July 24, 2026. Gospel: Matt 20:20-23. Feria with Commemoration of St Christina, Virgin, Martyr

1 And he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods.Dicebat autem et ad discipulos suos : Homo quidam erat dives, qui habebat villicum : et hic diffamatus est apud illum quasi dissipasset bona ipsius. 2 And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer.Et vocavit illum, et ait illi : Quid hoc audio de te? redde rationem villicationis tuae : jam enim non poteris villicare. 3 And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed.Ait autem villicus intra se : Quid faciam? quia dominus meus aufert a me villicationem. Fodere non valeo, mendicare erubesco. 4 I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.Scio quid faciam, ut, cum amotus fuero a villicatione, recipiant me in domos suas. 5 Therefore calling together every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord?Convocatis itaque singulis debitoribus domini sui, dicebat primo : Quantum debes domino meo? 6 But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty.At ille dixit : Centum cados olei. Dixitque illi : Accipe cautionem tuam : et sede cito, scribe quinquaginta. 7 Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill, and write eighty.Deinde alii dixit : Tu vero quantum debes? Qui ait : Centum coros tritici. Ait illi : Accipe litteras tuas, et scribe octoginta. 8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.Et laudavit dominus villicum iniquitatis, quia prudenter fecisset : quia filii hujus saeculi prudentiores filiis lucis in generatione sua sunt. 9 And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.Et ego vobis dico : facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis : ut, cum defeceritis, recipiant vos in aeterna tabernacula.[9] "Mammon of iniquity": Mammon signifies riches. They are here called the mammon of iniquity, because oftentimes ill gotten, ill bestowed, or an occasion of evil; and at the best are but worldly, and false; and not the true riches of a Christian.[9] "They may receive": By this we see, that the poor servants of God, whom we have relieved by our alms, may hereafter, by their intercession, bring our souls to heaven.Saint Christina of Tuscany was martyred at the age of ten, under Diocletian, A.D. 300.