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Thursday, August 31, 2017

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Friday, September 1, 2017

"The Foolish Virgins" (top), and
"The Wise Virgins"
-- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: 1 Thessalonians 4: 1- 8

1 For the rest therefore, brethren, we pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us, how you ought to walk, and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more.
2 For you know what precepts I have given to you by the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should abstain from fornication;
4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour:
5 Not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles that know not God:
6 And that no man overreach, nor circumvent his brother in business: because the Lord is the avenger of all these things, as we have told you before, and have testified.
7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification.
8 Therefore, he that despiseth these things, despiseth not man, but God, who also hath given his holy Spirit in us.

PSALM: Psalms 97: 1 – 2, 5- 6, 10 - 12 15, 17

1 The Lord hath reigned, let the earth rejoice: let many islands be glad.
2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: justice and judgment are the establishment of his throne.
5 The mountains melted like wax, at the presence of the Lord: at the presence of the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens declared his justice: and all people saw his glory.
10 You that love the Lord, hate evil: the Lord preserveth the souls of his saints, he will deliver them out of the hand of the sinner.
11 Light is risen to the just, and joy to the right of heart.
12 Rejoice, ye just, in the Lord: and give praise to the remembrance of his holiness.

GOSPEL: Matthew 25: 1 - 13

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.
2 And five of them were foolish, and five wise.
3 But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps.
5 And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.
9 The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 Now whilst they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.
11 But at last come also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not.

13 Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour.


Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Thursday, August 31, 2017



FIRST READING: 1 Thessalonians 3: 7- 13

7 Therefore we were comforted, brethren, in you, in all our necessity and tribulation, by your faith,
8 Because now we live, if you stand in the Lord.
9 For what thanks can we return to God for you, in all the joy wherewith we rejoice for you before our God,
10 Night and day more abundantly praying that we may see your face, and may accomplish those things that are wanting to your faith?
11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.
12 And may the Lord multiply you, and make you abound in charity towards one another, and towards all men: as we do also towards you,
13 To confirm your hearts without blame, in holiness, before God and our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all his saints. Amen.

PSALM: Psalms 90: 3 – 5, 12 – 14, 17

3 Turn not man away to be brought low: and thou hast said: Be converted, O ye sons of men.
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past. And as a watch in the night,
5 Things that are counted nothing, shall their years be.
12 Can number thy wrath? So make thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.
13 Return, O Lord, how long? and be entreated in favour of thy servants.
14 We are filled in the morning with thy mercy: and we have rejoiced, and are delighted all our days.
17 And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct.

GOSPEL: Matthew 24: 42 – 51

42 Watch ye therefore, because ye know not what hour your Lord will come.
43 But know this ye, that if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open.
44 Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come.
45 Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season.
46 Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing.
47 Amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.
48 But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming:
49 And shall begin to strike his fellow servants, and shall eat and drink with drunkards:
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day that he hopeth not, and at an hour that he knoweth not:
51 And shall separate him, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.



Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Wednesday, August 30, 2017




FIRST READING: 1 Thessalonians 2: 9 - 13

9 For you remember, brethren, our labour and toil: working night and day, lest we should be chargeable to any of you, we preached among you the gospel of God.
10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and without blame, we have been to you that have believed:
11 As you know in what manner, entreating and comforting you, (as a father doth his children,)
12 We testified to every one of you, that you would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.
13 Therefore, we also give thanks to God without ceasing: because, that when you had received of us the word of the hearing of God, you received it not as the word of men, but (as it is indeed) the word of God, who worketh in you that have believed.

PSALM: Psalms 139: 7 – 12

7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy face?
8 If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I descend into hell, thou art present.
9 If I take my wings early in the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea:
10 Even there also shall thy hand lead me: and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 And I said: Perhaps darkness shall cover me: and night shall be my light in my pleasures.
12 But darkness shall not be dark to thee, and night shall be light as day: the darkness thereof, and the light thereof are alike to thee.

GOSPEL: Matthew 23: 27 - 32

27 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all filthiness.
28 So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just; but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
29 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; that build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the just,
30 And say: If we had been in the days of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
31 Wherefore you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons of them that killed the prophets.
32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.



