Sunday Mass Readings for February 25, 2018

Second Sunday of Lent

FIRST READING: Genesis 22:1-2, 9-13, 15-18

---

1 After these things, God tempted Abraham, and said to him: Abraham, Abraham. And he answered: Here I am.

2 He said to him: Take thy only begotten son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and go into the land of vision: and there thou shalt offer him for an holocaust upon one of the mountains which I will shew thee.

9 And they came to the place which God had shewn him, where he built an altar, and laid the wood in order upon it: and when he had bound Isaac his son, he laid him on the altar upon the pile of wood.

10 And he put forth his hand and took the sword, to sacrifice his son.

11 And behold an angel of the Lord from heaven called to him, saying: Abraham, Abraham. And he answered: Here I am.

12 And he said to him: Lay not thy hand upon the boy, neither do thou any thing to him: now I know that thou fearest God, and hast not spared thy only begotten son for my sake.

13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw behind his back a ram amongst the briers sticking fast by the horns, which he took and offered for a holocaust instead of his son.

15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, saying:

16 By my own self have I sworn, saith the Lord: because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy only begotten son for my sake:

17 I will bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea shore: thy seed shall possess the gates of their enemies.

18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice.

PSALM: Psalms 116:10, 15-19

---

10 I have believed, therefore have I spoken; but I have been humbled exceedingly.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

16 O Lord, for I am thy servant: I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid. Thou hast broken my bonds:

17 I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.

18 I will pay my vows to the Lord in the sight of all his people:

19 In the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.

SECOND READING: Romans 8:31-34

---

31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who is against us?

32 He that spared not even his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how hath he not also, with him, given us all things?

33 Who shall accuse against the elect of God? God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that shall condemn? Christ Jesus that died, yea that is risen also again; who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

GOSPEL: Mark 9:2-10

---

2 And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter and James and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves, and was transfigured before them.

3 And his garments became shining and exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller upon earth can make white.

4 And there appeared to them Elias with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus.

5 And Peter answering, said to Jesus: Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.

6 For he knew not what he said: for they were struck with fear.

7 And there was a cloud overshadowing them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying: This is my most beloved son; hear ye him.

8 And immediately looking about, they saw no man any more, but Jesus only with them.

9 And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them not to tell any man what things they had seen, till the Son of man shall be risen again from the dead.

10 And they kept the word to themselves; questioning together what that should mean, when he shall be risen from the dead.

Sunday Mass Readings for February 18, 2018

"Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness"
-- by James Tissot

First Sunday of Lent

FIRST READING: Genesis 9:8-15

---

8 Thus also said God to Noah, and to his sons with him,

9 Behold I will establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you:

10 And with every living soul that is with you, as well in all birds as in cattle and beasts of the earth, that are come forth out of the ark, and in all the beasts of the earth.

11 I will establish my covenant with you, and all flesh shall be no more destroyed with the waters of a flood, neither shall there be from henceforth a flood to waste the earth.

12 And God said: This is the sign of the covenant which I give between me and you, and to every living soul that is with you, for perpetual generations.

13 I will set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be the sign of a covenant between me, and between the earth.

14 And when I shall cover the sky with clouds, my bow shall appear in the clouds:

15 And I will remember my covenant with you, and with every living soul that beareth flesh: and there shall no more be waters of a flood to destroy all flesh.

PSALM: Psalms 25:4-9

---

4 Let all them be confounded that act unjust things without cause. shew, O Lord, thy ways to me, and teach me thy paths.

5 Direct me in thy truth, and teach me; for thou art God my Saviour; and on thee have I waited all the day long.

6 Remember, O Lord, thy bowels of compassion; and thy mercies that are from the beginning of the world.

7 The sins of my youth and my ignorances do not remember. According to thy mercy remember thou me: for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.

8 The Lord is sweet and righteous: therefore he will give a law to sinners in the way.

9 He will guide the mild in judgment: he will teach the meek his ways.

SECOND READING: 1 Peter 3:18-22

---

18 Because Christ also died once for our sins, the just for the unjust: that he might offer us to God, being put to death indeed in the flesh, but enlivened in the spirit,

19 In which also coming he preached to those spirits that were in prison:

20 Which had been some time incredulous, when they waited for the patience of God in the days of Noe, when the ark was a building: wherein a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.

21 Whereunto baptism being of the like form, now saveth you also: not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the examination of a good conscience towards God by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

22 Who is on the right hand of God, swallowing down death, that we might be made heirs of life everlasting: being gone into heaven, the angels and powers and virtues being made subject to him.

GOSPEL: Mark 1:12-15

---

12 And immediately the Spirit drove him out into the desert.

13 And he was in the desert forty days and forty nights, and was tempted by Satan; and he was with beasts, and the angels ministered to him.

14 And after that John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

15 And saying: The time is accomplished, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent, and believe the gospel.

Daily Mass Readings for Tuesday, February 13, 2018

"The Pharisees and the Herodians Conspire Against Jesus"
-- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: James 1:12-18

---

12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he hath been proved, he shall receive a crown of life, which God hath promised to them that love him.

