Mass Readings For Saturday, September 15, 2012

"Woman, Behold Thy Son" -- by James Tissot

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

FIRST READING: 1 Corinthians 10: 14 - 22

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14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, fly from the service of idols.

15 I speak as to wise men: judge ye yourselves what I say.

16 The chalice of benediction, which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread, which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?

17 For we, being many, are one bread, one body, all that partake of one bread.

18 Behold Israel according to the flesh: are not they, that eat of the sacrifices, partakers of the altar?

19 What then? Do I say, that what is offered in sacrifice to idols, is any thing? Or, that the idol is any thing?

20 But the things which the heathens sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God. And I would not that you should be made partakers with devils.

21 You cannot drink the chalice of the Lord, and the chalice of devils: you cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and of the table of devils.

22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient.

PSALM: Psalms 116: 12 - 13, 17 - 18

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12 What shall I render to the LORD for all his bounty to me?

13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD,

17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.

18 I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.

GOSPEL: John 19: 25 - 27 Or Luke 2: 33 - 35

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25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen.

26 When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son.

27 After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.

Or

33 And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him.

34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted;

35 And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.

Mass Readings for Friday, September 14, 2012

Feastof the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

FIRST READING: Numbers 21: 4 - 9

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4 And they marched from mount Hor, by the way that leadeth to the Red

Sea, to compass the land of Edom. And the people began to be weary of

their journey and labour:

5 And speaking against God and Moses, they said: Why didst thou bring

us out of Egypt, to die in the wilderness? There is no bread, nor have we

any waters: our soul now loatheth this very light food.

6 Wherefore the Lord sent among the people fiery serpents, which bit

them and killed many of them.

7 Upon which they came to Moses, and said; We have sinned, because

we have spoken against the Lord and thee: pray that he may take away

these serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

8 And the Lord said to him: Make a brazen serpent, and set it up for a

sign: whosoever being struck shall look on it, shall live.

9 Moses therefore made a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign: which

when they that were bitten looked upon, they were healed.

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

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1 Attend, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my

mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in parables: I will utter propositions from the

beginning.

34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned, and came

to him early in the morning.

35 And they remembered that God was their helper: and the most high

God their redeemer.

36 And they loved him with their mouth: and with their tongue they lied

unto him:

37 But their heart was not right with him: nor were they counted faithful in

his covenant.

38 But he is merciful, and will forgive their sins: and will not destroy them.

And many a time did he turn away his anger: and did not kindle all his

wrath.

SECOND READING: Philippians 2: 6 - 11

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6 Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with

God:

7 But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the

likeness of men, and in habit found as a man.

8 He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of

the cross.

9 For which cause, God also hath exalted him and hath given him a name

which is above all names:

10 That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in

heaven, on earth, and under the earth:

11 And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in

the glory of God the Father.

GOSPEL: John 3: 13 - 17

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13 And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from

heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of

man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but may have life

everlasting.

16 For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son: that

whosoever believeth in him may not perish, but may have life everlasting.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world: but that

the world may be saved by him. 

Mass Readings for Thursday, September 13, 2012

Memorial of Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop, Father of the Church and Doctor of the Church

FIRST READING: 1 Corinthians 8: 1 - 7, 11 - 13

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1 Now concerning those things that are sacrificed to idols: we know we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up: but charity edifieth.

2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he hath not yet known as he ought to know.

3 But if any man love God, the same is known by him.

4 But as for the meats that are sacrificed to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world and that there is no God but one.

5 For although there be that are called gods, either in heaven or on earth (for there be gods many and lords many):

6 Yet to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we unto him: and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

7 But there is not knowledge in every one. For some until this present, with conscience of the idol, eat as a thing sacrificed to an idol: and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ hath died?

12 Now when you sin thus against the brethren and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

13 Wherefore, if meat scandalize my brother, I will never eat flesh, lest I should scandalize my brother.

PSALM: Psalms 139: 1 - 3, 13 - 14, 23 - 24

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1 Lord, thou hast proved me, and known me:

2 Thou hast known my sitting down, and my rising up.

3 Thou hast understood my thoughts afar off: my path and my line thou hast searched out.

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast protected me from my mother’s womb.

14 I will praise thee, for thou art fearfully magnified: wonderful are thy works, and my soul knoweth right well.

23 Prove me, O God, and know my heart: examine me, and know my paths.

24 And see if there be in me the way of iniquity: and lead me in the eternal way.

GOSPEL: Luke 6: 27 - 38

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27 But I say to you that hear: Love your enemies. Do good to them that hate you.

28 Bless them that curse you and pray for them that calumniate you.

29 And to him that striketh thee on the one cheek, offer also the other. And him that taketh away from thee thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also.

30 Give to every one that asketh thee: and of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again.

31 And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them in like manner.

32 And if you love them that love you, what thanks are to you? For sinners also love those that love them.

33 And if you do good to them who do good to you, what thanks are to you? For sinners also do this.

34 And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thanks are to you? For sinners also lend to sinners, for to receive as much.

35 But love ye your enemies: do good, and lend, hoping for nothing thereby: and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of the Highest. For he is kind to the unthankful and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

37 Judge not: and you shall not be judged. Condemn not: and you shall not be condemned. Forgive: and you shall be forgiven.

38 Give: and it shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down and shaken together and running over shall they give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you shall mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.

Mass Readings for Wednesday, September 12, 2012

FIRST READING: 1 Corinthians 7: 25 - 31

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25 Now concerning virgins, I have no commandment of the Lord; but I give counsel, as having obtained mercy of the Lord, to be faithful.

26 I think therefore that this is good for the present necessity, that it is good for a man so to be.

27 Art thou bound to a wife? seek not to be loosed. Art thou loosed from a wife? seek not a wife.

28 But if thou take a wife, thou hast not sinned. And if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned: nevertheless, such shall have tribulation of the flesh. But I spare you.

29 This therefore I say, brethren; the time is short; it remaineth, that they also who have wives, be as if they had none;

30 And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as if they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not;

31 And they that use this world, as if they used it not: for the fashion of this world passeth away.

PSALM: Psalms 45: 11 - 12, 14 - 17

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11 Hearken, O daughter, and see, and incline thy ear: and forget thy people and thy father's house.

12 And the king shall greatly desire thy beauty; for he is the Lord thy God, and him they shall adore.

14 All the glory of the king's daughter is within in golden borders,

15 Clothed round about with varieties. After her shall virgins be brought to the king: her neighbours shall be brought to thee.

16 They shall be brought with gladness and rejoicing: they shall be brought into the temple of the king.

17 Instead of thy fathers, sons are born to thee: thou shalt make them princes over all the earth.

GOSPEL: Luke 6: 20 - 26

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20 And he, lifting up his eyes on his disciples, said: Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for you shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for you shall laugh.

22 Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

23 Be glad in that day and rejoice; for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For according to these things did their fathers to the prophets.

24 But woe to you that are rich: for you have your consolation.

25 Woe to you that are filled: for you shall hunger. Woe to you that now laugh: for you shall mourn and weep.

26 Woe to you when men shall bless you: for according to these things did their fathers to the false prophets.