Daily Mass Readings for Friday, June 8, 2018

"The Strike of the Lance"
-- by James Tissot, PD-1923

Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

FIRST READING: Hosea 11:1, 3-4, 8-9

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1 As the morning passeth, so hath the king of Israel passed away. Because Israel was a child, and I loved him: and I called my son out of Egypt.

3 And I was like a foster father to Ephraim, I carried them in my arms: and they knew not that I healed them.

4 I will draw them with the cords of Adam, with the bands of love: and I will be to them as one that taketh off the yoke on their jaws: and I put his meat to him that he might eat.

8 How shall I deal with thee, O Ephraim, shall I protect thee, O Israel? how shall I make thee as Adama, shall I set thee as Seboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentance is stirred up.

9 I will not execute the fierceness of my wrath: I will not return to destroy Ephraim: because I am God, and not man: the holy one in the midst of thee, and I will not enter into the city.

PSALM: Isaiah 12:2-6

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2 Behold, God is my saviour, I will deal confidently, and will not fear: O because the Lord is my strength, and my praise, and he is become my salvation.

3 You shall draw waters with joy out of the saviour's fountains:

4 And you shall say in that day: Praise ye the Lord, and call upon his name: make his works known among the people: remember that his name is high.

5 Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath done great things: shew this forth in all the earth.

6 Rejoice, and praise, O thou habitation of Zion: for great is he that is in the midst of thee, the Holy One of Israel.

SECOND READING: Ephesians 3:8-12, 14-19

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8 To me, the least of all the saints, is given this grace, to preach among the Gentiles, the unsearchable riches of Christ,

9 And to enlighten all men, that they may see what is the dispensation of the mystery which hath been hidden from eternity in God, who created all things:

10 That the manifold wisdom of God may be made known to the principalities and powers in heavenly places through the church,

11 According to the eternal purpose, which he made, in Christ Jesus our Lord:

12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

14 For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

15 Of whom all paternity in heaven and earth is named,

16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened by his Spirit with might unto the inward man,

17 That Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts; that being rooted and founded in charity,

18 You may be able to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth:

19 To know also the charity of Christ, which surpasseth all knowledge, that you may be filled unto all the fulness of God.

GOSPEL: John 19:31-37

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31 Then the Jews, (because it was the parasceve,) that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath day, (for that was a great sabbath day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
32 The soldiers therefore came; and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him.
33 But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
34 But one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water.
35 And he that saw it, hath given testimony, and his testimony is true. And he knoweth that he saith true; that you also may believe.
36 For these things were done, that the scripture might be fulfilled: You shall not break a bone of him.
37 And again another scripture saith: They shall look on him whom they pierced.

Sunday Catholic Mass Readings for May 13, 2018

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

FIRST READING: Acts 1:1-11

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1 The former treatise I made, O Theophilus, of all things which Jesus began to do and to teach,

2 Until the day on which, giving commandments by the Holy Ghost to the apostles whom he had chosen, he was taken up.

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion, by many proofs, for forty days appearing to them, and speaking of the kingdom of God.

4 And eating together with them, he commanded them, that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but should wait for the promise of the Father, which you have heard (saith he) by my mouth.

5 For John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost, not many days hence.

6 They therefore who were come together, asked him, saying: Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 But he said to them: It is not for you to know the times or moments, which the Father hath put in his own power:

8 But you shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the earth.

9 And when he had said these things, while they looked on, he was raised up: and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they were beholding him going up to heaven, behold two men stood by them in white garments.

11 Who also said: Ye men of Galilee, why stand you looking up to heaven? This Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come, as you have seen him going into heaven.

