Mass Readings for Sunday, October 16, 2011

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"The Tribute Money" - James Tissot

FIRST READING: Isaiah 45: 1, 4 - 6

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1 Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and ungird the loins of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:

4 For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I surname you, though you do not know me.

5 I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I gird you, though you do not know me,

6 that men may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the LORD, and there is no other.

PSALM: Psalms 96: 1, 3 - 5, 7 - 10

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1 O sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth!

3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

4 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.

5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols; but the LORD made the heavens.

7 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!

8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!

9 Worship the LORD in holy array; tremble before him, all the earth!

10 Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns! Yea, the world is established, it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity."

SECOND READING: 1 Thessalonians 1: 1 - 5

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1 Paul, Silva'nus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalo'nians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace.

2 We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you;

5 for our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

GOSPEL: Matthew 22: 15 - 21

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15 Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk.

16 And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Hero'di-ans, saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men.

17 Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?"

18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why put me to the test, you hypocrites?

19 Show me the money for the tax." And they brought him a coin.

20 And Jesus said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?"

21 They said, "Caesar's." Then he said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

Mass Readings for Saturday,October 15, 2011

Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

FIRST READING: Romans 4: 13, 16 - 18

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13 The promise to Abraham and his descendants, that they should inherit the world, did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith.

16 That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants -- not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham, for he is the father of us all,

17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations" -- in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.

18 In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations; as he had been told, "So shall your descendants be."

PSALM: Psalms 105: 6 - 9, 42 - 43

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6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!

7 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

8 He is mindful of his covenant for ever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,

9 the covenant which he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac,

42 For he remembered his holy promise, and Abraham his servant.

43 So he led forth his people with joy, his chosen ones with singing.

GOSPEL: Luke 12: 8 - 12

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8 "And I tell you, every one who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God;

9 but he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

10 And every one who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious how or what you are to answer or what you are to say;

12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

Mass Readings for Friday,October 14, 2011

FIRST READING: Romans 4: 1 - 8

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1 What then shall we say about Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh?

2 For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God.

3 For what does the scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness."

4 Now to one who works, his wages are not reckoned as a gift but as his due.

5 And to one who does not work but trusts him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness.

6 So also David pronounces a blessing upon the man to whom God reckons righteousness apart from works:

7 "Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;

8 blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not reckon his sin."

PSALM: Psalms 32: 1 - 2, 5, 11

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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. [Selah]

11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!

GOSPEL: Luke 12: 1 - 7

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1 In the meantime, when so many thousands of the multitude had gathered together that they trod upon one another, he began to say to his disciples first, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

2 Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

3 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

4 "I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

5 But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear him!

6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.

7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Daily Mass Readings for Thursday, October 13, 2011

"Zacharias Killed Between the Altar and the Sanctuary" - James Tissot

FIRST READING: Romans 3: 21 - 30

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21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from law, although the law and the prophets bear witness to it,

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction;

23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

24 they are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus,

25 whom God put forward as an expiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins;

26 it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies him who has faith in Jesus.

27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On the principle of works? No, but on the principle of faith.

28 For we hold that a man is justified by faith apart from works of law.

29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,

30 since God is one; and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of their faith and the uncircumcised through their faith.

PSALM: Psalms 130: 1 - 6

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1 Out of the depths I cry to thee, O LORD!

2 Lord, hear my voice! Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications!

3 If thou, O LORD, shouldst mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;

6 my soul waits for the LORD more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning.

GOSPEL: Luke 11: 47 - 54

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47 Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed.

48 So you are witnesses and consent to the deeds of your fathers; for they killed them, and you build their tombs.

49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, `I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,'

50 that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation,

51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechari'ah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it shall be required of this generation.

52 Woe to you lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering."

53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard, and to provoke him to speak of many things,

54 lying in wait for him, to catch at something he might say.