Mass Readings For Wednesday, March 23, 2011

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 18: 18 - 20

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18 Then they said, "Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not heed any of his words."

19 Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to my plea.

20 Is evil a recompense for good? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.

PSALM: Psalms 31: 5 - 6, 14 - 16

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5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

6 Thou hatest those who pay regard to vain idols; but I trust in the LORD.

14 But I trust in thee, O LORD, I say, "Thou art my God."

15 My times are in thy hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors!

16 Let thy face shine on thy servant; save me in thy steadfast love!

GOSPEL: Matthew 20: 17 - 28

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17 And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,

18 "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man will be delivered to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death,

19 and deliver him to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."

20 Then the mother of the sons of Zeb'edee came up to him, with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.

21 And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Command that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom."

22 But Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able."

23 He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

24 And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.

25 But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them.

26 It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave;

28 even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Mass Readings For Tuesday, March 22, 2011

FIRST READING: Isaiah 1: 10, 16 - 20

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10 Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomor'rah!

16 Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil,

17 learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; defend the fatherless, plead for the widow.

18 "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

19 If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;

20 But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."

PSALM: Psalms 50: 8 - 9, 16 - 17, 21, 23

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

9 I will accept no bull from your house, nor he-goat from your folds.

16 But to the wicked God says: "What right have you to recite my statutes, or take my covenant on your lips?

17 For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you.

21 These things you have done and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you.

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: Matthew 23: 1 - 12

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1 Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples,

2 "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat;

3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.

4 They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.

5 They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,

6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues,

7 and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men.

8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren.

9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.

10 Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ.

11 He who is greatest among you shall be your servant;

12 whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Mass Readings For Monday, March 21, 2011

FIRST READING: Daniel 9: 4 - 10

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4 I prayed to the LORD, my God, and confessed, "Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, you who keep your merciful covenant toward those who love you and observe your commandments!

5 We have sinned, been wicked and done evil; we have rebelled and departed from your commandments and your laws.

6 We have not obeyed your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our fathers, and all the people of the land.

7 Justice, O Lord, is on your side; we are shamefaced even to this day: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel, near and far, in all the countries to which you have scattered them because of their treachery toward you.

8 O LORD, we are shamefaced, like our kings, our princes, and our fathers, for having sinned against you.

9 But yours, O Lord, our God, are compassion and forgiveness! Yet we rebelled against you

10 and paid no heed to your command, O LORD, our God, to live by the law you gave us through your servants the prophets.

PSALM: Psalms 79: 8 - 9, 11, 13

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8 Do not remember against us the iniquities of our forefathers; let thy compassion come speedily to meet us, for we are brought very low.

9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name; deliver us, and forgive our sins, for thy name's sake!

11 Let the groans of the prisoners come before thee; according to thy great power preserve those doomed to die!

13 Then we thy people, the flock of thy pasture, will give thanks to thee for ever; from generation to generation we will recount thy praise.

GOSPEL: Luke 6: 36 - 38

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36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

37 "Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

38 give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back."

Mass Readings For Sunday, March 20, 2011

FIRST READING: Genesis 12: 1 - 4

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1 Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.

2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves."

4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran.

PSALM: Psalms 33: 4 - 5, 18 - 20, 22

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4 For the word of the LORD is upright; and all his work is done in faithfulness.

5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,

19 that he may deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine.

20 Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and shield.

22 Let thy steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in thee.

SECOND READING: 2 Timothy 1: 8 - 10

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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.

GOSPEL: Matthew 17: 1 - 9

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1 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain apart.

2 And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his garments became white as light.

3 And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Eli'jah, talking with him.

4 And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is well that we are here; if you wish, I will make three booths here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah."

5 He was still speaking, when lo, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him."

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces, and were filled with awe.

7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear."

8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, "Tell no one the vision, until the Son of man is raised from the dead."