PSALM: Psalms 47:2-3, 6-9

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2 O clap your hands, all ye nations: shout unto God with the voice of Joy,

3 For the Lord is high, terrible: a great king over all the earth.

6 God is ascended with jubilee, and the Lord with the sound of trumpet.

7 Sing praises to our God, sing ye: sing praises to our king, sing ye.

8 For God is the king of all the earth: sing ye wisely.

9 God shall reign over the nations: God sitteth on his holy throne.

SECOND READING: Ephesians 1:17-23 Or Ephesians 4:1-13 Or Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13

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17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation, in the knowledge of him:

18 The eyes of your heart enlightened, that you may know what the hope is of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

19 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards us, who believe according to the operation of the might of his power,

20 Which he wrought in Christ, raising him up from the dead, and setting him on his right hand in the heavenly places.

21 Above all principality, and power, and virtue, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.

22 And he hath subjected all things under his feet, and hath made him head over all the church,

23 Which is his body, and the fulness of him who is filled all in all.

Or

1 I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called,

2 With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity.

3 Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 One body and one Spirit; as you are called in one hope of your calling.

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.

7 But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ.

8 Wherefore he saith: Ascending on high, he led captivity captive; he gave gifts to men.

9 Now that he ascended, what is it, but because he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10 He that descended is the same also that ascended above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.

11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors,

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ.

Or

1 I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called,

2 With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity.

3 Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 One body and one Spirit; as you are called in one hope of your calling.

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.

7 But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ.

11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors,

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ.

GOSPEL: Mark 16:15-20

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15 And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned.
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils: they shall speak with new tongues.
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them: they shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they shall recover.
19 And the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God.
20 But they going forth preached everywhere: the Lord working withal, and confirming the word with signs that followed.

Sunday Mass Readings for March 11, 2018

Fourth Sunday of Lent

FIRST READING: 2 Chronicles 36:14-17, 19-23

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14 Moreover all the chief of the priests, and the people wickedly transgressed according to all the abominations of the Gentiles: and they defiled the house of the Lord, which he had sanctified to himself in Jerusalem.

15 And the Lord the God of their fathers sent to them, by the hand of his messengers, rising early, and daily admonishing them: because he spared his people and his dwelling place.

16 But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused the prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, and there was no remedy.

17 For he brought upon them the king of the Chaldeans, and he slew their young men with the sword in the house of his sanctuary, he had no compassion on young man, or maiden, old man or even him that stooped for age, but he delivered them all into his hands.

19 And the enemies set fire to the house of God, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burnt all the towers, and whatsoever was precious they destroyed.

20 Whosoever escaped the sword, was led into Babylon, and there served the king and his sons till the reign of the king of Persia.

21 That the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremias might be fulfilled, and the land might keep her sabbaths: for all the days of the desolation she kept a sabbath, till the seventy years were expired.

22 But in the first year of Cyrus king of the Persians, to fulfill the word of the Lord, which he had spoken by the mouth of Jeremias, the Lord stirred up the heart of Cyrus king of the Persians who commanded it to be proclaimed through all his kingdom, and by writing also, saying:

23 Thus saith Cyrus king of the Persians: All the kingdoms of the earth hath the Lord the God of heaven given to me, and he hath charged me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judea: who is there among you of all his people? The Lord his God be with him, and let him go up.

PSALM: Psalms 137:1-6

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1 Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept: when we remembered Sion:

2 On the willows in the midst thereof we hung up our instruments.

3 For there they that led us into captivity required of us the words of songs. And they that carried us away, said: Sing ye to us a hymn of the songs of Sion.

4 How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange land?

5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.

6 Let my tongue cleave to my jaws, if I do not remember thee: If I make not Jerusalem the beginning of my joy.

SECOND READING: Ephesians 2:4-10

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4 But God, (who is rich in mercy,) for his exceeding charity wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, (by whose grace you are saved,)

6 And hath raised us up together, and hath made us sit together in the heavenly places, through Christ Jesus.

7 That he might shew in the ages to come the abundant riches of his grace, in his bounty towards us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, for it is the gift of God;

9 Not of works, that no man may glory.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus in good works, which God hath prepared that we should walk in them.

GOSPEL: John 3:14-21

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14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him, may not perish; but may have life everlasting.

16 For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him.

18 He that believeth in him is not judged. But he that doth not believe, is already judged: because he believeth not in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the judgment: because the light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the light: for their works were evil.

