Mass Readings For Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

FIRST READING: Acts 12: 24 - 13: 5

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24 But the word of the Lord increased and multiplied.

25 And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, having fulfilled their ministry, taking with them John, who was surnamed Mark.

1 Now there were in the church which was at Antioch, prophets and doctors, among whom was Barnabas, and Simon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manahen, who was the foster brother of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.

2 And as they were ministering to the Lord, and fasting, the Holy Ghost said to them: Separate me Saul and Barnabas, for the work whereunto I have taken them.

3 Then they, fasting and praying, and imposing their hands upon them, sent them away.

4 So they being sent by the Holy Ghost, went to Seleucia: and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

5 And when they were come to Salamina, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also in the ministry.

PSALM: Psalms 67: 2 - 3, 5 - 6, 8

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2 May God have mercy on us, and bless us: may he cause the light of his countenance to shine upon us, and may he have mercy on us.

3 That we may know thy way upon earth: thy salvation in all nations.

5 Let the nations be glad and rejoice: for thou judgest the people with justice, and directest the nations upon earth.

6 Let the people, O God, confess to thee: let all the people give praise to thee:

8 May God bless us: and all the ends of the earth fear him.

GOSPEL: John 12: 44 - 50

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44 But Jesus cried, and said: He that believeth in me, doth not believe in me, but in him that sent me.

45 And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me.

46 I am come a light into the world; that whosoever believeth in me, may not remain in darkness.

47 And if any man hear my words, and keep them not, I do not judge him: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.

48 He that despiseth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him; the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father who sent me, he gave me commandment what I should say, and what I should speak.

50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting. The things therefore that I speak, even as the Father said unto me, so do I speak.

Mass Readings For Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of Easter

FIRST READING: Acts 11: 19 - 26

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19 Now they who had been dispersed by the persecution that arose on occasion of Stephen, went about as far as Phenice and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to none, but to the Jews only.

20 But some of them were men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who, when they were entered into Antioch, spoke also to the Greeks, preaching the Lord Jesus.

21 And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believing, were converted to the Lord.

22 And the tidings came to the ears of the church that was at Jerusalem, touching these things: and they sent Barnabas as far as Antioch.

23 Who, when he was come, and had seen the grace of God, rejoiced: and he exhorted them all with purpose of heart to continue in the Lord.

24 For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith. And a great multitude was added to the Lord.

25 And Barnabas went to Tarsus to seek Saul: whom, when he had found, he brought to Antioch.

26 And they conversed there in the church a whole year; and they taught a great multitude, so that at Antioch the disciples were first named Christians.

PSALM: Psalms 87: 1 - 7

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1 The foundations thereof are in the holy mountains:

2 The Lord loveth the gates of Sion above all the tabernacles of Jacob.

3 Glorious things are said of thee, O city of God.

4 I will be mindful of Rahab and of Babylon knowing me. Behold the foreigners, and Tyre, and the people of the Ethiopians, these were there.

5 Shall not Sion say: This man and that man is born in her? and the Highest himself hath founded her.

6 The Lord shall tell in his writings of peoples and of princes, of them that have been in her.

7 The dwelling in thee is as it were of all rejoicing.

GOSPEL: John 10: 22 - 30

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22 And it was the feast of the dedication at Jerusalem: and it was winter.

23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's porch.

24 The Jews therefore came round about him, and said to him: How long dost thou hold our souls in suspense? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

25 Jesus answered them: I speak to you, and you believe not: the works that I do in the name of my Father, they give testimony of me.

26 But you do not believe, because you are not of my sheep.

27 My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow me.

28 And I give them life everlasting; and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall pluck them out of my hand.

29 That which my Father hath given me, is greater than all: and no one can snatch them out of the hand of my Father.

30 I and the Father are one.

Mass Readings For Monday, April 22, 2013

Monday of the Fourth Week of Easter

FIRST READING: Acts 11: 1 - 18

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1 And the apostles and brethren, who were in Judea, heard that the Gentiles also had received the word of God.

2 And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision contended with him,

3 Saying: Why didst thou go in to men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them?

4 But Peter began and declared to them the matter in order, saying:

5 I was in the city of Joppe praying, and I saw in an ecstasy of mind a vision, a certain vessel descending, as it were a great sheet let down from heaven by four corners, and it came even unto me.

