Mass Readings For Saturday, June 01, 2013

"The Chief Priests Ask Jesus by What Right Does He Act in This Way " -- by James Tissot

Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr

FIRST READING: Sirach 51: 12 - 20

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12 And thou hast saved me from destruction, and hast delivered me from the evil time. Therefore I will give thanks, and praise thee, and bless the name of the Lord.

13 When I was yet young, before I wandered about, I sought for wisdom openly in my prayer.

14 I prayed for her before the temple, and unto the very end I will seek after her, and she flourished as a grape soon ripe.

15 My heart delighted in her, my foot walked in the right way, from my youth up I sought after her.

16 I bowed down my ear a little, and received her.

17 I found much wisdom in myself, and I profited much therein. To him that giveth me wisdom, will I give glory.

18 For I have determined to follow her: I have had a zeal for good, and shall not be confounded.

19 My soul hath wrestled for her, and in doing it I have been confirmed. I stretched forth my hands on high, and I bewailed my ignorance of her.

20 I directed my soul to her, and in knowledge I found her. I possessed my heart with her from the beginning: therefore I shall not be forsaken.

PSALM: Psalms 19: 8 - 11

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8 The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls: the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.

9 The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts: the commandment of the Lord is lightsome, enlightening the eyes.

10 The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever: the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.

11 More to be desired than gold and many precious stones: and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.

GOSPEL: Mark 11: 27 - 33

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27 And they come again to Jerusalem. And when he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests and the scribes and the ancients,

28 And they say to him: By what authority dost thou these things? and who hath given thee this authority that thou shouldst do these things?

29 And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one word, and answer you me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? Answer me.

31 But they thought with themselves, saying: If we say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did you not believe him?

32 If we say, From men, we fear the people. For all men counted John that he was a prophet indeed.

33 And they answering, say to Jesus: We know not. And Jesus answering, saith to them: Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

Mass Readings For Friday, May 31, 2013

"The Visitation" -- by James Tissot (left) and "The Magnificat" -- by James Tissot (right)

Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

FIRST READING: Zephaniah 3: 14 - 18 Or Romans 12: 9 - 16

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14 Give praise, O daughter of Sion: shout, O Israel: be glad, and rejoice with all thy heart, O daughter of Jerusalem.

15 The Lord hath taken away thy judgment, he hath turned away thy enemies: the king of Israel the Lord is in the midst of thee, thou shalt fear evil no more.

16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: Fear not: to Sion: Let not thy hands be weakened.

17 The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he will save: he will rejoice over thee with gladness, he will be silent in his love, he will be joyful over thee in praise.

18 The triflers that were departed from the law, I will gather together, because they were of thee: that thou mayest no more suffer reproach for them.

Or

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Hating that which is evil, cleaving to that which is good.

10 Loving one another with the charity of brotherhood, with honour preventing one another.

11 In carefulness not slothful. In spirit fervent. Serving the Lord.

12 Rejoicing in hope. Patient in tribulation. Instant in prayer.

13 Communicating to the necessities of the saints. Pursuing hospitality.

14 Bless them that persecute you: bless, and curse not.

15 Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.

16 Being of one mind one towards another. Not minding high things, but consenting to the humble. Be not wise in your own conceits.

PSALM: Isaiah 12: 2 - 6

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2 Behold, God is my saviour, I will deal confidently, and will not fear: O because the Lord is my strength, and my praise, and he is become my salvation.

3 You shall draw waters with joy out of the saviour's fountains:

4 And you shall say in that day: Praise ye the Lord, and call upon his name: make his works known among the people: remember that his name is high.

5 Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath done great things: shew this forth in all the earth.

6 Rejoice, and praise, O thou habitation of Sion: for great is he that is in the midst of thee, the Holy One of Israel.

GOSPEL: Luke 1: 39 - 56

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39 And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda.

40 And she entered into the house of Zachary, and saluted Elizabeth.

41 And it came to pass, that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost:

42 And she cried out with a loud voice, and said: Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.

43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

44 For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy.

45 And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord.

46 And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord.

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48 Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid; for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49 Because he that is mighty, hath done great things to me; and holy is his name.

50 And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him.

51 He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

52 He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble.

53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

54 He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy:

55 As he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed for ever.

56 And Mary abode with her about three months; and she returned to her own house.

Mass Readings For Thursday, May 30, 2013

FIRST READING: Sirach 42: 15 - 25

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15 I will now remember the works of the Lord, and I will declare the things I have seen. By the words of the Lord are his works.

16 The sun giving light hath looked upon all things, and full of the glory of the Lord is his work.

17 Hath not the Lord made the saints to declare all his wonderful works, which the Lord Almighty hath firmly settled to be established for his glory?