20 For every one that doth evil hateth the light, and cometh not to the light, that his works may not be reproved.

21 But he that doth truth, cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, because they are done in God.

Sunday Mass Readings for January 7, 2018

"The Magi in the House of Herod"
-- by James Tissot

Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

FIRST READING: Isaiah 60:1-6

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1 Arise, be enlightened, O Jerusalem: for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

2 For behold darkness shall cover the earth, and a mist the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.

3 And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, and kings in the brightness of thy rising.

4 Lift up thy eyes round about, and see: all these are gathered together, they are come to thee: thy sons shall come from afar, and thy daughters shall rise up at thy side.

5 Then shalt thou see, and abound, and thy heart shall wonder and be enlarged, when the multitude of the sea shall be converted to thee, the. strength of the Gentiles shall come to thee.

6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee, the dromedaries of Madian and Epha: all they from Saba shall come, bringing gold and frankincense: and shewing forth praise to the Lord.

PSALM: Psalms 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13

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1 A psalm on Solomon.

2 Give to the king thy judgment, O God: and to the king's son thy justice: To judge thy people with justice, and thy poor with judgment.

7 In his days shall justice spring up, and abundance of peace, till the moon be taken sway.

8 And he shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth.

10 The kings of Tharsis and the islands shall offer presents: the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall bring gifts:

11 And all kings of the earth shall adore him: all nations shall serve him.

12 For he shall deliver the poor from the mighty: and the needy that had no helper.

13 He shall spare the poor and needy: and he shall save the souls of the poor.

SECOND READING: Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6

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2 If yet you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me towards you:

3 How that, according to revelation, the mystery has been made known to me, as I have written above in a few words;

5 Which in other generations was not known to the sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit:

6 That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and co-partners of his promise in Christ Jesus, by the gospel.

GOSPEL: Matthew 2:1-12

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1 When Jesus therefore was born in Bethlehem of Juda, in the days of king Herod, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem.

2 Saying, Where is he that is born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and are come to adore him.

3 And king Herod hearing this, was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

4 And assembling together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where Christ should be born.

5 But they said to him: In Bethlehem of Juda. For so it is written by the prophet:

6 And thou Bethlehem the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come forth the captain that shall rule my people Israel.

7 Then Herod, privately calling the wise men, learned diligently of them the time of the star which appeared to them;

8 And sending them into Bethlehem, said: Go and diligently inquire after the child, and when you have found him, bring me word again, that I also may come to adore him.

9 Who having heard the king, went their way; and behold the star which they had seen in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was.

10 And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11 And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him; and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts; gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

12 And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country.

Daily Mass Readings for Friday, December 8, 2017

"Mary's Holy and Immaculate Conception"
-- by Francisco Rizi

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

FIRST READING: Genesis 3:9-15, 20

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9 And the Lord God called Adam, and said to him: Where art thou?

10 And he said: I heard thy voice in paradise; and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.

11 And he said to him: And who hath told thee that thou wast naked, but that thou hast eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldst not eat?

12 And Adam said: The woman, whom thou gavest me to be my companion, gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

13 And the Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? And she answered: The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.

14 And the Lord God said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this thing, thou art cursed among all cattle, and beasts of the earth: upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.

15 I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.

20 And Adam called the name of his wife Eve: because she was the mother of all the living.

PSALM: Psalms 98:1-4

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1 Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: because he hath done wonderful things. His right hand hath wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy.

2 The Lord hath made known his salvation: he hath revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles.

3 He hath remembered his mercy his truth toward the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4 Sing joyfully to God, all the earth; make melody, rejoice and sing.

SECOND READING: Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12

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3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with spiritual blessings in heavenly places, in Christ:

4 As he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and unspotted in his sight in charity.

5 Who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children through Jesus Christ unto himself: according to the purpose of his will:

6 Unto the praise of the glory of his grace, in which he hath graced us in his beloved son.

11 In whom we also are called by lot, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things according to the counsel of his will.

