Daily Mass Readings for Monday, April 23, 2012

"You Follow Me for the Miracles" - by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Acts 6: 8 - 15

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8 And Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

9 Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), and of the Cyre'nians, and of the Alexandrians, and of those from Cili'cia and Asia, arose and disputed with Stephen.

10 But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

11 Then they secretly instigated men, who said, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God."

12 And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council,

13 and set up false witnesses who said, "This man never ceases to speak words against this holy place and the law;

14 for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place, and will change the customs which Moses delivered to us."

15 And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

PSALM: Psalms 119: 23 - 24, 26 - 27, 29 - 30

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23 Even though princes sit plotting against me, thy servant will meditate on thy statutes.

24 Thy testimonies are my delight, they are my counselors.

26 When I told of my ways, thou didst answer me; teach me thy statutes!

27 Make me understand the way of thy precepts, and I will meditate on thy wondrous works.

29 Put false ways far from me; and graciously teach me thy law!

30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness, I set thy ordinances before me.

GOSPEL: John 6: 22 - 29

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22 On the next day the people who remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone.

23 However, boats from Tiber'i-as came near the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

24 So when the people saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Caper'na-um, seeking Jesus.

25 When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?"

26 Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.

27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal."

28 Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?"

29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

Sunday Mass Readings For April 22, 2012

FIRST READING: Acts 3: 13 - 15, 17 - 19

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13 The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.

14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

15 and killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

17 "And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.

19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

PSALM: Psalms 4: 2, 4, 7 - 9

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2 O men, how long shall my honor suffer shame? How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? [Selah]

4 Be angry, but sin not; commune with your own hearts on your beds, and be silent. [Selah]

7 Thou hast put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound.

8 In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for thou alone, O LORD, makest me dwell in safety.

SECOND READING: 1 John 2: 1 - 5

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1 My little children, I am writing this to you so that you may not sin; but if any one does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;

2 and he is the expiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

3 And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 He who says "I know him" but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for God is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him.

GOSPEL: Luke 24: 35 - 48

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35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

36 As they were saying this, Jesus himself stood among them.

37 But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a spirit.

38 And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do questionings rise in your hearts?

39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see that I have."

41 And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"

42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,

43 and he took it and ate before them.

44 Then he said to them, "These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms must be fulfilled."

45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures,

46 and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,

47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

48 You are witnesses of these things.

Daily Mass Readings for Saturday, April 21, 2012

"Jesus Walks On the Sea" - by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Acts 6: 1 - 7

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1 Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists murmured against the Hebrews because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.

2 And the twelve summoned the body of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.

3 Therefore, brethren, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this duty.

4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word."

5 And what they said pleased the whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Proch'orus, and Nica'nor, and Ti'mon, and Par'menas, and Nicola'us, a proselyte of Antioch.

6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands upon them.

7 And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

PSALM: Psalms 33: 1 - 2, 4 - 5, 18 - 19

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1 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.

2 Praise the LORD with the lyre, make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!

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.

GOSPEL: John 6: 16 - 21

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16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea,

17 got into a boat, and started across the sea to Caper'na-um. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

18 The sea rose because a strong wind was blowing.

19 When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat. They were frightened,

20 but he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid."

21 Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

Daily Mass Readings for Friday, April 20, 2012

"The People Seek Jesus to Make Him King" - by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Acts 5: 34 - 42

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34 But a Pharisee in the council named Gama'li-el, a teacher of the law, held in honor by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a while.

35 And he said to them, "Men of Israel, take care what you do with these men.

36 For before these days Theu'das arose, giving himself out to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was slain and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.

37 After him Judas the Galilean arose in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered.

38 So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this undertaking is of men, it will fail;

39 but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!"

40 So they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

42 And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

PSALM: Psalms 27: 1, 4, 13 - 14

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1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!

14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the LORD!

GOSPEL: John 6: 1 - 15

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1 After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiber'i-as.

2 And a multitude followed him, because they saw the signs which he did on those who were diseased.

3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there sat down with his disciples.

4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand.

5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a multitude was coming to him, Jesus said to Philip, "How are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?"

6 This he said to test him, for he himself knew what he would do.

7 Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little."

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him,

9 "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?"

10 Jesus said, "Make the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place; so the men sat down, in number about five thousand.

11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated; so also the fish, as much as they wanted.

12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost."

13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves, left by those who had eaten.

14 When the people saw the sign which he had done, they said, "This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world!"

15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.