Monday, August 28, 2017

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Tuesday, August 29, 2017

"The Head of Saint John the Baptist on a Charger"
-- by James Tissot


FIRST READING: Jeremiah 1: 17 - 19

17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee. Be not afraid at their presence: for I will make thee not to fear their countenance.
18 For behold I have made thee this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass, over all the land, to the kings of Juda, to the princes thereof, and to the priests, and to the people of the land.
19 And they shall fight against thee, and shall not prevail: for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.

PSALM: Psalms 71: 1 – 6, 15, 17

1 In thee, O Lord, I have hoped, let me never be put to confusion:
2 Deliver me in thy justice, and rescue me. Incline thy ear unto me, and save me.
3 Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a place of strength: that thou mayst make me safe. For thou art my firmament and my refuge.
4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the sinner, and out of the hand of the transgressor of the law and of the unjust.
5 For thou art my patience, O Lord: my hope, O Lord, from my youth;
6 By thee have I been confirmed from the womb: from my mother's womb thou art my protector. Of thee shall I continually sing:
15 My mouth shall shew forth thy justice; thy salvation all the day long. Because I have not known learning,
17 Thou hast taught me, O God, from my youth: and till now I will declare thy wonderful works.

GOSPEL: Mark 6: 17 - 29

17 For Herod himself had sent and apprehended John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her.
18 For John said to Herod: It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.
19 Now Herodias laid snares for him: and was desirous to put him to death, and could not.
20 For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man: and kept him, and when he heard him, did many things: and he heard him willingly.
21 And when a convenient day was come, Herod made a supper for his birthday, for the princes, and tribunes, and chief men of Galilee.
22 And when the daughter of the same Herodias had come in, and had danced, and pleased Herod, and them that were at table with him, the king said to the damsel: Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
23 And he swore to her: Whatsoever thou shalt ask I will give thee, though it be the half of my kingdom.
24 Who when she was gone out, said to her mother, What shall I ask? But she said: The head of John the Baptist.
25 And when she was come in immediately with haste to the king, she asked, saying: I will that forthwith thou give me in a dish, the head of John the Baptist.
26 And the king was struck sad. Yet because of his oath, and because of them that were with him at table, he would not displease her:
27 But sending an executioner, he commanded that his head should be brought in a dish.
28 And he beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a dish: and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother.
29 Which his disciples hearing came, and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.



Sunday, August 27, 2017

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Monday, August 28, 2017

"Woe unto You, Scribes and Pharisees"
-- by James Tissot



FIRST READING: 1 Thessalonians 1: 1 - 5, 8 - 10

1 Paul and Sylvanus and Timothy: to the church of the Thessalonians, in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Grace be to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for you all; making a remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing,
3 Being mindful of the work of your faith, and labour, and charity, and of the enduring of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God and our Father:
4 Knowing, brethren beloved of God, your election:
5 For our gospel hath not been unto you in word only, but in power also, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much fulness, as you know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes.
8 For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia, and in Achaia, but also in every place, your faith which is towards God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak any thing.
9 For they themselves relate of us, what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God.
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven (whom he raised up from the dead,) Jesus, who hath delivered us from the wrath to come.

PSALM: Psalms 149: 1 - 6, 9

1 Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: let his praise be in the church of the saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: and let the children of Sion be joyful in their king.
3 Let them praise his name in choir: let them sing to him with the timbrel and the psaltery.
4 For the Lord is well pleased with his people: and he will exalt the meek unto salvation.
5 The saints shall rejoice in glory: they shall be joyful in their beds.
6 The high praise of God shall be in their mouth: and two-edged swords in their hands:
9 To execute upon them the judgment that is written: this glory is to all his saints. Alleluia.