12 That we may be unto the praise of his glory, we who before hoped Christ.

GOSPEL: Luke 1:26-38

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26 And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 Who having heard, was troubled at his saying, and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God.

31 Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the most High; and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father; and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever.

33 And of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man?

35 And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36 And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren:

37 Because no word shall be impossible with God.

38 And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

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Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Saturday, October 28, 2017

Feast of Saints Simon and Jude, Apostles

FIRST READING: Ephesians 2: 19-22

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19 Now therefore you are no more strangers and foreigners; but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and the domestics of God,

20 Built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone:

21 In whom all the building, being framed together, groweth up into an holy temple in the Lord.

22 In whom you also are built together into an habitation of God in the Spirit.

PSALM: Psalms 19: 2-5

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2 The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands.

3 Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge.

4 There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard.

5 Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.

GOSPEL: Luke 6: 12-16

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12 And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and he passed the whole night in the prayer of God.

13 And when day was come, he called unto him his disciples; and he chose twelve of them (whom also he named apostles).

14 Simon, whom he surnamed Peter, and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,

15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, and Simon who is called Zelotes,

16 And Jude, the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, who was the traitor.

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Thursday, September 21, 2017

"The Calling of Saint Matthew" (top) and
"The Meal in the House of Matthew"-- by James Tissot

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist

FIRST READING: Ephesians 4: 1-7, 11-13

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1 I therefore, a prisoner in the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation in which you are called,

2 With all humility and mildness, with patience, supporting one another in charity.

3 Careful to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4 One body and one Spirit; as you are called in one hope of your calling.

5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism.

6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in us all.

7 But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the giving of Christ.

11 And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and other some evangelists, and other some pastors and doctors,

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 Until we all meet into the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ.

PSALM: Psalms 19: 2-5

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2 The heavens shew forth the glory of God, and the firmament declareth the work of his hands.

3 Day to day uttereth speech, and night to night sheweth knowledge.

4 There are no speeches nor languages, where their voices are not heard.

5 Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth: and their words unto the ends of the world.

GOSPEL: Matthew 9: 9-13

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9 And when Jesus passed on from hence, he saw a man sitting in the custom house, named Matthew; and he saith to him: Follow me. And he rose up and followed him.

10 And it came to pass as he was sitting at meat in the house, behold many publicans and sinners came, and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.

11 And the Pharisees seeing it, said to his disciples: Why doth your master eat with publicans and sinners?

12 But Jesus hearing it, said: They that are in health need not a physician, but they that are ill.

13 Go then and learn what this meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice. For I am not come to call the just, but sinners.

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Wednesday, October 26, 2016

FIRST READING: Ephesians 6: 1 – 9

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1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is just.

2 Honour thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment with a promise:

3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest be long lived upon earth.

4 And you, fathers, provoke not your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and correction of the Lord.

5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your lords according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the simplicity of your heart, as to Christ:

6 Not serving to the eye, as it were pleasing men, but, as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart,

7 With a good will serving, as to the Lord, and not to men.

8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man shall do, the same shall he receive from the Lord, whether he be bond, or free.

9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, forbearing threatenings, knowing that the Lord both of them and you is in heaven; and there is no respect of persons with him.1 Naaman, general of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable: for by him the Lord gave deliverance to Syria: and he

PSALM: Psalms 145: 10 – 14

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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.

14 The Lord lifteth up all that fall: and setteth up all that are cast down.

GOSPEL: Luke 13: 22 – 30

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23 And a certain man said to him: Lord, are they few that are saved? But he said to them:

24 Strive to enter by the narrow gate; for many, I say to you, shall seek to enter, and shall not be able.

25 But when the master of the house shall be gone in, and shall shut the door, you shall begin to stand without, and knock at the door, saying: Lord, open to us. And he answering, shall say to you: I know you not, whence you are.

26 Then you shall begin to say: We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.

27 And he shall say to you: I know you not, whence you are: depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.

28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

29 And there shall come from the east and the west, and the north and the south; and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

30 And behold, they are last that shall be first; and they are first that shall be last.