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Saturday, October 26, 2013

Catholic Mass Readings For Saturday, October 26, 2013

"The Tower of Siloam" -- by James Tissot (1886-1896)
"The Tower of Siloam" -- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Romans 8: 1 - 11

1 There is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh.
2 For the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath delivered me from the law of sin and of death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh; God sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh and of sin, hath condemned sin in the flesh;
4 That the justification of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.
5 For they that are according to the flesh, mind the things that are of the flesh; but they that are according to the spirit, mind the things that are of the spirit.
6 For the wisdom of the flesh is death; but the wisdom of the spirit is life and peace.
7 Because the wisdom of the flesh is an enemy to God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can it be.
8 And they who are in the flesh, cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body indeed is dead, because of sin; but the spirit liveth, because of justification.
11 And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you; he that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead, shall quicken also your mortal bodies, because of his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

PSALM: Psalms 24: 1 - 6

1 The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas; and hath prepared it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord: or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 The innocent in hands, and clean of heart, who hath not taken his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbour.
5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Saviour.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob.

GOSPEL: Luke 13: 1 - 9

1 And there were present, at that very time, some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And he answering, said to them: Think you that these Galileans were sinners above all the men of Galilee, because they suffered such things?
3 No, I say to you: but unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen upon whom the tower fell in Siloe, and slew them: think you, that they also were debtors above all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 No, I say to you; but except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.
6 He spoke also this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none.
7 And he said to the dresser of the vineyard: Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it done therefore: why cumbereth it the ground?
8 But he answering, said to him: Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig about it, and dung it.
9 And if happily it bear fruit: but if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.



Thursday, October 24, 2013

Catholic Mass Readings For Friday, October 25, 2013

Icon of Christ

FIRST READING: Romans 7: 18 - 25

18 For I know that there dwelleth not in me, that is to say, in my flesh, that which is good. For to will, is present with me; but to accomplish that which is good, I find not.
19 For the good which I will, I do not; but the evil which I will not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that which I will not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that when I have a will to do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I am delighted with the law of God, according to the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind, and captivating me in the law of sin, that is in my members.
24 Unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 The grace of God, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, I myself, with the mind serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin.

PSALM: Psalms 119: 66, 68, 76 - 77, 93 - 94

66 Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge; for I have believed thy commandments.
68 Thou art good; and in thy goodness teach me thy justifications.
76 O! let thy mercy be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, and I shall live: for thy law is my meditation.
93 Thy justifications I will never forget: for by them thou hast given me life.
94 I am thine, save thou me: for I have sought thy justifications.

GOSPEL: Luke 12: 54 - 59

54 And he said also to the multitudes: When you see a cloud rising from the west, presently you say: A shower is coming: and so it happeneth:
55 And when ye see the south wind blow, you say: There will be heat: and it cometh to pass.
56 You hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the heaven and of the earth: but how is it that you do not discern this time?
57 And why even of yourselves, do you not judge that which is just?
58 And when thou goest with thy adversary to the prince, whilst thou art in the way, endeavour to be delivered from him: lest perhaps he draw thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the exacter, and the exacter cast thee into prison.
59 I say to thee, thou shalt not go out thence, until thou pay the very last mite.


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Catholic Mass Readings For Thursday, October 24, 2013

Jesus Christ - detail from Deesis mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

FIRST READING: Romans 6: 19 - 23

19 I speak a human thing, because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity, unto iniquity; so now yield your members to serve justice, unto sanctification.
20 For when you were the servants of sin, you were free men to justice.
21 What fruit therefore had you then in those things, of which you are now ashamed? For the end of them is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end life everlasting.
23 For the wages of sin is death. But the grace of God, life everlasting, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

PSALM: Psalms 1: 1 - 4, 6

1 Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence.
2 But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season. And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.
4 Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.

GOSPEL: Luke 12: 49 - 53

49 I am come to cast fire on the earth; and what will I, but that it be kindled?
50 And I have a baptism wherewith I am to be baptized: and how am I straitened until it be accomplished?
51 Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.
52 For there shall be from henceforth five in one house divided: three against two, and two against three.
53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against his father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.


Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Catholic Mass Readings For Wednesday, October 23, 2013


FIRST READING: Romans 6: 12 - 18

12 Let no sin therefore reign in your mortal body, so as to obey the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of iniquity unto sin; but present yourselves to God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of justice unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you; for you are not under the law, but under grace.
15 What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know you not, that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are whom you obey, whether it be of sin unto death, or of obedience unto justice.
17 But thanks be to God, that you were the servants of sin, but have obeyed from the heart, unto that form of doctrine, into which you have been delivered.
18 Being then freed from sin, we have been made servants of justice.

PSALM: Psalms 124: 1 - 8

1 If it had not been that the Lord was with us, let Israel now say:
2 If it had not been that the Lord was with us, When men rose up against us,
3 Perhaps they had swallowed us up alive. When their fury was enkindled against us,
4 Perhaps the waters had swallowed us up.
5 Our soul hath passed through a torrent: perhaps our soul had passed through a water insupportable.
6 Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us to be a prey to their teeth.
7 Our soul hath been delivered as a sparrow out of the snare of the fowlers. The snare is broken, and we are delivered.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

GOSPEL: Luke 12: 39 - 48

39 But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open.
40 Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not, the Son of man will come.
41 And Peter said to him: Lord, dost thou speak this parable to us, or likewise to all?
42 And the Lord said: Who (thinkest thou) is the faithful and wise steward, whom his lord setteth over his family, to give them their measure of wheat in due season?
43 Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come, he shall find so doing.
44 Verily I say to you, he will set him over all that he possesseth.
45 But if that servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming; and shall begin to strike the menservants and maidservants, and to eat and to drink and be drunk:
46 The lord of that servant will come in the day that he hopeth not, and at the hour that he knoweth not, and shall separate him, and shall appoint him his portion with unbelievers.
47 And that servant who knew the will of his lord, and prepared not himself, and did not according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48 But he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more.