Daily Mass Readings for Thursday, December 01, 2011

FIRST READING: Isaiah 26: 1 - 6

---

1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.

2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps faith may enter in.

3 Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee.

4 Trust in the LORD for ever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.

5 For he has brought low the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust.

6 The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy."

PSALM: Psalms 118: 1, 8 - 9, 19 - 21, 25 - 27

---

1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever!

8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in man.

9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.

20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I thank thee that thou hast answered me and hast become my salvation.

25 Save us, we beseech thee, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech thee, give us success!

26 Blessed be he who enters in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD.

27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar!

GOSPEL: Matthew 7: 21, 24 - 27

---

21 "Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

24 "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock;

25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.

26 And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand;

27 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."

Daily Mass Readings for Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle

FIRST READING: Romans 10: 9 - 18

---

9 because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

10 For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved.

11 The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame."

12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him.

13 For, "every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved."

14 But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher?

15 And how can men preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!"

16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel; for Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?"

17 So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ.

18 But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have; for "Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world."

PSALM: Psalms 19: 8 - 11

---

8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;

9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

GOSPEL: Matthew 4: 18 - 22

---

18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen.

19 And he said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."

20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him.

21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, in the boat with Zeb'edee their father, mending their nets, and he called them.

22 Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Daily Mass Readings for Tuesday, November 29, 2011

FIRST READING: Isaiah 11: 1 - 10

---

1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

3 And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear;

4 but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked.

5 Righteousness shall be the girdle of his waist, and faithfulness the girdle of his loins.

6 The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them.

7 The cow and the bear shall feed; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

8 The sucking child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.

9 They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

10 In that day the root of Jesse shall stand as an ensign to the peoples; him shall the nations seek, and his dwellings shall be glorious.

PSALM: Psalms 72: 1, 7 - 8, 12 - 13, 17

---

1 Give the king thy justice, O God, and thy righteousness to the royal son!

7 In his days may righteousness flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more!

8 May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!

12 For he delivers the needy when he calls, the poor and him who has no helper.

13 He has pity on the weak and the needy, and saves the lives of the needy.

17 May his name endure for ever, his fame continue as long as the sun! May men bless themselves by him, all nations call him blessed!

GOSPEL: Luke 10: 21 - 24

---

21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.

22 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."

23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes which see what you see!

24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."

Daily Mass Readings for Monday, November 28, 2011

FIRST READING: Isaiah 2: 1 - 5

---

1 The word which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it,

3 and many peoples shall come, and say: "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

4 He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.

5 O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.

PSALM: Psalms 122: 1 - 9

---

1 I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD!"

2 Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!

3 Jerusalem, built as a city which is bound firmly together,

4 to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

5 There thrones for judgment were set, the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! "May they prosper who love you!

7 Peace be within your walls, and security within your towers!"

8 For my brethren and companions' sake I will say, "Peace be within you!"

9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your good.

GOSPEL: Matthew 8: 5 - 11

---

5 As he entered Caper'na-um, a centurion came forward to him, beseeching him

6 and saying, "Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress."

7 And he said to him, "I will come and heal him."

8 But the centurion answered him, "Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; but only say the word, and my servant will be healed.

9 For I am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes, and to another, `Come,' and he comes, and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it."

10 When Jesus heard him, he marveled, and said to those who followed him, "Truly, I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.

11 I tell you, many will come from east and west and sit at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 


The video below of the Homily for the November 28, 2011 Mass is from the Franciscan Friars of Air Maria :

Daily Mass Readings for Sunday, November 27, 2011

First Sunday of Advent

FIRST READING: Isaiah 63: 16 - 17, 19

---

16 For thou art our Father, though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not acknowledge us; thou, O LORD, art our Father, our Redeemer from of old is thy name.

17 O LORD, why dost thou make us err from thy ways and harden our heart, so that we fear thee not? Return for the sake of thy servants, the tribes of thy heritage.

19 We have become like those over whom thou hast never ruled, like those who are not called by thy name.

PSALM: Psalms 80: 2 - 3, 15 - 16, 18 - 19

---

2 before E'phraim and Benjamin and Manas'seh! Stir up thy might, and come to save us!

3 Restore us, O God; let thy face shine, that we may be saved!

15 the stock which thy right hand planted.

16 They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down; may they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance!

18 Then we will never turn back from thee; give us life, and we will call on thy name!

19 Restore us, O LORD God of hosts! let thy face shine, that we may be saved!

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 1: 3 - 9

---

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,

5 that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge --

6 even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you --

7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ;

8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

GOSPEL: Mark 13: 33 - 37

---

33 Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come.

34 It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch.

35 Watch therefore -- for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning--

36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.