13 Let no man, when he is tempted, say that he is tempted by God. For God is not a tempter of evils, and he tempteth no man.

14 But every man is tempted by his own concupiscence, being drawn away and allured.

15 Then when concupiscence hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. But sin, when it is completed, begetteth death.

16 Do not err, therefore, my dearest brethren.

17 Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration.

18 For of his own will hath he begotten us by the word of truth, that we might be some beginning of his creatures.

PSALM: Psalms 94:12-15, 18-19

---

12 Blessed is the man whom thou shalt instruct, O Lord: and shalt teach him out of thy law.

13 That thou mayst give him rest from the evil days: till a pit be dug for the wicked.

14 For the Lord will not cast off his people: neither will he forsake his own inheritance.

15 Until justice be turned into judgment: and they that are near it are all the upright in heart.

18 If I said: My foot is moved: thy mercy, O Lord, assisted me.

19 According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, thy comforts have given joy to my soul.

GOSPEL: Mark 8:14-21

---

14 And they forgot to take bread; and they had but one loaf with them in the ship.

15 And he charged them, saying: Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying: Because we have no bread.

17 Which Jesus knowing, saith to them: Why do you reason, because you have no bread? do you not yet know nor understand? have you still your heart blinded?

18 Having eyes, see you not? and having ears, hear you not? neither do you remember.

19 When I broke the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took you up? They say to him, Twelve.

20 When also the seven loaves among four thousand, how many baskets of fragments took you up? And they say to him, Seven.

21 And he said to them: How do you not yet understand?

Daily Mass Readings for Monday, February 12, 2018

FIRST READING: James 1:1-11

---

1 James the servant of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

2 My brethren, count it all joy, when you shall fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 And patience hath a perfect work; that you may be perfect and entire, failing in nothing.

5 But if any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men abundantly, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, which is moved and carried about by the wind.

7 Therefore let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is inconstant in all his ways.

9 But let the brother of low condition glory in his exaltation:

10 And the rich, in his being low; because as the flower of the grass shall he pass away.

11 For the sun rose with a burning heat, and parched the grass, and the flower thereof fell off, and the beauty of the shape thereof perished: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

PSALM: Psalms 119:67-68, 71-72, 75-76

---

67 Before I was humbled I offended; therefore have I kept thy word.

68 Thou art good; and in thy goodness teach me thy justifications.

71 It is good for me that thou hast humbled me, that I may learn thy justifications.

72 The law of thy mouth is good to me, above thousands of gold and silver.

75 I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are equity: and in thy truth thou hast humbled me.

76 O! let thy mercy be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

GOSPEL: Mark 8:11-13

---

11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, asking him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

12 And sighing deeply in spirit, he saith: Why doth this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, a sign shall not be given to this generation.

13 And leaving them, he went up again into the ship, and passed to the other side of the water.

Sunday Mass Readings for February 11, 2018

"The Healing of the Leper"
-- by Harold Copping

The feast of Our Lady of Lourdes, which is ordinarily celebrated today,

is superseded by the Sunday liturgy.

FIRST READING: Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46

---

1 And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

2 The man in whose skin or flesh shalt arise a different colour or a blister, or as it were something shining, that is, the stroke of the leprosy, shall be brought to Aaron the priest, or any one of his sons.

44 Now whosoever shall be defiled with the leprosy, and is separated by the judgment of the priest,

45 Shall have his clothes hanging loose, his head bare, his mouth covered with a cloth, and he shall cry out that he is defiled and unclean.

46 All the time that he is a leper and unclean, he shall dwell alone without the camp.

PSALM: Psalms 32:1-2, 5, 11

---

1 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

2 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

5 I have acknowledged my sin to thee, and my injustice I have not concealed. I said I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord: and thou hast forgiven the wickedness of my sin.

11 Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye just, and glory, all ye right of heart.

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 10:31--11:1

---

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God.

32 Be without offence to the Jews, and to the Gentiles, and to the church of God:

33 As I also in all things please all men, not seeking that which is profitable to myself, but to many, that may be saved.

1 Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ.

GOSPEL: Mark 1:40-45

---

40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down said to him: If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

41 And Jesus having compassion on him, stretched forth his hand; and touching him, saith to him: I will. Be thou made clean.

42 And when he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.

43 And he strictly charged him, and forthwith sent him away.

44 And he saith to him: See thou tell no one; but go, shew thyself to the high priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.

45 But he being gone out, began to publish and to blaze abroad the word: so that he could not openly go into the city, but was without in desert places: and they flocked to him from all sides.

Daily Mass Readings for Saturday, February 10, 2018

"The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes"
-- by James Tissot

Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34

---

26 And Jeroboam said in his heart: Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David,

27 If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem: and the heart of this people will turn to their lord Roboam the king of Juda, and they will kill me, and return to him.

28 And finding out a device he made two golden calves, and said to them: Go ye up no more to Jerusalem: Behold thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt.

