Daily Mass Readings for Wednesday, February 01, 2012

FIRST READING: 2 Samuel 24: 2, 9 - 17

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2 So the king said to Jo'ab and the commanders of the army, who were with him, "Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and number the people, that I may know the number of the people."

9 And Jo'ab gave the sum of the numbering of the people to the king: in Israel there were eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand.

10 But David's heart smote him after he had numbered the people. And David said to the LORD, "I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, I pray thee, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly."

11 And when David arose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

12 "Go and say to David, `Thus says the LORD, Three things I offer you; choose one of them, that I may do it to you."

13 So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, "Shall three years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days' pestilence in your land? Now consider, and decide what answer I shall return to him who sent me."

14 Then David said to Gad, "I am in great distress; let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into the hand of man."

15 So the LORD sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time; and there died of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba seventy thousand men.

16 And when the angel stretched forth his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented of the evil, and said to the angel who was working destruction among the people, "It is enough; now stay your hand." And the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Arau'nah the Jeb'usite.

17 Then David spoke to the LORD when he saw the angel who was smiting the people, and said, "Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let thy hand, I pray thee, be against me and against my father's house."

PSALM: Psalms 32: 1 - 2, 5 - 7

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1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

5 I acknowledged my sin to thee, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin. [Selah]

6 Therefore let every one who is godly offer prayer to thee; at a time of distress, in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.

7 Thou art a hiding place for me, thou preservest me from trouble; thou dost encompass me with deliverance. [Selah]

GOSPEL: Mark 6: 1 - 6

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1 He went away from there and came to his own country; and his disciples followed him.

2 And on the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands!

3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him.

4 And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house."

5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them.

6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.

Daily Mass Readings for Tuesday,January 31, 2012

Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest

FIRST READING: 2 Samuel 18: 9 - 10, 14, 24 - 25, 30 - 33; 19: 1 - 3

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9 And Ab'salom chanced to meet the servants of David. Ab'salom was riding upon his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak, and his head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on.

10 And a certain man saw it, and told Jo'ab, "Behold, I saw Ab'salom hanging in an oak."

14 Jo'ab said, "I will not waste time like this with you." And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Ab'salom, while he was still alive in the oak.

24 Now David was sitting between the two gates; and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he lifted up his eyes and looked, he saw a man running alone.

25 And the watchman called out and told the king. And the king said, "If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth." And he came apace, and drew near.

30 And the king said, "Turn aside, and stand here." So he turned aside, and stood still.

31 And behold, the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, "Good tidings for my lord the king! For the LORD has delivered you this day from the power of all who rose up against you."

32 The king said to the Cushite, "Is it well with the young man Ab'salom?" And the Cushite answered, "May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up against you for evil, be like that young man."

33 And the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Ab'salom, my son, my son Ab'salom! Would I had died instead of you, O Ab'salom, my son, my son!"

1 It was told Jo'ab, "Behold, the king is weeping and mourning for Ab'salom."

2 So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the people; for the people heard that day, "The king is grieving for his son."

3 And the people stole into the city that day as people steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle.

PSALM: Psalms 86: 1 - 6

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1 Incline thy ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.

2 Preserve my life, for I am godly; save thy servant who trusts in thee. Thou art my God;

3 be gracious to me, O Lord, for to thee do I cry all the day.

4 Gladden the soul of thy servant, for to thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5 For thou, O Lord, art good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on thee.

6 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; hearken to my cry of supplication.

GOSPEL: Mark 5: 21 - 43

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21 And when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him; and he was beside the sea.

22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Ja'irus by name; and seeing him, he fell at his feet,

23 and besought him, saying, "My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live."

24 And he went with him. And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him.

25 And there was a woman who had had a flow of blood for twelve years,

26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse.

27 She had heard the reports about Jesus, and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment.

28 For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I shall be made well."

29 And immediately the hemorrhage ceased; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease.

30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone forth from him, immediately turned about in the crowd, and said, "Who touched my garments?"

31 And his disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, `Who touched me?'"

32 And he looked around to see who had done it.

33 But the woman, knowing what had been done to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him, and told him the whole truth.

34 And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."

35 While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler's house some who said, "Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?"

36 But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not fear, only believe."

37 And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

38 When they came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, he saw a tumult, and people weeping and wailing loudly.

39 And when he had entered, he said to them, "Why do you make a tumult and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping."

40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all outside, and took the child's father and mother and those who were with him, and went in where the child was.

