Mass Readings for Wednesday, June 01, 2011

FIRST READING: Acts 17: 15, 22 - 18: 1

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15 Those who conducted Paul brought him as far as Athens; and receiving a command for Silas and Timothy to come to him as soon as possible, they departed.

22 So Paul, standing in the middle of the Are-op'agus, said: "Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious.

23 For as I passed along, and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, `To an unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in shrines made by man,

25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all men life and breath and everything.

26 And he made from one every nation of men to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation,

27 that they should seek God, in the hope that they might feel after him and find him. Yet he is not far from each one of us,

28 for `In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your poets have said, `For we are indeed his offspring.'

29 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the Deity is like gold, or silver, or stone, a representation by the art and imagination of man.

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all men everywhere to repent,

31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising him from the dead."

32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, "We will hear you again about this."

33 So Paul went out from among them.

34 But some men joined him and believed, among them Dionys'ius the Are-op'agite and a woman named Dam'aris and others with them.

1 After this he left Athens and went to Corinth.

PSALM: Psalms 148: 1 - 2, 11 - 14

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1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights!

2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his host!

11 Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!

12 Young men and maidens together, old men and children!

13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his glory is above earth and heaven.

14 He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the LORD!

GOSPEL: John 16: 12 - 15

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12 "I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Mass Readings for Tuesday, May 31, 2011

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.

Mass Readings for Monday, May 30, 2011

FIRST READING: Acts 16: 11 - 15

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11 Setting sail therefore from Tro'as, we made a direct voyage to Sam'othrace, and the following day to Ne-ap'olis,

12 and from there to Philip'pi, which is the leading city of the district of Macedo'nia, and a Roman colony. We remained in this city some days;

13 and on the sabbath day we went outside the gate to the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had come together.

14 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyati'ra, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to give heed to what was said by Paul.

15 And when she was baptized, with her household, she besought us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.

PSALM: Psalms 149: 1 - 6, 9

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1 Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful!

2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker, let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King!

3 Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with timbrel and lyre!

4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory.

5 Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches.

6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands,

9 to execute on them the judgment written! This is glory for all his faithful ones. Praise the LORD!

GOSPEL: John 15: 26 - 16: 4

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26 But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me;

27 and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning.

1 "I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away.

2 They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.

3 And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me.

4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you of them. "I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you.

Mass Readings for Sunday, May 29, 2011

FIRST READING: Acts 8: 5 - 8, 14 - 17

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5 Philip went down to a city of Sama'ria, and proclaimed to them the Christ.

6 And the multitudes with one accord gave heed to what was said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs which he did.

7 For unclean spirits came out of many who were possessed, crying with a loud voice; and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed.

8 So there was much joy in that city.

14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Sama'ria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John,

15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit;

16 for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

PSALM: Psalms 66: 1 - 7, 16, 20

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1 Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth;

2 sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!

3 Say to God, "How terrible are thy deeds! So great is thy power that thy enemies cringe before thee.

4 All the earth worships thee; they sing praises to thee, sing praises to thy name." [Selah]

5 Come and see what God has done: he is terrible in his deeds among men.

6 He turned the sea into dry land; men passed through the river on foot. There did we rejoice in him,

7 who rules by his might for ever, whose eyes keep watch on the nations -- let not the rebellious exalt themselves. [Selah]

16 Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for me.

20 Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!

SECOND READING: 1 Peter 3: 15 - 18

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15 but in your hearts reverence Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to make a defense to any one who calls you to account for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and reverence;

16 and keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are abused, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

17 For it is better to suffer for doing right, if that should be God's will, than for doing wrong.

18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit;

GOSPEL: John 14: 15 - 21

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15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever,

17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you.

18 "I will not leave you desolate; I will come to you.

19 Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also.

20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

21 He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him."