Mass Readings for Thursday, June 3, 2010

Memorial of Saint Charles Lwanga,
martyr, and his companions, martyrs

FIRST READING: 2 Timothy 2: 8 - 15

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8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David, as preached in my gospel,

9 the gospel for which I am suffering and wearing fetters like a criminal. But the word of God is not fettered.

10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain salvation in Christ Jesus with its eternal glory.

11 The saying is sure: If we have died with him, we shall also live with him;

12 if we endure, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us;

13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful -- for he cannot deny himself.

14 Remind them of this, and charge them before the Lord to avoid disputing about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers.

15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

PSALM: Psalms 25: 4 - 5, 8 - 10, 14

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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.

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.

10 All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

14 The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.

GOSPEL: Mark 12: 28 - 34

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28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?"

29 Jesus answered, "The first is, `Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one;

30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.'

31 The second is this, `You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."

32 And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he;

33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."

34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any question.

Mass Readings for Wednesday, June 2, 2010

FIRST READING: 2 Timothy 1: 1 - 3, 6 - 12

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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.

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,

9 who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago,

10 and now has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

11 For this gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher,

12 and therefore I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.

PSALM: Psalms 123: 1 - 2

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1 To thee I lift up my eyes, O thou who art enthroned in the heavens!

2 Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he have mercy upon us.

GOSPEL: Mark 12: 18 - 27

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18 And Sad'ducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying,

19 "Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the wife, and raise up children for his brother.

20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no children;

21 and the second took her, and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise;

22 and the seven left no children. Last of all the woman also died.

23 In the resurrection whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife."

24 Jesus said to them, "Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God?

25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, `I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living; you are quite wrong."

Mass Readings for Tuesday, June 1, 2010

 Saint Justin Martyr Memorial

FIRST READING: 2 Peter 3: 12 - 15, 17 - 18

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12 waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be kindled and dissolved, and the elements will melt with fire!

13 But according to his promise we wait for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, since you wait for these, be zealous to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

15 And count the forbearance of our Lord as salvation. So also our beloved brother Paul wrote to you according to the wisdom given him,

17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, beware lest you be carried away with the error of lawless men and lose your own stability.

18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

PSALM: Psalms 90: 2 - 4, 10, 14, 16

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2 Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.

3 Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, "Turn back, O children of men!"

4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.

10 The years of our life are threescore and ten, or even by reason of strength fourscore; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away.

14 Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

16 Let thy work be manifest to thy servants, and thy glorious power to their children.

GOSPEL: Mark 12: 13 - 17

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13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Hero'di-ans, to entrap him in his talk.

14 And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

15 Should we pay them, or should we not?" But knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a coin, and let me look at it."

16 And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar's."

17 Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they were amazed at him.

Mass Readings for Monday, May 31, 2010

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

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

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14 Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

15 The LORD has taken away the judgments against you, he has cast out your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more.

16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: "Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak.

17 The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will rejoice over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing

18 as on a day of festival. "I will remove disaster from you, so that you will not bear reproach for it.

Or

9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;

10 love one another with brotherly affection; outdo one another in showing honor.

11 Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord.

12 Rejoice in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

13 Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.

16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; never be conceited.

PSALM: Isaiah 12: 2 - 6

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2 "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation."

3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

4 And you will say in that day: "Give thanks to the LORD, call upon his name; make known his deeds among the nations, proclaim that his name is exalted.

5 "Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth.

6 Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel."

GOSPEL: Luke 1: 39 - 56

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39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah,

40 and she entered the house of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth.

41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit

42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!

43 And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.

45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."

46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

48 for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;

49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

50 And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation.

51 He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,

52 he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree;

53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.

54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever."

56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home.