Mass Readings for Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

FIRST READING: Numbers 21: 4 - 9

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4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient on the way.

5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food."

6 Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.

7 And the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

8 And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live."

9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

PSALM: Psalms 78: 1 - 2, 34 - 38

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1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,

34 When he slew them, they sought for him; they repented and sought God earnestly.

35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.

36 But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.

37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not true to his covenant.

38 Yet he, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often, and did not stir up all his wrath.

SECOND READING: Philippians 2: 6 - 11

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6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

GOSPEL: John 3: 13 - 17

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13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,

15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Mass Readings for Tuesday, September 13, 2011

"The Resurrection of the Widow's Son at Nain" - James Tissot

 Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

FIRST READING: 1 Timothy 3: 1 - 13

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1 The saying is sure: If any one aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble task.

2 Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher,

3 no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money.

4 He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way;

5 for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God's church?

6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil;

7 moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders, or he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for gain;

9 they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

10 And let them also be tested first; then if they prove themselves blameless let them serve as deacons.

11 The women likewise must be serious, no slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things.

12 Let deacons be the husband of one wife, and let them manage their children and their households well;

13 for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

PSALM: Psalms 101: 1 - 3, 5 - 6

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1 I will sing of loyalty and of justice; to thee, O LORD, I will sing.

2 I will give heed to the way that is blameless. Oh when wilt thou come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;

3 I will not set before my eyes anything that is base. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cleave to me.

5 Him who slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. The man of haughty looks and arrogant heart I will not endure.

6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.

GOSPEL: Luke 7: 11 - 17

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11 Soon afterward he went to a city called Na'in, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him.

12 As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her.

13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."

14 And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."

15 And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.

16 Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!"

17 And this report concerning him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.

Mass Readings for Monday, September 12, 2011

FIRST READING: 1 Timothy 2: 1 - 8

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1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all men,

2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, godly and respectful in every way.

3 This is good, and it is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,

4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was borne at the proper time.

7 For this I was appointed a preacher and apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying), a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

8 I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling;

PSALM: Psalms 28: 2, 7 - 9

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2 Hear the voice of my supplication, as I cry to thee for help, as I lift up my hands toward thy most holy sanctuary.

7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

8 The LORD is the strength of his people, he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

9 O save thy people, and bless thy heritage; be thou their shepherd, and carry them for ever.

GOSPEL: Luke 7: 1 - 10

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1 After he had ended all his sayings in the hearing of the people he entered Caper'na-um.

2 Now a centurion had a slave who was dear to him, who was sick and at the point of death.

3 When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his slave.

4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him,

5 for he loves our nation, and he built us our synagogue."

6 And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof;

7 therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed.

8 For I am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, `Go,' and he goes; and to another, `Come,' and he comes; and to my slave, `Do this,' and he does it."

9 When Jesus heard this he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that followed him, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."

10 And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well.

Mass Readings for Sunday, September 11, 2011

FIRST READING: Sirach 27: 30 -- 28: 1 - 9

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30 Anger and wrath, these also are abominations, and the sinful man will possess them.

1 He that takes vengeance will suffer vengeance from the Lord, and he will firmly establish his sins.

2 Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.

3 Does a man harbor anger against another, and yet seek for healing from the Lord?

4 Does he have no mercy toward a man like himself, and yet pray for his own sins?

5 If he himself, being flesh, maintains wrath, who will make expiation for his sins?

6 Remember the end of your life, and cease from enmity, remember destruction and death, and be true to the commandments.

7 Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor; remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook ignorance.

8 Refrain from strife, and you will lessen sins; for a man given to anger will kindle strife,

9 and a sinful man will disturb friends and inject enmity among those who are at peace.

PSALM: Psalms 103: 1 - 4, 9 - 12

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1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor requite us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

SECOND READING: Romans 14: 7 - 9

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7 None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.

8 If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.

9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

GOSPEL: Matthew 18: 21 - 35

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21 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"

22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

23 "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.

24 When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents;

25 and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'

27 And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.

28 But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.'

29 So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.'

30 He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt.

31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.

32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me;

33 and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'

34 And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt.

35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."