Mass Readings for Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 31: 1 - 7

---

1 "At that time, says the LORD, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people."

2 Thus says the LORD: "The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest,

3 the LORD appeared to him* from afar. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

4 Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again you shall adorn yourself with timbrels, and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.

5 Again you shall plant vineyards upon the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy the fruit.

6 For there shall be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim: 'Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God.'"

7 For thus says the LORD: "Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, 'The LORD has saved his people, the remnant of Israel.'

PSALM: Jeremiah 31: 10 - 13

---

10 "Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands afar off; say, 'He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.'

11 For the LORD has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.

12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more.

13 Then shall the maidens rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

GOSPEL: Matthew 15: 21 - 28

---

21 And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and cried, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely possessed by a demon."

23 But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away, for she is crying after us."

24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

25 But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me."

26 And he answered, "It is not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."

27 She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

28 Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly.

Mass Readings for Tuesday, August 07, 2012

"Saint Peter Walks On The Sea" -- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 30: 1 - 2, 12 - 15, 18 - 22

---

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

2 "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you.

12 "For thus says the LORD: Your hurt is incurable, and your wound is grievous.

13 There is none to uphold your cause, no medicine for your wound, no healing for you.

14 All your lovers have forgotten you; they care nothing for you; for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy, the punishment of a merciless foe, because your guilt is great, because your sins are flagrant.

15 Why do you cry out over your hurt? Your pain is incurable. Because your guilt is great, because your sins are flagrant, I have done these things to you.

18 "Thus says the LORD: Behold, I will restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob, and have compassion on his dwellings; the city shall be rebuilt upon its mound, and the palace shall stand where it used to be.

19 Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving, and the voices of those who make merry. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honored, and they shall not be small.

20 Their children shall be as they were of old, and their congregation shall be established before me; and I will punish all who oppress them.

21 Their prince shall be one of themselves, their ruler shall come forth from their midst; I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me, for who would dare of himself to approach me? says the LORD.

22 And you shall be my people, and I will be your God."

PSALM: Psalms 102: 16 - 21, 29, 22 - 23

---

16 For the LORD will build up Zion, he will appear in his glory;

17 he will regard the prayer of the destitute, and will not despise their supplication.

18 Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet unborn may praise the LORD:

19 that he looked down from his holy height, from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,

20 to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die;

21 that men may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem his praise,

22 when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

23 He has broken my strength in mid-course; he has shortened my days.

GOSPEL: Matthew 14: 22 - 36

---

22 Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,

24 but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them.

25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.

26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.

27 But immediately he spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear."

28 And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water."

29 He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus;

30 but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me."

31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?"

32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret.

35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent round to all that region and brought to him all that were sick,

36 and besought him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.

Mass Readings for Monday, August 06, 2012

"The Transfiguration of the Lord" -- by James Tissot

Feastof the Transfiguration of the Lord

FIRST READING: Daniel 7: 9 - 10, 13 - 14

---

9 As I watched, Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne. His clothing was snow bright, and the hair on his head as white as wool; His throne was flames of fire, with wheels of burning fire.

10 A surging stream of fire flowed out from where he sat; Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him, and myriads upon myriads attended him. The court was convened, and the books were opened.

13 As the visions during the night continued, I saw One like a son of man coming, on the clouds of heaven; When he reached the Ancient One and was presented before him,

14 He received dominion, glory, and kingship; nations and peoples of every language serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not be taken away, his kingship shall not be destroyed.

PSALM: Psalms 97: 1 - 2, 5 - 6, 9

---

1 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!

2 Clouds and thick darkness are round about him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.

9 For thou, O LORD, art most high over all the earth; thou art exalted far above all gods.

SECOND READING: 2 Peter 1: 16 - 19

---

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,"

18 we heard this voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.

19 And we have the prophetic word made more sure. You will do well to pay attention to this as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

GOSPEL: Mark 9: 2 - 10

---

2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them,

3 and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

4 And there appeared to them Eli'jah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus.

5 And Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah."

6 For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid.

7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him."

8 And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only.

9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead.

10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant.

Sunday Mass Readings For August 05, 2012

FIRST READING: Exodus 16: 2 - 4, 12 - 15

---

2 And the whole congregation of the people of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness,

3 and said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate bread to the full; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

4 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law or not.

12 "I have heard the murmurings of the people of Israel; say to them, `At twilight you shall eat flesh, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"

13 In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning dew lay round about the camp.

14 And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as hoarfrost on the ground.

15 When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, "What is it?" For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, "It is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat.

PSALM: Psalms 78: 3 - 4, 23 - 25, 54

---

3 things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us.

4 We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders which he has wrought.

23 Yet he commanded the skies above, and opened the doors of heaven;

24 and he rained down upon them manna to eat, and gave them the grain of heaven.

25 Man ate of the bread of the angels; he sent them food in abundance.

54 And he brought them to his holy land, to the mountain which his right hand had won.

SECOND READING: Ephesians 4: 17, 20 - 24

---

17 Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds;

20 You did not so learn Christ! --

21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus.

22 Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts,

23 and be renewed in the spirit of your minds,

24 and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

GOSPEL: John 6: 24 - 35

---

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."

30 So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see, and believe you? What work do you perform?

31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, `He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

32 Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven; my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.

33 For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven, and gives life to the world."

34 They said to him, "Lord, give us this bread always."

35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.