37 And what I say to you I say to all: Watch."

The video below of the Homily for the November 27, 2011 Mass is from the Franciscan Friars of Air Maria :

Daily Mass Readings for Saturday, November 26, 2011

FIRST READING: Daniel 7: 15 - 27

---

15 I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its sheath of flesh, and I was terrified by the visions of my mind.

16 I approached one of those present and asked him what all this meant in truth; in answer, he made known to me the meaning of the things:

17 "These four great beasts stand for four kingdoms which shall arise on the earth.

18 But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingship, to possess it forever and ever."

19 But I wished to make certain about the fourth beast, so very terrible and different from the others, devouring and crushing with its iron teeth and bronze claws, and trampling with its feet what was left;

20 about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that sprang up, before which three horns fell; about the horn with the eyes and the mouth that spoke arrogantly, which appeared greater than its fellows.

21 For, as I watched, that horn made war against the holy ones and was victorious

22 until the Ancient One arrived; judgment was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the Most High, and the time came when the holy ones possessed the kingdom.

23 He answered me thus: "The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earth, different from all the others; It shall devour the whole earth, beat it down, and crush it.

24 The ten horns shall be ten kings rising out of that kingdom; another shall rise up after them, Different from those before him, who shall lay low three kings.

25 He shall speak against the Most High and oppress the holy ones of the Most High, thinking to change the feast days and the law. They shall be handed over to him for a year, two years, and a half-year.

26 But when the court is convened, and his power is taken away by final and absolute destruction,

27 Then the kingship and dominion and majesty of all the kingdoms under the heavens shall be given to the holy people of the Most High, Whose kingdom shall be everlasting: all dominions shall serve and obey him."

PSALM: Daniel 3: 82 - 87

---

82 You sons of men, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

83 O Israel, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

84 Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

85 Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

86 Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

87 Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

GOSPEL: Luke 21: 34 - 36

---

34 "But take heed to yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a snare;

35 for it will come upon all who dwell upon the face of the whole earth.

36 But watch at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of man."

Daily Mass Readings for Friday, November 25, 2011

FIRST READING: Daniel 7: 2 - 14

---

2 In the vision I saw during the night, suddenly the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,

3 from which emerged four immense beasts, each different from the others.

4 The first was like a lion, but with eagle's wings. While I watched, the wings were plucked; it was raised from the ground to stand on two feet like a man, and given a human mind.

5 The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side, and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks. It was given the order, "Up, devour much flesh."

6 After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard; on its back were four wings like those of a bird, and it had four heads. To this beast dominion was given.

7 After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast, different from all the others, terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength; it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed, and what was left it trampled with its feet.

8 I was considering the ten horns it had, when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst, and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it. This horn had eyes like a man, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.

9 As I watched, Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne. His clothing was snow bright, and the hair on his head as white as wool; His throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire.

10 A surging stream of fire flowed out from where he sat; Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.

11 I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant words which the horn spoke, until the beast was slain and its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.

12 The other beasts, which also lost their dominion, were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.

13 As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him,

14 He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.

PSALM: Daniel 3: 75 - 81

---

75 Mountains and hills, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

76 Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

77 You springs, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

78 Seas and rivers, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

79 You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

80 All you birds of the air, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

81 All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

GOSPEL: Luke 21: 29 - 33

---

29 And he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees;

30 as soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near.

31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.

32 Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place.

33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

Daily Mass Readings for Thursday, November 24, 2011

 Optional Readings for Thanksgiving Day U.S.A.

FIRST READING: Sirach 50: 22 - 24

---

22 And now bless the God of all, who in every way does great things; who exalts our days from birth, and deals with us according to his mercy.

23 May he give us gladness of heart, and grant that peace may be in our days in Israel, as in the days of old.

24 May he entrust to us his mercy! And let him deliver us in our days!

PSALM: Psalms 145: 2 - 11

---

2 Every day I will bless thee, and praise thy name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.

4 One generation shall laud thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

5 On the glorious splendor of thy majesty, and on thy wondrous works, I will meditate.

6 Men shall proclaim the might of thy terrible acts, and I will declare thy greatness.

7 They shall pour forth the fame of thy abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.

8 The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made.

10 All thy works shall give thanks to thee, O LORD, and all thy saints shall bless thee!

11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and tell of thy power.

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 1: 3 - 9

---

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,

5 that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge--

6 even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you--

7 so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ;

8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

GOSPEL: Luke 17: 11 - 19

---

11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.

12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance

13 and lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."

14 When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed.

15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;

16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.

17 Then said Jesus, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?

18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?"