GOSPEL: Matthew 23: 13 - 22

13 But woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men, for you yourselves do not enter in; and those that are going in, you suffer not to enter.
14 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites: because you devour the houses of widows, praying long prayers. For this you shall receive the greater judgment.
15 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you go round about the sea and the land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, you make him the child of hell twofold more than yourselves.
16 Woe to you blind guides, that say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but he that shall swear by the gold of the temple, is a debtor.
17 Ye foolish and blind; for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
18 And whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gift that is upon it, is a debtor.
19 Ye blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
20 He therefore that sweareth by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things that are upon it:
21 And whosoever shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth in it:
22 And he that sweareth by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

OR


FIRST READING: 1 John 4: 7 - 16

7 Dearly beloved, let us love one another, for charity is of God. And every one that loveth, is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God is charity.
9 By this hath the charity of God appeared towards us, because God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we may live by him.
10 In this is charity: not as though we had loved God, but because he hath first loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins.
11 My dearest, if God hath so loved us; we also ought to love one another.
12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abideth in us, and his charity is perfected in us.
13 In this we know that we abide in him, and he in us: because he hath given us of his spirit.
14 And we have seen, and do testify, that the Father hath sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.
15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in God.
16 And we have known, and have believed the charity, which God hath to us. God is charity: and he that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in him.

PSALM: Psalms 119: 9 - 14

9 By what doth a young man correct his way? by observing thy words.
10 With my whole heart have I sought after thee: let me not stray from thy commandments.
11 Thy words have I hidden in my heart, that I may not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy justifications.
13 With my lips I have pronounced all the judgments of thy mouth.
14 I have been delighted in the way of thy testimonies, as in all riches.

GOSPEL: Matthew 23: 8 - 12

8 But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your master; and all you are brethren.
9 And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters; for one is your master, Christ.
11 He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.



Saturday, August 26, 2017

Sunday Catholic Mass Readings for August 27, 2017



FIRST READING: Isaiah 22: 19 - 23

19 And I will drive thee out From thy station, and depose thee from thy ministry.
20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliacim the son of Helcias,
21 And I will clothe him with thy robe, and will strengthen him with thy girdle, and will give thy power into his hand: and he shall be as a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Juda.
22 And I will lay the key of the house of David upon his shoulder: and he shall open, and none shall shut: and he shall shut, and none shall open.
23 And I will fasten him as a peg in a sure place, and he shall be for a throne of glory to the house of his father.

PSALM: Psalms 138: 1 - 3, 6, 8

1 I will praise thee, O lord, with my whole heart: for thou hast heard the words of my mouth. I will sing praise to thee in the sight of his angels:
2 I will worship towards thy holy temple, and I will give glory to thy name. For thy mercy, and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy holy name above all.
3 In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me: thou shall multiply strength in my soul.
6 For the Lord is high, and looketh on the low: and the high he knoweth afar off.
8 The Lord will repay for me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: O despise not the work of thy hands.

SECOND READING: Romans 11: 33 - 36

33 O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and of the knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable his ways!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and recompense shall be made him?
36 For of him, and by him, and in him, are all things: to him be glory for ever. Amen.

GOSPEL: Matthew 16: 13 - 20

13 And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is?
14 But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
15 Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?
16 Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.
17 And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.
18 And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
19 And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.
20 Then he commanded his disciples, that they should tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.




Friday, August 25, 2017

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Saturday, August 26, 2017

"The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat"
-- by Alexandre Bida

FIRST READING: Ruth 2: 1 - 3, 8 - 11; 4: 13 - 17

1 Now her husband Elimelech had a kinsman, a powerful man, and very rich, whose name was Boaz.
2 And Ruth the Moabitess said to her mother in law: If thou wilt, I will go into the field, and glean the ears of corn that escape the hands of the reapers, wheresoever I shall find grace with a householder that will be favourable to me. And she answered her: Go, my daughter.
3 She went therefore and gleaned the ears of corn after the reapers. And it happened that the owner of that field was Boaz, who was of the kindred of Elimelech.
8 And Boaz said to Ruth: Hear me, daughter, do not go to glean in any other field, and do not depart from this place: but keep with my maids,
9 And follow where they reap. For I have charged my young men, not to molest thee: and if thou art thirsty, go to the vessels, and drink of the waters whereof the servants drink.
10 She fell on her face and worshipping upon the ground, said to him: Whence cometh this to me, that I should find grace before thy eyes, and that thou shouldst vouchsafe to take notice of me a woman of another country?
11 And he answered her: All hath been told me, that thou hast done to thy mother in law after the death of thy husband: and how thou hast left thy parents, and the land wherein thou wast born, and art come to a people which thou knewest not heretofore.
13 Boaz therefore took Ruth, and married her: and went in unto her, and the Lord gave her to conceive and to bear a son.
14 And the women said to Noemi: Blessed be the Lord, who hath not suffered thy family to want a successor, that his name should be preserved in Israel.
15 And thou shouldst have one to comfort thy soul, and cherish thy old age. For he is born of thy daughter in law: who loveth thee: and is much better to thee, than if thou hadst seven sons.
16 And Noemi taking the child laid it in her bosom, and she carried it, and was a nurse unto it.
17 And the women her neighbours, congratulating with her and saying: There is a son born to Noemi: called his name Obed: he is the father of Isai, the father of David.

