Please Note

Whenever you use the links on my blog's to make purchases, such as from Mystic Monk Coffee, CCleaner, and others, I earn a small commission. This commission does not have any effect on your costs.


Friday, June 01, 2018

Daily Mass Readings for Saturday, June 2, 2018


"The Chief Priests Ask Jesus by What Right Does He Act in This Way" -- by James Tissot,  PD-Art-1923


FIRST READING: Jude 1:17, 20-25

17 But you, my dearly beloved, be mindful of the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ,
20 But you, my beloved, building yourselves upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto life everlasting.
22 And some indeed reprove, being judged:
23 But others save, pulling them out of the fire. And on others have mercy, in fear, hating also the spotted garment which is carnal.
24 Now to him who is able to preserve you without sin, and to present you spotless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, in the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,
25 To the only God our Saviour through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and magnificence, empire and power, before all ages, and now, and for all ages of ages. Amen.

PSALM: Psalms 63:2-6

2 O God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day. For thee my soul hath thirsted; for thee my flesh, O how many ways!
3 In a desert land, and where there is no way, and no water: so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, to see thy power and thy glory.
4 For thy mercy is better than lives: thee my lips shall praise.
5 Thus will I bless thee all my life long: and in thy name I will lift up my hands.
6 Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness: and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.

GOSPEL: Mark 11:27-33

27 And they come again to Jerusalem. And when he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients,
28 And they say to him: By what authority dost thou these things? and who hath given thee this authority that thou shouldst do these things?
29 And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one word, and answer you me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.
30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me.
31 But they thought with themselves, saying: If we say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did you not believe him?
32 If we say, From men, we fear the people. For all men counted John that he was a prophet indeed.
33 And they answering, say to Jesus: We know not. And Jesus answering, saith to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.




Thursday, May 31, 2018

Daily Mass Readings for Friday, June 1, 2018


"The Accursed Fig Tree" -- by James Tissot, circa 1886-1892




FIRST READING: 1 Peter 4:7-13

7 But the end of all is at hand. Be prudent therefore, and watch in prayers.
8 But before all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a multitude of sins.
9 Using hospitality one towards another, without murmuring,
10 As every man hath received grace, ministering the same one to another: as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak, as the words of God. If any man minister, let him do it, as of the power, which God administereth: that in all things God may be honoured through Jesus Christ: to whom is glory and empire for ever and ever. Amen.
12 Dearly beloved, think not strange the burning heat which is to try you, as if some new thing happened to you;
13 But if you partake of the sufferings of Christ, rejoice that when his glory shall be revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.



PSALM: Psalms 96:10-13

10 Say ye among the Gentiles, the Lord hath reigned. For he hath corrected the world, which shall not be moved: he will judge the people with justice.
11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, let the sea be moved, and the fulness thereof:
12 The fields and all things that are in them shall be joyful. Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice
13 Before the face of the Lord, because he cometh: because he cometh to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with justice, and the people with his truth.

GOSPEL: John 11:11-26

11 And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple: and having viewed all things round about, when now the eventide was come, he went out to Bethania with the twelve.
12 And the next day when they came out from Bethania, he was hungry.
13 And when he had seen afar off a fig tree having leaves, he came if perhaps he might find any thing on it. And when he was come to it, he found nothing but leaves. For it was not the time for figs.
14 And answering he said to it: May no man hereafter eat fruit of thee any more for ever. And his disciples heard it.
15 And they came to Jerusalem. And when he was entered into the temple, he began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the chairs of them that sold doves.
16 And he suffered not that any man should carry a vessel through the temple;
17 And he taught, saying to them: Is it not written, My house shall be called the house of prayer to all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves.
18 Which when the chief priests and the scribes had heard, they sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because the whole multitude was in admiration at his doctrine.
19 And when evening was come, he went forth out of the city.
20 And when they passed by in the morning they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21 And Peter remembering, said to him: Rabbi, behold the fig tree, which thou didst curse, is withered away.
22 And Jesus answering, saith to them: Have the faith of God.
23 Amen I say to you, that whosoever shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed and be cast into the sea, and shall not stagger in his heart, but believe, that whatsoever he saith shall be done; it shall be done unto him.
24 Therefore I say unto you, all things, whatsoever you ask when ye pray, believe that you shall receive; and they shall come unto you.
25 And when you shall stand to pray, forgive, if you have aught against any man; that your Father also, who is in heaven, may forgive you your sins.
26 But if you will not forgive, neither will your Father that is in heaven, forgive you your sins.




Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Daily Mass Readings for Thursday, May 31, 2018


"The Visitation" (left), and "The Magnificat" (right) -- by James Tissot, circa 1886-1894- PD-Art-1923




FIRST READING: Zephaniah 3:14-18 or Romans 12:9-16

14 Give praise, O daughter of Zion: shout, O Israel: be glad, and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.
15 The Lord hath taken away thy judgment, he hath turned away thy enemies: the king of Israel the Lord is in the midst of thee, thou shalt fear evil no more.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not: to Zion: Let not thy hands be weakened.
17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he will save: he will rejoice over thee with gladness, he will be silent in his love, he will be joyful over thee in praise.
18 The triflers that were departed from the law, I will gather together, because they were of thee: that thou mayest no more suffer reproach for them.



or



9 Let love be without dissimulation. Hating that which is evil, cleaving to that which is good.
10 Loving one another with the charity of brotherhood, with honour preventing one another.
11 In carefulness not slothful. In spirit fervent. Serving the Lord.
12 Rejoicing in hope. Patient in tribulation. Instant in prayer.
13 Communicating to the necessities of the saints. Pursuing hospitality.
14 Bless them that persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.
16 Being of one mind one towards another. Not minding high things, but consenting to the humble. Be not wise in your own conceits.



PSALM: Isaiah 12:2-6

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.

GOSPEL: Luke 1:39-56

39 And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda.
40 And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth.
41 And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:
42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.
45 And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.
46 And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.
51 He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:
55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.
56 And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house.