19 And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."

Daily Mass Readings for Thursday, November 24, 2011 (Daily Reading)

FIRST READING: Daniel 6: 12 - 28

---

12 So these men rushed in and found Daniel praying and pleading before his God.

13 Then they went to remind the king about the prohibition: "Did you not decree, O king, that no one is to address a petition to god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king; otherwise he shall be cast into a den of lions?" The king answered them, "The decree is absolute, irrevocable under the Mede and Persian law."

14 To this they replied, "Daniel, the Jewish exile, has paid no attention to you, O king, or to the decree you issued; three times a day he offers his prayer."

15 The king was deeply grieved at this news and he made up his mind to save Daniel; he worked till sunset to rescue him.

16 But these men insisted. "Keep in mind, O king," they said, "that under the Mede and Persian law every royal prohibition or decree is irrevocable."

17 So the king ordered Daniel to be brought and cast into the lions' den. To Daniel he said, "May your God, whom you serve so constantly, save you."

18 To forestall any tampering, the king sealed with his own ring and the rings of the lords the stone that had been brought to block the opening of the den.

19 Then the king returned to his palace for the night; he refused to eat and he dismissed the entertainers. Since sleep was impossible for him,

20 the king rose very early the next morning and hastened to the lions' den.

21 As he drew near, he cried out to Daniel sorrowfully, "O Daniel, servant of the living God, has the God whom you serve so constantly been able to save you from the lions?"

22 Daniel answered the king: "O king, live forever!

23 My God has sent his angel and closed the lions' mouths so that they have not hurt me. For I have been found innocent before him; neither to you have I done any harm, O king!"

24 This gave the king great joy. At his order Daniel was removed from the den, unhurt because he trusted in his God.

25 The king then ordered the men who had accused Daniel, along with their children and their wives, to be cast into the lions' den. Before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

26 Then King Darius wrote to the nations and peoples of every language, wherever they dwell on the earth: "All peace to you!

27 I decree that throughout my royal domain the God of Daniel is to be reverenced and feared: "For he is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be without end.

28 He is a deliverer and savior, working signs and wonders in heaven and on earth, and he delivered Daniel from the lions' power."

PSALM: Daniel 3: 68 - 74

---

68 Dew and rain, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.]

69 Frost and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

70 Ice and snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

71 Nights and days, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

72 Light and darkness, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

73 Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

74 Let the earth bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.

GOSPEL: Luke 21: 20 - 28

---

20 "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.

21 Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it;

22 for these are days of vengeance, to fulfil all that is written.

23 Alas for those who are with child and for those who give suck in those days! For great distress shall be upon the earth and wrath upon this people;

24 they will fall by the edge of the sword, and be led captive among all nations; and Jerusalem will be trodden down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

25 "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves,

26 men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

27 And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Daily Mass Readings for Wednesday, November 23, 2011

FIRST READING: Daniel 5: 1 - 6, 13 - 14, 16 - 17, 23 - 28

---

1 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords, with whom he drank.

2 Under the influence of the wine, he ordered the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar, his father, had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, to be brought in so that the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.

3 When the gold and silver vessels taken from the house of God in Jerusalem had been brought in, and while the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainers were drinking

4 wine from them, they praised their gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone.

5 Suddenly, opposite the lampstand, the fingers of a human hand appeared, writing on the plaster of the wall in the king's palace. When the king saw the wrist and hand that wrote,

6 his face blanched; his thoughts terrified him, his hip joints shook, and his knees knocked.

13 Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king. The king asked him, "Are you the Daniel, the Jewish exile, whom my father, the king, brought from Judah?

14 I have heard that the spirit of God is in you, that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom.

16 But I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties; if you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means, you shall be clothed in purple, wear a gold collar about your neck, and be third in the government of the kingdom."

17 Daniel answered the king: "You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else; but the writing I will read for you, O king, and tell you what it means.

23 you have rebelled against the Lord of heaven. You had the vessels of his temple brought before you, so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers, might drink wine from them; and you praised the gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence. But the God in whose hand is your life breath and the whole course of your life, you did not glorify.

24 By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down.

25 "This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, TEKEL, and PERES. These words mean:

26 MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it;

27 TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;

28 PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians."

PSALM: Daniel 3: 62 - 67

---

62 Sun and moon, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

63 Stars of heaven, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

64 Every shower and dew, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

65 All you winds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

66 Fire and heat, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

67 Cold and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

GOSPEL: Luke 21: 12 - 19

---

12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.

13 This will be a time for you to bear testimony.

14 Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer;

15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.

16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death;

17 you will be hated by all for my name's sake.

18 But not a hair of your head will perish.

19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Daily Mass Readings for Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr

FIRST READING: Daniel 2: 31 - 45

---

31 "In your vision, O king, you saw a statue, very large and exceedingly bright, terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.

32 The head of the statue was pure gold, its chest and arms were silver, its belly and thighs bronze,

33 the legs iron, its feet partly iron and partly tile.

