Mass Readings for Tuesday January 30, 2007

Reading 1

Heb 12:1-4

Brothers and sisters:Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to usand persevere in running the race that lies before uswhile keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,the leader and perfecter of faith.For the sake of the joy that lay before himJesus endured the cross, despising its shame,and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God.Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners,in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart.In your struggle against sinyou have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.

********************

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 22:26b-27, 28, and 30, 31-32

R. (see 27b) They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.

I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.

The lowly shall eat their fill;

they who seek the LORD shall praise him:

“May your hearts be ever merry!”

R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.

All the ends of the earth

shall remember and turn to the LORD;

All the families of the nations

shall bow down before him.

To him alone shall bow down

all who sleep in the earth;

Before him shall bend

all who go down into the dust.

R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.

And to him my soul shall live;

my descendants shall serve him.

Let the coming generation be told of the LORD

that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born

the justice he has shown.

R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.

********************

Gospel

Mk 5:21-43

When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea.One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward.Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying,"My daughter is at the point of death.Please, come lay your hands on herthat she may get well and live."He went off with himand a large crowd followed him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctorsand had spent all that she had.Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowdand touched his cloak.She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."Immediately her flow of blood dried up.She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him,turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who has touched my clothes?"But his disciples said to him,"You see how the crowd is pressing upon you,and yet you ask, Who touched me?"And he looked around to see who had done it.The woman, realizing what had happened to her,approached in fear and trembling.She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth.He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you.Go in peace and be cured of your affliction."

While he was still speaking,people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said,"Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?"Disregarding the message that was reported,Jesus said to the synagogue official,"Do not be afraid; just have faith."He did not allow anyone to accompany him insideexcept Peter, James, and John, the brother of James.When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion,people weeping and wailing loudly.So he went in and said to them,"Why this commotion and weeping?The child is not dead but asleep."And they ridiculed him.Then he put them all out.He took along the child’s father and motherand those who were with himand entered the room where the child was.He took the child by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum,"which means, "Little girl, I say to you, arise!"The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around.At that they were utterly astounded.He gave strict orders that no one should know thisand said that she should be given something to eat.

********************

Catholic

Religion
Roman Catholic
Christianity
Catholic Blogs

Mass Readings for Monday January 29, 2007

Monday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1

Heb 11:32-40

Brothers and sisters:What more shall I say?I have not time to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah,of David and Samuel and the prophets,who by faith conquered kingdoms, did what was righteous, obtained the promises;they closed the mouths of lions, put out raging fires,escaped the devouring sword;out of weakness they were made powerful, became strong in battle,and turned back foreign invaders.Women received back their dead through resurrection.Some were tortured and would not accept deliverance,in order to obtain a better resurrection.Others endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment.They were stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword(s point;they went about in skins of sheep or goats,needy, afflicted, tormented.The world was not worthy of them.They wandered about in deserts and on mountains,in caves and in crevices in the earth.

Yet all these, though approved because of their faith,did not receive what had been promised.God had foreseen something better for us,so that without us they should not be made perfect.

********************

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 31:20, 21, 22, 23, 24

R. (25) Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.

How great is the goodness, O LORD,

which you have in store for those who fear you,

And which, toward those who take refuge in you,

you show in the sight of the children of men.

R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.

You hide them in the shelter of your presence

from the plottings of men;

You screen them within your abode

from the strife of tongues.

R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.

Blessed be the LORD whose wondrous mercy

he has shown me in a fortified city.

R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.

Once I said in my anguish,

“I am cut off from your sight”;

Yet you heard the sound of my pleading

when I cried out to you.

R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.

Love the LORD, all you his faithful ones!

The LORD keeps those who are constant,

but more than requites those who act proudly.

R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.

********************

Gospel

Mk 5:1-20

Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea,to the territory of the Gerasenes.When he got out of the boat,at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him.The man had been dwelling among the tombs,and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain.In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains,but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed,and no one was strong enough to subdue him.Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsideshe was always crying out and bruising himself with stones.Catching sight of Jesus from a distance,he ran up and prostrated himself before him,crying out in a loud voice,"What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God?I adjure you by God, do not torment me!"(He had been saying to him, "Unclean spirit, come out of the man!")He asked him, "What is your name?"

He replied, "Legion is my name. There are many of us."And he pleaded earnestly with himnot to drive them away from that territory.

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside.And they pleaded with him,"Send us into the swine. Let us enter them."And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine.The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea,where they were drowned.The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the townand throughout the countryside.And people came out to see what had happened.As they approached Jesus,they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion,sitting there clothed and in his right mind.And they were seized with fear.Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happenedto the possessed man and to the swine.Then they began to beg him to leave their district.As he was getting into the boat,the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him.But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead,"Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you."Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapoliswhat Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.

********************

Catholic

Religion
Roman Catholic
Christianity
Catholic Blogs

Mass Readings for Sunday January 28, 2007

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1

Jer 1:4-5, 17-19

The word of the LORD came to me, saying:Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,before you were born I dedicated you,a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

But do you gird your loins;stand up and tell themall that I command you.Be not crushed on their account,as though I would leave you crushed before them;for it is I this daywho have made you a fortified city,a pillar of iron, a wall of brass,against the whole land:against Judah’s kings and princes,against its priests and people.They will fight against you but not prevail over you,for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.

********************

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15-17

R. (cf. 15ab) I will sing of your salvation.

In you, O LORD, I take refuge;

let me never be put to shame.

In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;

incline your ear to me, and save me.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

Be my rock of refuge,

a stronghold to give me safety,

for you are my rock and my fortress.

O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

For you are my hope, O Lord;

my trust, O God, from my youth.

On you I depend from birth;

from my mother’s womb you are my strength.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

My mouth shall declare your justice,

day by day your salvation.

O God, you have taught me from my youth,

and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.

R. I will sing of your salvation.

********************

Reading II

1 Cor 12:31-13:13

Brothers and sisters:Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues,but do not have love,I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.And if I have the gift of prophecy,and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;if I have all faith so as to move mountains,but do not have love, I am nothing.If I give away everything I own,and if I hand my body over so that I may boast,but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind.It is not jealous, it is not pompous,It is not inflated, it is not rude,it does not seek its own interests,it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,it does not rejoice over wrongdoingbut rejoices with the truth.It bears all things, believes all things,hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails.

If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing;if tongues, they will cease;if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing.For we know partially and we prophesy partially,but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.When I was a child, I used to talk as a child,think as a child, reason as a child;when I became a man, I put aside childish things.At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror,but then face to face.At present I know partially;then I shall know fully, as I am fully known.So faith, hope, love remain, these three;but the greatest of these is love.

********************

Gospel

Lk 4:21-30

Jesus began speaking in the synagogue, saying:"Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing."And all spoke highly of himand were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, "Isn’t this the son of Joseph?"He said to them, "Surely you will quote me this proverb,‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say,‘Do here in your native placethe things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’"And he said, "Amen, I say to you,no prophet is accepted in his own native place.Indeed, I tell you,there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijahwhen the sky was closed for three and a half yearsand a severe famine spread over the entire land.It was to none of these that Elijah was sent,but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon.Again, there were many lepers in Israelduring the time of Elisha the prophet;yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian."When the people in the synagogue heard this,they were all filled with fury.They rose up, drove him out of the town,and led him to the brow of the hillon which their town had been built,to hurl him down headlong.But Jesus passed through the midst of them and went away.

********************

Catholic

Religion
Roman Catholic
Christianity
Catholic Blogs

Mass Readings For Thursday January 25, 2007

The Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle (Feast)

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

---

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

---

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

---

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."