Mass Readings for Tuesday, March 1, 2011

FIRST READING: Sirach 35: 1 - 12

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1 He who keeps the law makes many offerings; he who heeds the commandments sacrifices a peace offering.

2 He who returns a kindness offers fine flour, and he who gives alms sacrifices a thank offering.

3 To keep from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord, and to forsake unrighteousness is atonement.

4 Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed,

5 for all these things are to be done because of the commandment.

6 The offering of a righteous man anoints the altar, and its pleasing odor rises before the Most High.

7 The sacrifice of a righteous man is acceptable, and the memory of it will not be forgotten.

8 Glorify the Lord generously, and do not stint the first fruits of your hands.

9 With every gift show a cheerful face, and dedicate your tithe with gladness.

10 Give to the Most High as he has given, and as generously as your hand has found.

11 For the Lord is the one who repays, and he will repay you sevenfold.

12 Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it; and do not trust to an unrighteous sacrifice; for the Lord is the judge, and with him is no partiality.

PSALM: Psalms 50: 5 - 8, 14, 23

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5 "Gather to me my faithful ones, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!"

6 The heavens declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge! [Selah]

7 "Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, I will testify against you. I am God, your God.

8 I do not reprove you for your sacrifices; your burnt offerings are continually before me.

14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High;

23 He who brings thanksgiving as his sacrifice honors me; to him who orders his way aright I will show the salvation of God!"

GOSPEL: Mark 10: 28 - 31

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28 Peter began to say to him, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you."

29 Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,

30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.

31 But many that are first will be last, and the last first."

Mass Readings for Monday, February 28, 2011

"The Rich Young Man Went Away Sorrowful" - James Tissot

FIRST READING: Sirach 17: 20 - 24

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20 Their iniquities are not hidden from him, and all their sins are before the Lord.

22 A man's almsgiving is like a signet with the Lord and he will keep a person's kindness like the apple of his eye.

23 Afterward he will arise and requite them, and he will bring their recompense on their heads.

24 Yet to those who repent he grants a return, and he encourages those whose endurance is failing.

PSALM: Psalms 32: 1 - 2, 5 - 7

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1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

2 Blessed is the man to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

5 I acknowledged my sin to thee, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"; then thou didst forgive the guilt of my sin.

6 Therefore let every one who is godly offer prayer to thee; at a time of distress, in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.

7 Thou art a hiding place for me, thou preservest me from trouble; thou dost encompass me with deliverance.

GOSPEL: Mark 10: 17 - 27

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17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

18 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.

19 You know the commandments: `Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'"

20 And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth."

21 And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."

22 At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.

23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!"

24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."

26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?"

27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."

Mass Readings for Sunday, February 27, 2011

FIRST READING: Isaiah 49: 14 - 15

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14 But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, my Lord has forgotten me."

15 "Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.

PSALM: Psalms 62: 2 - 3, 6 - 9

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2 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly moved.

3 How long will you set upon a man to shatter him, all of you, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

6 He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.

8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. [Selah]

9 Men of low estate are but a breath, men of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath.

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 4: 1 - 5

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1 This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

2 Moreover it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.

3 But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. I do not even judge myself.

4 I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.

5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God.

GOSPEL: Matthew 6: 24 - 34

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24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

27 And which of you by being anxious can add one cubit to his span of life?

28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;

29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith?

31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?'

32 For the Gentiles seek all these things; and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.

34 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day.

Mass Readings for Saturday, February 26, 2011

"Suffer the Little Children to Come unto Me" - James Tissot

FIRST READING: Sirach 17: 1 - 15

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1 The Lord created man out of earth, and turned him back to it again.

2 He gave to men few days, a limited time, but granted them authority over the things upon the earth.

3 He endowed them with strength like his own, and made them in his own image.

4 He placed the fear of them in all living beings, and granted them dominion over beasts and birds.

6 He made for them tongue and eyes; he gave them ears and a mind for thinking.

7 He filled them with knowledge and understanding, and showed them good and evil.

8 He set his eye upon their hearts to show them the majesty of his works.

10 And they will praise his holy name, to proclaim the grandeur of his works.

11 He bestowed knowledge upon them, and allotted to them the law of life.

12 He established with them an eternal covenant, and showed them his judgments.

13 Their eyes saw his glorious majesty, and their ears heard the glory of his voice.

14 And he said to them, "Beware of all unrighteousness." And he gave commandment to each of them concerning his neighbor.

15 Their ways are always before him, they will not be hid from his eyes.

PSALM: Psalms 103: 13 - 18

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13 As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear him.

14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field;

16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.

17 But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,

18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.

GOSPEL: Mark 10: 13 - 16

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13 And they were bringing children to him, that he might touch them; and the disciples rebuked them.

14 But when Jesus saw it he was indignant, and said to them, "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."

16 And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands upon them.