34 While you looked at the statue, a stone which was hewn from a mountain without a hand being put to it, struck its iron and tile feet, breaking them in pieces.

35 The iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once, fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer, and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

36 "This was the dream; the interpretation we shall also give in the king's presence.

37 You, O king, are the king of kings; to you the God of heaven has given dominion and strength, power and glory;

38 men, wild beasts, and birds of the air, wherever they may dwell, he has handed over to you, making you ruler over them all; you are the head of gold.

39 Another kingdom shall take your place, inferior to yours, then a third kingdom, of bronze, which shall rule over the whole earth.

40 There shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron; it shall break in pieces and subdue all these others, just as iron breaks in pieces and crushes everything else.

41 The feet and toes you saw, partly of potter's tile and partly of iron, mean that it shall be a divided kingdom, but yet have some of the hardness of iron. As you saw the iron mixed with clay tile,

42 and the toes partly iron and partly tile, the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.

43 The iron mixed with clay tile means that they shall seal their alliances by intermarriage, but they shall not stay united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

44 In the lifetime of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people; rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.

45 That is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountain without a hand being put to it, which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold. The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future; this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure."

PSALM: Daniel 3: 57 - 61

---

57 Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.

58 Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.

59 You heavens, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.

60 All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.

61 All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

GOSPEL: Luke 21: 5 - 11

---

5 And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said,

6 "As for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down."

7 And they asked him, "Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place?"

8 And he said, "Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, `I am he!' and, `The time is at hand!' Do not go after them.

9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once."

10 Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;

11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

Daily Mass Readings for Monday, November 21, 2011

Memorial of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

FIRST READING: Daniel 1: 1 - 6, 8 - 20

---

1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came and laid siege to Jerusalem.

2 The Lord handed over to him Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and some of the vessels of the temple of God, which he carried off to the land of Shinar, and placed in the temple treasury of his god.

3 The king told Ashpenaz, his chief chamberlain, to bring in some of the Israelites of royal blood and of the nobility,

4 young men without any defect, handsome, intelligent and wise, quick to learn, and prudent in judgment, such as could take their place in the king's palace; they were to be taught the language and literature of the Chaldeans;

5 after three years' training they were to enter the king's service. The king allotted them a daily portion of food and wine from the royal table.

6 Among these were men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

8 But Daniel was resolved not to defile himself with the king's food or wine; so he begged the chief chamberlain to spare him this defilement.

9 Though God had given Daniel the favor and sympathy of the chief chamberlain,

10 he nevertheless said to Daniel, "I am afraid of my lord the king; it is he who allotted your food and drink. If he sees that you look wretched by comparison with the other young men of your age, you will endanger my life with the king."

11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief chamberlain had put in charge of Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah,

12 "Please test your servants for ten days. Give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.

13 Then see how we look in comparison with the other young men who eat from the royal table, and treat your servants according to what you see."

14 He acceded to this request, and tested them for ten days;

15 after ten days they looked healthier and better fed than any of the young men who ate from the royal table.

16 So the steward continued to take away the food and wine they were to receive, and gave them vegetables.

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and proficiency in all literature and science, and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams.

18 At the end of the time the king had specified for their preparation, the chief chamberlain brought them before Nebuchadnezzar.

19 When the king had spoken with all of them, none was found equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; and so they entered the king's service.

20 In any question of wisdom or prudence which the king put to them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom.

PSALM: Daniel 3: 52 - 56

---

52 "Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; And blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages.

53 Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever.

54 Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

55 Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.

56 Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever.

GOSPEL: Luke 21: 1 - 4

---

1 He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury;

2 and he saw a poor widow put in two copper coins.

3 And he said, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them;

4 for they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all the living that she had."

Daily Mass Readings for Sunday, November 20, 2011

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ The King

FIRST READING: Ezekiel 34: 11 - 12, 15 - 17

---

11 "For thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out.

12 As a shepherd seeks out his flock when some of his sheep have been scattered abroad, so will I seek out my sheep; and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness.

15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD.

16 I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the crippled, and I will strengthen the weak, and the fat and the strong I will watch over; I will feed them in justice.

17 "As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I judge between sheep and sheep, rams and he-goats.

PSALM: Psalms 23: 1 - 3, 5 - 6

---

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want;

2 he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters;

3 he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 15: 20 - 26, 28

---

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.

25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.

26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things under him, that God may be everything to every one.

GOSPEL: Matthew 25: 31 - 46

---

31 "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,

33 and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.

34 Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,

36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'

37 Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?

38 And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee?

39 And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?'

40 And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'

41 Then he will say to those at his left hand, `Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels;

42 for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,

43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'

44 Then they also will answer, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?'

45 Then he will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.'

46 And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."