29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other in Dan:

30 And this thing became an occasion of sin: for the people went to adore the calf as far as Dan.

31 And he made temples in the high places, and priests of the lowest of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

32 And he appointed a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, after the manner of the feast that was celebrated in Juda. And going up to the altar, he did in like manner in Bethel, to sacrifice to the calves, which he had made: and he placed in Bethel priests of the high places, which he had made.

33 After these words Jeroboam came not back from his wicked way: but on the contrary he made of the meanest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he filled his hand, and he was made a priest of the high places.

34 And for this cause did the house of Jeroboam sin, and was cut off and destroyed from the face of the earth.

PSALM: Psalms 106:6-7, 19-22

---

6 We have sinned with our fathers: we have acted unjustly, we have wrought iniquity.

7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt: they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies: And they provoked to wrath going up to the sea, even the Red Sea.

19 They made also a calf in Horeb: and they adored the graven thing.

20 And they changed their glory into the likeness of a calf that eateth grass.

21 They forgot God, who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,

22 Wondrous works in the land of Cham: terrible things in the Red Sea.

GOSPEL: Mark 8:1-10

---

1 In those days again, when there was a great multitude, and had nothing to eat; calling his disciples together, he saith to them:

2 I have compassion on the multitude, for behold they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat.

3 And if I shall send them away fasting to their home, they will faint in the way; for some of them came from afar off.

4 And his disciples answered him: From whence can any one fill them here with bread in the wilderness?

5 And he asked them: How many loaves have ye? Who said: Seven.

6 And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, he broke, and gave to his disciples for to set before them; and they set them before the people.

7 And they had a few little fishes; and he blessed them, and commanded them to be set before them.

8 And they did eat and were filled; and they took up that which was left of the fragments, seven baskets.

9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand; and he sent them away.

10 And immediately going up into a ship with his disciples, he came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

Daily Mass Readings for Friday, February 9, 2018

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19

---

29 So it came to paste at that time, that Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahias the Silonite, clad with a new garment, found him in the way: and they two were alone in the held.

30 And Ahias taking his new garment, wherewith he was clad, divided it into twelve parts:

31 And he said to Jeroboam: Take to thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Behold I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give thee ten tribes.

32 But one tribe shall remain to him for the sake of my servant David, and Jerusalem the city, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:

19 And Israel revolted from the house of David, unto this day.

PSALM: Psalms 81:10-15

---

10 There shall be no new god in thee: neither shalt thou adore a strange god.

11 For I am the Lord thy God, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

12 But my people heard not my voice: and Israel hearkened not to me.

13 So I let them go according to the desires of their heart: they shall walk in their own inventions.

14 If my people had heard me: if Israel had walked in my ways:

15 I should soon have humbled their enemies, and laid my hand on them that troubled them.

GOSPEL: Mark 7:31-37

---

31 And again going out of the coasts of Tyre, he came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

32 And they bring to him one deaf and dumb; and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him.

33 And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears, and spitting, he touched his tongue:

34 And looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened.

35 And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right.

36 And he charged them that they should tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it.

37 And so much the more did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; he hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Daily Mass Readings for Thursday, February 8, 2018

"The Canaanite's Daughter"
-- by James Tissot

Optional Memorial of Saint Josephine Bakhita

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 11:4-13

---

4 And when he was now old, his heart was turned away by women to follow strange gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father.

5 But Solomon worshipped Astarthe the goddess of the Sidonians, and Moloch the idol of the ammonites.

6 And Solomon did that which was net pleasing before the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as David his father.

7 Then Solomon built a temple for Chamos the idol of Moab, on the hill that is over against Jerusalem, and for Moloch the idol of the children of Ammon.

8 And he did in this manner for all his wives that were strangers, who burnt incense, and offered sacrifice to their gods.

9 And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his mind was turned away from the Lord the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,

10 And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not follow strange gods: but he kept not the things which the Lord commanded him.

11 The Lord therefore said to Solomon: Because thou hast done this, and hast not kept my covenant, and my precepts, which I have commanded thee, I will divide and rend thy kingdom, and will give it to thy servant.

12 Nevertheless in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.

13 Neither will I take away the whole kingdom, but I will give one tribe to thy son for the sake of David my servant, and Jerusalem which I have chosen.

PSALM: Psalms 106:3-4, 35-37, 40

---

3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and do justice at all times.

4 Remember us, O Lord, in the favour of thy people: visit us with thy salvation.

35 And they were mingled among the heathens, and learned their works:

36 And served their idols, and it became a stumblingblock to them.

37 And they sacrificed their sons, and their daughters to devils.

40 And the Lord was exceedingly angry with his people: and he abhorred his inheritance.

GOSPEL: Mark 7:24-30

---

24 And rising from thence he went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon: and entering into a house, he would that no man should know it, and he could not be hid.

25 For a woman as soon as she heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, came in and fell down at his feet.

26 For the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophenician born. And she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

27 Who said to her: Suffer first the children to be filled: for it is not good to take the bread of the children, and cast it to the dogs.

28 But she answered and said to him: Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat under the table of the crumbs of the children.

29 And he said to her: For this saying go thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

30 And when she was come into her house, she found the girl lying upon the bed, and that the devil was gone out.