Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Apollinaris, bishop, martyr (1st or 2nd century); Blessed Virgin Mary

50th anniversary (July 20, 1969, 4:17.40 p.m. ET), the lunar module first touched down on the moon's surface. See more below.

Readings of the Day
RB: Ch 41 The Times for Meals
Mass: Ex 12:37-42; Resp Ps 136; Mt 12:14-21

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his mercy endures forever.

First, in honor of our Blessed Mother. And as it turns out, it is not a bad introduction to what comes second. 

Christ is the Word of God, his life on earth is the lyric, the love-song of God, first uttered on earth through Mary of Nazareth. Infinite music in a little reed … 
Mary was an empty reed to receive the long song of the Word of God, only the breath of God uttered the song through her, it is the song of all the laughter and all the tears in the world, the Shepherd's song piping to his sheep.

(Caryll Houselander, This War is the Passion, pp, 33, 34)

Second, to remember today's 50th anniversary of the lunar landing, it is worth reading and listening to Veronica Scarisbrick's and Linda Bordoni's report of the event on the Vatican News website. When the men landed on the moon, Pope Paul VI sent a radio message to the astronauts: "Pope Paul VI is speaking to you, astronauts, honor, greetings, and blessings to you, conquerors of the moon!" Pope Paul VI had a piece of the moon which is still kept at Castel Gandolfo. 

It is also worth looking at a clip of Walter Cronkite's report of this historic event. Mr Cronkite reported the memorable reactions of the astronauts: "A small step for man, a giant leap for mankind" (Neil Armstrong); "Magnificent desolation" (Buzz Aldrin). Here are the words on the plaque that was left on the moon along with an American flag: Here men from the planet earth first set foot upon the moon. July 20, 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind.

O Lord our God how great your name throughout the earth.

SAINT APOLLINARIS, MARY, MOTHER OF GOD,

PRAY FOR US.