Daily Mass Readings for Tuesday, April 17, 2012

"Nicodemus" - by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Acts 4: 32 - 37

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32 Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common.

33 And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold

35 and laid it at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made to each as any had need.

36 Thus Joseph who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas (which means, Son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus,

37 sold a field which belonged to him, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

PSALM: Psalms 93: 1 - 2, 5

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1 The LORD reigns; he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed, he is girded with strength. Yea, the world is established; it shall never be moved;

2 thy throne is established from of old; thou art from everlasting.

5 Thy decrees are very sure; holiness befits thy house, O LORD, for evermore.

GOSPEL: John 3: 7 - 15

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7 Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born anew.'

8 The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit."

9 Nicode'mus said to him, "How can this be?"

10 Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?

11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.

12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

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."

Daily Mass Readings for Monday, April 16, 2012

"Interview Between Jesus and Nicodemus" - by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Acts 4: 23 - 31

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23 When they were released they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them.

24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,

25 who by the mouth of our father David, thy servant, didst say by the Holy Spirit, `Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things?

26 The kings of the earth set themselves in array, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed' --

27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against thy holy servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,

28 to do whatever thy hand and thy plan had predestined to take place.

29 And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness,

30 while thou stretchest out thy hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of thy holy servant Jesus."

31 And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

PSALM: Psalms 2: 1 - 9

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1 Why do the nations conspire, and the peoples plot in vain?

2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and his anointed, saying,

3 "Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us."

4 He who sits in the heavens laughs; the LORD has them in derision.

5 Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying,

6 "I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill."

7 I will tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my son, today I have begotten you.

8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel."

GOSPEL: John 3: 1 - 8

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1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicode'mus, a ruler of the Jews.

2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him."

3 Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

4 Nicode'mus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Do not marvel that I said to you, `You must be born anew.'

8 The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit."

Sunday Mass Readings For April 15, 2012

"The Disbelief of Saint Thomas" - by James Tissot

Divine Mercy Sunday

FIRST READING: Acts 4: 32 - 35

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32 Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common.

33 And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold

35 and laid it at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made to each as any had need.

PSALM: Psalms 118: 2 - 4, 13 - 15, 22 - 24

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2 Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."

3 Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."

4 Let those who fear the LORD say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."

13 I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me.

14 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

15 Hark, glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,

22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.

23 This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

SECOND READING: 1 John 5: 1 - 6

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1 Every one who believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God, and every one who loves the parent loves the child.

2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.

3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, our faith.

5 Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood.

GOSPEL: John 20: 19 - 31

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19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."

20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."

22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in his side, I will not believe."

26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them, and said, "Peace be with you."

27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side; do not be faithless, but believing."

28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe."

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.

Daily Mass Readings for Saturday, April 14, 2012

Saturday in the Octave of Easter

FIRST READING: Acts 4: 13 - 21

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13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they wondered; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

14 But seeing the man that had been healed standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition.

15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred with one another,

16 saying, "What shall we do with these men? For that a notable sign has been performed through them is manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.

17 But in order that it may spread no further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to any one in this name."

18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge;

20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."

21 And when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding no way to punish them, because of the people; for all men praised God for what had happened.

PSALM: Psalms 118: 1, 14 - 21

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1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever!

14 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.

15 Hark, glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: "The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,

16 the right hand of the LORD is exalted, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!"

17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.

18 The LORD has chastened me sorely, but he has not given me over to death.

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.

20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I thank thee that thou hast answered me and hast become my salvation.

GOSPEL: Mark 16: 9 - 15

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9 Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.

10 She went and told those who had been with him, as they mourned and wept.

11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.

12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.

13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.

14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they sat at table; and he upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.

15 And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.