18 He hath searched out the deep, and the heart of men: and considered their crafty devices. For the Lord knoweth all knowledge, and hath beheld the signs of the world

19 He declareth the things that are past, and the things that are to come, and revealeth the traces of hidden things.

20 No thought escapeth him, and no word can hide itself from him.

21 He hath beautified the glorious works of his wisdom: and he Is from eternity to eternity, and to him nothing may be added, nor can he be diminished, and he hath no need of any counsellor.

22 O how desirable are all his works, and what we can know is but as a spark!

23 All these things live, and remain for ever, and for every use all things obey him.

24 All things are double, one against another, and he hath made nothing defective.

25 He hath established the good things of every one. And who shall be filled with beholding his glory?

PSALM: Psalms 33: 2 - 9

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2 Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings.

3 Sing to him a new canticle, sing well unto him with a loud noise.

4 For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness.

5 He loveth mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.

6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the power of them by the spirit of his mouth:

7 Gathering together the waters of the sea, as in a vessel; laying up the depths in storehouses.

8 Let all the earth fear the Lord, and let all the inhabitants of the world be in awe of him.

9 For he spoke and they were made: he commanded and they were created.

GOSPEL: Mark 10: 46 - 52

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46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho, with his disciples, and a very great multitude, Bartimeus the blind man, the son of Timeus, sat by the way side begging.

47 Who when he had heard, that it was Jesus of Nazareth, began to cry out, and to say: Jesus son of David, have mercy on me.

48 And many rebuked him, that he might hold his peace; but he cried a great deal the more: Son of David, have mercy on me.

49 And Jesus, standing still, commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying to him: Be of better comfort: arise, he calleth thee.

50 Who casting off his garment leaped up, and came to him.

51 And Jesus answering, said to him: What wilt thou that I should do to thee? And the blind man said to him: Rabboni, that I may see.

52 And Jesus saith to him: Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he saw, and followed him in the way.

Mass Readings For Wednesday, May 29, 2013

FIRST READING: Sirach 36: 1, 4 - 5, 10 - 17

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1 Have mercy upon us, O God of all, and behold us, and shew us the light of thy mercies:

4 For as thou hast been sanctified in us in their sight, so thou shalt be magnified among them in our presence,

5 That they may know thee, as we also have known thee, that there is no God beside thee, O Lord.

10 Crush the head of the princes of the enemies that say: There is no other beside us.

11 Gather together all the tribes of Jacob: that they may know that there is no God besides thee, and may declare thy great works: and thou shalt inherit them as from the beginning..

12 Have mercy on thy people, upon whom thy name is invoked: and upon Israel, whom thou hast raised up to be thy firstborn.

13 Have mercy on Jerusalem, the city which thou hast sanctified, the city of thy rest.

14 Fill Sion with thy unspeakable words, and thy people with thy glory.

15 Give testimony to them that are thy creatures from the beginning, and raise up the prophecies which the former prophets spoke in thy name.

16 Reward them that patiently wait for thee, that thy prophets may be found faithful: and hear the prayers of thy servants,

17 According to the blessing of Aaron over thy people, and direct us into the way of justice, and let all know that dwell upon the earth, that thou art God the beholder of all ages.

PSALM: Psalms 79: 8 - 9, 11, 13

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8 Remember not our former iniquities: let thy mercies speedily prevent us, for we are become exceeding poor.

9 Help us, O God, our saviour: and for the glory of thy name, O Lord, deliver us: and forgive us our sins for thy name's sake:

11 Let the sighing of the prisoners come in before thee. According to the greatness of thy arm, take possession of the children of them that have been put to death.

13 But we thy people, and the sheep of thy pasture, will give thanks to thee for ever. We will shew forth thy praise, unto generation and generation.

GOSPEL: Mark 10: 32 - 45

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32 And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem: and Jesus went before them, and they were astonished; and following were afraid. And taking again the twelve, he began to tell them the things that should befall him.

33 Saying: Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed to the chief priests, and to the scribes and ancients, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles.

34 And they shall mock him, and spit on him, and scourge him, and kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.

35 And James and John the sons of Zebedee, come to him, saying: Master, we desire that whatsoever we shall ask, thou wouldst do it for us:

36 But he said to them: What would you that I should do for you?

37 And they said: Grant to us, that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory.

38 And Jesus said to them: You know not what you ask. Can you drink of the chalice that I drink of: or be baptized with the baptism wherewith I am baptized?

39 But they said to him: We can. And Jesus saith to them: You shall indeed drink of the chalice that I drink of: and with the baptism wherewith I am baptized, you shall be baptized.

40 But to sit on my right hand, or on my left, is not mine to give to you, but to them for whom it is prepared.

41 And the ten hearing it, began to be much displeased at James and John.

42 But Jesus calling them, saith to them: You know that they who seem to rule over the Gentiles, lord it over them: and their princes have power over them.

43 But it is not so among you: but whosoever will be greater, shall be your minister.

44 And whosoever will be first among you, shall be the servant of all.

45 For the Son of man also is not come to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a redemption for many.