41 Taking her by the hand he said to her, "Tal'itha cu'mi"; which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."

42 And immediately the girl got up and walked (she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement.

43 And he strictly charged them that no one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Daily Mass Readings for Monday, January 30, 2012

FIRST READING: 2 Samuel 15: 13 - 14, 30; 16: 5 - 13

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13 And a messenger came to David, saying, "The hearts of the men of Israel have gone after Ab'salom."

14 Then David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, "Arise, and let us flee; or else there will be no escape for us from Ab'salom; go in haste, lest he overtake us quickly, and bring down evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword."

30 But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, barefoot and with his head covered; and all the people who were with him covered their heads, and they went up, weeping as they went.

5 When King David came to Bahu'rim, there came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shim'e-i, the son of Gera; and as he came he cursed continually.

6 And he threw stones at David, and at all the servants of King David; and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left.

7 And Shim'e-i said as he cursed, "Begone, begone, you man of blood, you worthless fellow!

8 The LORD has avenged upon you all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Ab'salom. See, your ruin is on you; for you are a man of blood."

9 Then Abi'shai the son of Zeru'iah said to the king, "Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head."

10 But the king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeru'iah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, `Curse David,' who then shall say, `Why have you done so?'"

11 And David said to Abi'shai and to all his servants, "Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has bidden him.

12 It may be that the LORD will look upon my affliction, and that the LORD will repay me with good for this cursing of me today."

13 So David and his men went on the road, while Shim'e-i went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him and flung dust.

PSALM: Psalms 3: 2 - 7

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2 many are saying of me, there is no help for him in God. [Selah]

3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.

4 I cry aloud to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy hill. [Selah]

5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.

6 I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about.

7 Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! For thou dost smite all my enemies on the cheek, thou dost break the teeth of the wicked.

GOSPEL: Mark 5: 1 - 20

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1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Ger'asenes.

2 And when he had come out of the boat, there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

3 who lived among the tombs; and no one could bind him any more, even with a chain;

4 for he had often been bound with fetters and chains, but the chains he wrenched apart, and the fetters he broke in pieces; and no one had the strength to subdue him.

5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out, and bruising himself with stones.

6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped him;

7 and crying out with a loud voice, he said, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me."

8 For he had said to him, "Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!"

9 And Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" He replied, "My name is Legion; for we are many."

10 And he begged him eagerly not to send them out of the country.

11 Now a great herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside;

12 and they begged him, "Send us to the swine, let us enter them."

13 So he gave them leave. And the unclean spirits came out, and entered the swine; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and were drowned in the sea.

14 The herdsmen fled, and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened.

15 And they came to Jesus, and saw the demoniac sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, the man who had had the legion; and they were afraid.

16 And those who had seen it told what had happened to the demoniac and to the swine.

17 And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their neighborhood.

18 And as he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him.

19 But he refused, and said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."

20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decap'olis how much Jesus had done for him; and all men marveled.

Sunday Mass Readings For January 29, 2012

FIRST READING: Deuteronomy 18: 15 - 20

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15 "The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brethren -- him you shall heed --

16 just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, `Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, or see this great fire any more, lest I die.'

17 And the LORD said to me, `They have rightly said all that they have spoken.

18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

19 And whoever will not give heed to my words which he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.

20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.'

PSALM: Psalms 95: 1 - 2, 6 - 9

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1 O come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

6 O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!

7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. O that today you would hearken to his voice!

8 Harden not your hearts, as at Mer'ibah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

9 when your fathers tested me, and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 7: 32 - 35

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32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord;

33 but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife,

34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband.

35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

GOSPEL: Mark 1: 21 - 28

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21 And they went into Caper'na-um; and immediately on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.

22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit;

24 and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."

25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!"

26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.

27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? A new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."

28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

Daily Mass Readings for Saturday, January 28, 2012

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and  Doctor of the Church

FIRST READING: 2 Samuel 12: 1 - 7, 10 - 17

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1 And the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor.

2 The rich man had very many flocks and herds;

3 but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. And he brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his morsel, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him.

4 Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was unwilling to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb, and prepared it for the man who had come to him."

5 Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die;

6 and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity."

7 Nathan said to David, "You are the man. Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, `I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul;

10 Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uri'ah the Hittite to be your wife.'

11 Thus says the LORD, `Behold, I will raise up evil against you out of your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun.

12 For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.'"

13 David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." And Nathan said to David, "The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

14 Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child that is born to you shall die."

15 Then Nathan went to his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uri'ah's wife bore to David, and it became sick.

16 David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in and lay all night upon the ground.

17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them.

PSALM: Psalms 51: 12 - 17

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12 Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners will return to thee.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of thy deliverance.

15 O Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.

16 For thou hast no delight in sacrifice; were I to give a burnt offering, thou wouldst not be pleased.

17 The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

GOSPEL: Mark 4: 35 - 41

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35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side."