PSALM: Psalms 128: 1 - 5

1 Blessed are all they that fear the Lord: that walk in his ways.
2 For thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands: blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee.
3 Thy wife as a fruitful vine, on the sides of thy house.
4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
5 May the Lord bless thee out of Sion: and mayest thou see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

GOSPEL: Matthew 23: 1 - 12

1 Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to his disciples,
2 Saying: The scribes and the Pharisees have sitten on the chair of Moses.
3 All things therefore whatsoever they shall say to you, observe and do: but according to their works do ye not; for they say, and do not.
4 For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens, and lay them on men's shoulders; but with a finger of their own they will not move them.
5 And all their works they do for to be seen of men. For they make their phylacteries broad, and enlarge their fringes.
6 And they love the first places at feasts, and the first chairs in the synagogues,
7 And salutations in the market place, and to be called by men, Rabbi.
8 But be not you called Rabbi. For one is your master; and all you are brethren.
9 And call none your father upon earth; for one is your father, who is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters; for one is your master, Christ.
11 He that is the greatest among you shall be your servant.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled: and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Friday, August 25, 2017

"The Pharisees Question Jesus"
-- by James Tissot


FIRST READING: Ruth 1: 1, 3 - 6, 14 - 16, 22

1 In the days of one of the judges, when the judges ruled, there came a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem Juda, went to sojourn in the land of Moab with his wife and his two sons.
3 And Elimelech the husband of Noemi died: and she remained with her sons.
4 And they took wives of the women of Moab, of which one was called Orpha, and the other Ruth. And they dwelt there ten years.
5 And they both died, to wit, Mahalon and Chelion: and the woman was left alone, having lost both her sons and her husband.
6 And she arose to go from the land of Moab to her own country with both her daughters in law: for she had heard that the Lord had looked upon his people, and had given them food.
14 And they lifted up their voice, and began to weep again: Orpha kissed her mother in law and returned: Ruth stuck close to her mother in law.
15 And Noemi said to her: Behold thy kinswoman is returned to her people, and to her gods, go thou with her.
16 She answered: Be not against me, to desire that I should leave thee and depart: for whithersoever thou shalt go, I will go: and where thou shalt dwell, I also will dwell. Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.
22 So Noemi came with Ruth the Moabitess her daughter in law, from the land of her sojournment: and returned into Bethlehem, in the beginning of the barley harvest.

PSALM: Psalms 146: 5 - 10

5 Blessed is he who hath the God of Jacob for his helper, whose hope is in the Lord his God:
6 Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all things that are in them.
7 Who keepeth truth for ever: who executeth judgment for them that suffer wrong: who giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth them that are fettered:
8 The Lord enlighteneth the blind. The Lord lifteth up them that are cast down: the Lord loveth the just.
9 The Lord keepeth the strangers, he will support the fatherless and the widow: and the ways of sinners he will destroy.
10 The Lord shall reign for ever: thy God, O Sion, unto generation and generation.

GOSPEL: Matthew 22: 34 - 40

34 But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together:
35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him:
36 Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.
38 This is the greatest and the first commandment.
39 And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.


Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Thursday, August 24, 2017

"Nathaniel Under the Fig Tree"
-- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Revelation 21: 9 - 14

9 And there came one of the seven angels, who had the vials full of the seven last plagues, and spoke with me, saying: Come, and I will shew thee the bride, the wife of the Lamb.
10 And he took me up in spirit to a great and high mountain: and he shewed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God, and the light thereof was like to a precious stone, as to the jasper stone, even as crystal.
12 And it had a wall great and high, having twelve gates, and in the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel.
13 On the east, three gates: and on the north, three gates: and on the south, three gates: and on the west, three gates.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them, the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

PSALM: Psalms 145: 10 - 13, 17 - 18

10 Let all thy works, O lord, praise thee: and let thy saints bless thee.
11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom: and shall tell of thy power:
12 To make thy might known to the sons of men: and the glory of the magnificence of thy kingdom.
13 Thy kingdom is a kingdom of all ages: and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words: and holy in all his works.
17 The Lord is just in all his ways: and holy in all his works.
18 The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him: to all that call upon him in truth.

GOSPEL: John 1: 45 - 51

45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him: We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write, Jesus the son of Joseph of Nazareth.
46 And Nathanael said to him: Can any thing of good come from Nazareth? Philip saith to him: Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him: and he saith of him: Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile.
48 Nathanael saith to him: Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered, and said to him: Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered him, and said: Rabbi, thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel.
50 Jesus answered, and said to him: Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, thou believest: greater things than these shalt thou see.
51 And he saith to him: Amen, amen I say to you, you shall see the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.



Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Wednesday, August 23, 2017




FIRST READING: Judges 9: 6 - 15

6 And all the men of Sichem were gathered together, and all the families of the city of Mello: and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak that stood in Sichem.
7 This being told to Joatham, he went and stood on the top of mount Garizim: and lifting up his voice, he cried, and said: Hear me, ye men of Sichem, so may God hear you.
8 The trees went to anoint a king over them: and they said to the olive tree: Reign thou over us.
9 And it answered: Can I leave my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, to come to be promoted among the trees?
10 And the trees said to the fig tree: Come thou and reign over us.
11 And it answered them: Can I leave my sweetness, and my delicious fruits, and go to be promoted among the other trees?
12 And the trees said to the vine: Come thou and reign over us.
13 And it answered them: Can I forsake my wine, that cheereth God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?
14 And all the trees said to the bramble: Come thou and reign over us.
15 And it answered them: If indeed you mean to make me king, come ye and rest under my shadow: but if you mean it not, let fire come out from the bramble, and devour the cedars of Libanus.

PSALM: Psalms 21: 2 - 7

2 In thy strength, O Lord, the king shall joy; and in thy salvation he shall rejoice exceedingly.
3 Thou hast given him his heart's desire: and hast not withholden from him the will of his lips.
4 For thou hast prevented him with blessings of sweetness: thou hast set on his head a crown of precious stones.
5 He asked life of thee: and thou hast given him length of days for ever and ever.
6 His glory is great in thy salvation: glory and great beauty shalt thou lay upon him.
7 For thou shalt give him to be a blessing for ever and ever: thou shalt make him joyful in gladness with thy countenance.

GOSPEL: Matthew 20: 1-16

1 The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.
2 And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.
3 And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market place idle.
4 And he said to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just.
5 And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.
6 But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle?
7 They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard.
8 And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first.
9 When therefore they were come, that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.
10 But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more: and they also received every man a penny.
11 And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house,
12 Saying: These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats.
13 But he answering said to one of them: Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?
14 Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee.
15 Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye evil, because I am good?
16 So shall the last be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.

Or

FIRST READING: 2 Corinthians 10: 17-- 11:2
1 Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise ye him in the high places.
2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
11 Kings of the earth and all people: princes and all judges of the earth:
12 Young men and maidens: let the old with the younger, praise the name of the Lord:
13 For his name alone is exalted.
14 The praise of him is above heaven and earth: and he hath exalted the horn of his people. A hymn to all his saints: to the children of Israel, a people approaching to him. Alleluia.

PSALM: Psalms 148: 1 -- 2, 11 - 14

1 Praise ye the Lord from the heavens: praise ye him in the high places.
2 Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.
11 Kings of the earth and all people: princes and all judges of the earth:
12 Young men and maidens: let the old with the younger, praise the name of the Lord:
13 For his name alone is exalted.
14 The praise of him is above heaven and earth: and he hath exalted the horn of his people. A hymn to all his saints: to the children of Israel, a people approaching to him. Alleluia.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 44 - 46

44 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field. Which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls.
46 Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it.