical season information
Lectionary: 404
Place in Year: Ordinary Time
Color of decorations and priest's vestments: Green
Daily readings
Reading 1: Jeremiah 18:1-6
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 146:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6ab
Gospel: Matthew 13:47-53
View complete readings on USCCB.orgMeditations
Meditation for Reading 1
In the first reading, God uses the metaphor of a clay and a potter to describe his relationship with humanity. Human beings are created by God, just as a clay pot is created by a potter. Clay is supple and can easily be molded into new and different shapes before it is fired and hardened. In the same way, God wants to form and mold us into the best possible people we can be. Think about what you can do to make yourself more pliable, so that God can mold you more perfectly in His hands!