36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.

37 And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.

38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?"

39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?"

41 And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?"

Daily Mass Readings for Friday, January 27, 2012

FIRST READING: 2 Samuel 11: 1 - 10, 13 - 17

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1 In the spring of the year, the time when kings go forth to battle, David sent Jo'ab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

2 It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking upon the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful.

3 And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathshe'ba, the daughter of Eli'am, the wife of Uri'ah the Hittite?"

4 So David sent messengers, and took her; and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned to her house.

5 And the woman conceived; and she sent and told David, "I am with child."

6 So David sent word to Jo'ab, "Send me Uri'ah the Hittite." And Jo'ab sent Uri'ah to David.

7 When Uri'ah came to him, David asked how Jo'ab was doing, and how the people fared, and how the war prospered.

8 Then David said to Uri'ah, "Go down to your house, and wash your feet." And Uri'ah went out of the king's house, and there followed him a present from the king.

9 But Uri'ah slept at the door of the king's house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house.

10 When they told David, "Uri'ah did not go down to his house," David said to Uri'ah, "Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?"

13 And David invited him, and he ate in his presence and drank, so that he made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

14 In the morning David wrote a letter to Jo'ab, and sent it by the hand of Uri'ah.

15 In the letter he wrote, "Set Uri'ah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, that he may be struck down, and die."

16 And as Jo'ab was besieging the city, he assigned Uri'ah to the place where he knew there were valiant men.

17 And the men of the city came out and fought with Jo'ab; and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uri'ah the Hittite was slain also.

PSALM: Psalms 51: 3 - 7, 10 - 11

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3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in thy sight, so that thou art justified in thy sentence and blameless in thy judgment.

5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy holy Spirit from me.

GOSPEL: Mark 4: 26 - 34

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26 And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground,

27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how.

28 The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

30 And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?

31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;

32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;

34 he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

Daily Mass Readings for Thursday, January 26, 2012

 Memorial of Saint Timothy and Saint Titus, Bishops

FIRST READING: 2 Timothy 1: 1 - 8 Or Titus 1: 1 - 5

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1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus,

2 To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I thank God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember you constantly in my prayers.

4 As I remember your tears, I long night and day to see you, that I may be filled with joy.

5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lo'is and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you.

6 Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands;

7 for God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control.

8 Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel in the power of God. 

 

Or

1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness,

2 in hope of eternal life which God, who never lies, promised ages ago

3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by command of God our Savior;

4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

5 This is why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you.

PSALM: Psalms 96: 1 - 3, 7 - 8, 10

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1 O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!

2 Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.

3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!

8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!

10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns! Yea, the world is established, it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity."

GOSPEL: Mark 4: 21 - 25

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21 And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand?

22 For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.

23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear."

24 And he said to them, "Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.

25 For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away."

Daily Mass Readings for Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, the Apostle

FIRST READING: Acts 22: 3 - 16 Or Acts 9: 1 - 22

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3 "I am a Jew, born at Tarsus in Cili'cia, but brought up in this city at the feet of Gama'li-el, educated according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as you all are this day.

4 I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women,

5 as the high priest and the whole council of elders bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brethren, and I journeyed to Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.

6 "As I made my journey and drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from heaven suddenly shone about me.

7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, `Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?'

8 And I answered, `Who are you, Lord?' And he said to me, `I am Jesus of Nazareth whom you are persecuting.'

9 Now those who were with me saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who was speaking to me.

10 And I said, `What shall I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, `Rise, and go into Damascus, and there you will be told all that is appointed for you to do.'

11 And when I could not see because of the brightness of that light, I was led by the hand by those who were with me, and came into Damascus.

12 "And one Anani'as, a devout man according to the law, well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,

13 came to me, and standing by me said to me, `Brother Saul, receive your sight.' And in that very hour I received my sight and saw him.

14 And he said, `The God of our fathers appointed you to know his will, to see the Just One and to hear a voice from his mouth;

15 for you will be a witness for him to all men of what you have seen and heard.

16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on his name.'

Or

1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest

2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.

3 Now as he journeyed he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed about him.

4 And he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?"

5 And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting;

6 but rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do."

7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.

8 Saul arose from the ground; and when his eyes were opened, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Anani'as. The Lord said to him in a vision, "Anani'as." And he said, "Here I am, Lord."

11 And the Lord said to him, "Rise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for a man of Tarsus named Saul; for behold, he is praying,

12 and he has seen a man named Anani'as come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight."

13 But Anani'as answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to thy saints at Jerusalem;

14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call upon thy name."

15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

16 for I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name."

17 So Anani'as departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came, has sent me that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized,

19 and took food and was strengthened. For several days he was with the disciples at Damascus.