6 Into which looking, I considered, and saw fourfooted creatures of the earth, and beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air:

7 And I heard also a voice saying to me: Arise, Peter; kill and eat.

8 And I said: Not so, Lord; for nothing common or unclean hath ever entered into my mouth.

9 And the voice answered again from heaven: What God hath made clean, do not thou call common.

10 And this was done three times: and all were taken up again into heaven.

11 And behold, immediately there were three men come to the house wherein I was, sent to me from Caesarea.

12 And the Spirit said to me, that I should go with them, nothing doubting. And these six brethren went with me also: and we entered into the man's house.

13 And he told us how he had seen an angel in his house, standing, and saying to him: Send to Joppe, and call hither Simon, who is surnamed Peter,

14 Who shall speak to thee words, whereby thou shalt be saved, and all thy house.

15 And when I had begun to speak, the Holy Ghost fell upon them, as upon us also in the beginning.

16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said: John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

17 If then God gave them the same grace, as to us also who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; who was I, that could withstand God?

18 Having heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying: God then hath also to the Gentiles given repentance unto life.

PSALM: Psalms 42: 2 - 3; 43: 3 - 4

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2 My soul hath thirsted after the strong living God; when shall I come and appear before the face of God?

3 My tears have been my bread day and night, whilst it is said to me daily: Where is thy God?

3 Sent forth thy light and thy truth: they have conducted me, and brought me unto thy holy hill, and into thy tabernacles.

4 And I will go in to the altar of God: to God who giveth joy to my youth.

GOSPEL: John 10: 1 - 10

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1 Amen, amen I say to you: He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up another way, the same is a thief and a robber.

2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

4 And when he hath let out his own sheep, he goeth before them: and the sheep follow him, because they know his voice.

5 But a stranger they follow not, but fly from him, because they know not the voice of strangers.

6 This proverb Jesus spoke to them. But they understood not what he spoke to them.

7 Jesus therefore said to them again: Amen, amen I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All others, as many as have come, are thieves and robbers: and the sheep heard them not.

9 I am the door. By me, if any man enter in, he shall be saved: and he shall go in, and go out, and shall find pastures.

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I am come that they may have life, and may have it more abundantly.

Sunday Mass Readings For April 21, 2013

"Jesus Walks in the Portico of Solomon" -- by James Tissot

Fourth Sunday of Easter

FIRST READING: Acts 13: 14, 43 - 52

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14 But they passing through Perge, came to Antioch in Pisidia: and entering into the synagogue on the sabbath day, they sat down.

43 And when the synagogue was broken up, many of the Jews, and of the strangers who served God, followed Paul and Barnabas: who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.

44 But the next sabbath day, the whole city almost came together, to hear the word of God.

45 And the Jews seeing the multitudes, were filled with envy, and contradicted those things which were said by Paul, blaspheming.

46 Then Paul and Barnabas said boldly: To you it behoved us first to speak the word of God: but because you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold we turn to the Gentiles.

47 For so the Lord hath commanded us: I have set thee to be the light of the Gentiles; that thou mayest be for salvation unto the utmost part of the earth.

48 And the Gentiles hearing it, were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to life everlasting, believed.

49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout the whole country.

50 But the Jews stirred up religious and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas: and cast them out of their coasts.

51 But they, shaking off the dust of their feet against them, came to Iconium.

52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost.

PSALM: Psalms 100: 1 - 3, 5

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1 Sing joyfully to God, all the earth:

2 serve ye the Lord with gladness. Come in before his presence with exceeding great joy.

3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: he made us, and not we ourselves. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

5 For the Lord is sweet, his mercy endureth for ever, and his truth to generation and generation.

SECOND READING: Revelation 7: 9, 14 - 17

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9 After this I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne, and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands:

14 And I said to him: My Lord, thou knowest. And he said to me: These are they who are come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he, that sitteth on the throne, shall dwell over them.

16 They shall no more hunger nor thirst, neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat.

17 For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall rule them, and shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

GOSPEL: John 10: 27 - 30

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27 My sheep hear my voice: and I know them, and they follow me.

28 And I give them life everlasting; and they shall not perish for ever, and no man shall pluck them out of my hand.

29 That which my Father hath given me, is greater than all: and no one can snatch them out of the hand of my Father.

30 I and the Father are one.