20 And in the synagogues immediately he proclaimed Jesus, saying, "He is the Son of God."

21 And all who heard him were amazed, and said, "Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called on this name? And he has come here for this purpose, to bring them bound before the chief priests."

22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus by proving that Jesus was the Christ.

PSALM: Psalms 117: 1 - 2

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1 Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!

2 For great is his steadfast love toward us; and the faithfulness of the LORD endures for ever. Praise the LORD!

GOSPEL: Mark 16: 15 - 18

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15 And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.

16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."

Daily Mass Readings for Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Memorial of Saint Francis de Sales, Bishop and  Doctor of the Church

FIRST READING: 2 Samuel 6: 12 - 15, 17 - 19

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12 And it was told King David, "The LORD has blessed the household of O'bed-e'dom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God." So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of O'bed-e'dom to the city of David with rejoicing;

13 and when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.

14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the horn.

17 And they brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place, inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.

18 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts,

19 and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins. Then all the people departed, each to his house.

PSALM: Psalms 24: 7 - 10

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7 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.

8 Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!

9 Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.

10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! [Selah]

GOSPEL: Mark 3: 31 - 35

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31 And his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside they sent to him and called him.

32 And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you."

33 And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?"

34 And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers!

35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother."

Daily Mass Readings for Monday, January 23, 2012

 Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

FIRST READING: 2 Samuel 5: 1 - 7, 10

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1 Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, "Behold, we are your bone and flesh.

2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you that led out and brought in Israel; and the LORD said to you, `You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.'"

3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.

4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.

5 At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

6 And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jeb'usites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, "You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off" -- thinking, "David cannot come in here."

7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.

10 And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.

PSALM: Psalms 89: 20 - 22, 25 - 26

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20 I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him;

21 so that my hand shall ever abide with him, my arm also shall strengthen him.

22 The enemy shall not outwit him, the wicked shall not humble him.

25 I will set his hand on the sea and his right hand on the rivers.

26 He shall cry to me, `Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation.'

GOSPEL: Mark 3: 22 - 30

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22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Be-el'zebul, and by the prince of demons he casts out the demons."

23 And he called them to him, and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan?

24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.

27 But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man; then indeed he may plunder his house.

28 "Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter;

29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin" --

30 for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."

Daily Mass Readings for Sunday, January 22, 2012

FIRST READING: Jonah 3: 1 - 5, 10

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1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying,

2 "Arise, go to Nin'eveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you."

3 So Jonah arose and went to Nin'eveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nin'eveh was an exceedingly great city, three days' journey in breadth.

4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day's journey. And he cried, "Yet forty days, and Nin'eveh shall be overthrown!"

5 And the people of Nin'eveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.

10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil way, God repented of the evil which he had said he would do to them; and he did not do it.

PSALM: Psalms 25: 4 - 9

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4 Make me to know thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.

5 Lead me in thy truth, and teach me, for thou art the God of my salvation; for thee I wait all the day long.

6 Be mindful of thy mercy, O LORD, and of thy steadfast love, for they have been from of old.

7 Remember not the sins of my youth, or my transgressions; according to thy steadfast love remember me, for thy goodness' sake, O LORD!

8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 7: 29 - 31

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29 I mean, brethren, the appointed time has grown very short; from now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,

30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,

31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the form of this world is passing away.

GOSPEL: Mark 1: 14 - 20

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14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God,

15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent, and believe in the gospel."

16 And passing along by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.

17 And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you become fishers of men."

18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him.

19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zeb'edee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.

20 And immediately he called them; and they left their father Zeb'edee in the boat with the hired servants, and followed him.

Daily Mass Readings for Saturday, January 21, 2012

 Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr

FIRST READING: 2 Samuel 1: 1 - 4, 11 - 12, 19, 23 - 27

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1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amal'ekites, David remained two days in Ziklag;

2 and on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes rent and earth upon his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and did obeisance.

3 David said to him, "Where do you come from?" And he said to him, "I have escaped from the camp of Israel."

4 And David said to him, "How did it go? Tell me." And he answered, "The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead."

11 Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them; and so did all the men who were with him;

12 and they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

19 "Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places! How are the mighty fallen!

23 "Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

24 "Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you daintily in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 "How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! "Jonathan lies slain upon thy high places.

26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

27 "How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!"

PSALM: Psalms 80: 2 - 3, 5 - 7

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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!

5 Thou hast fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.

6 Thou dost make us the scorn of our neighbors; and our enemies laugh among themselves.

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

GOSPEL: Mark 3: 20 - 21

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20 Then he went home; and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat.

21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for people were saying, "He is beside himself."