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Thursday, January 16, 2014

A Little Help

Once again, I find myself in a most embarrassing situation, and I am in
quite a quandary.

As you know, I hurt my back at work due to a ladder falling....while I
was on it. I twisted my back in the fall, and have a "slight
compression fracture". It is still bothering me somewhat, but is
slowly improving. Click HERE TO READ MORE

Catholic Mass Readings For Thursday, January 16, 2014



FIRST READING: 1 Samuel 4: 1 - 11

1 And it came to pass in those days, that the Philistines gathered themselves together to fight: and Israel went out to war against the Philistines, and camped by the Stone of help. And the Philistines came to Aphec,
2 And put their army in array against Israel. And when they had joined battle, Israel turned their backs to the Philistines, and there was slain in that fight here and there in the fields about four thousand men.
3 And the people returned to the camp: and the ancients of Israel said: Why hath the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us fetch unto us the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Silo, and let it come in the midst of us, that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.
4 So the people sent to Silo, and they brought from thence the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts sitting upon the cherubims: and the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were with the ark of the covenant of God.
5 And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord was come into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, and the earth rang again.
6 And the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, and they said: What is this noise of a great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the Lord was come into the camp.
7 And the Philistines were afraid, saying: God is come into the camp. And sighing, they said:
8 Woe to us: for there was no such great joy yesterday and the day before: Woe to us. Who shall deliver us from the hand of these high gods? these are the gods that struck Egypt with all the plagues in the desert.
9 Take courage and behave like men, ye Philistines: lest you come to be servants to the Hebrews, as they have served you: take courage and fight.
10 So the Philistines fought, and Israel was overthrown, and every man fled to his own dwelling: and there was an exceeding great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.
11 And the ark of God was taken: and the two sons of Heli, Ophni and Phinees, were slain.

PSALM: Psalms 44: 10 - 11, 14 - 15, 24 - 25

10 Thou hast made us turn our back to our enemies: and they that hated us plundered for themselves.
11 Thou hast given us up like sheep to be eaten: thou hast scattered us among the nations.
14 Thou hast made us a byword among the Gentiles: a shaking of the head among the people.
15 All the day long my shame is before me: and the confusion of my face hath covered me,
24 Why turnest thou thy face away? and forgettest our want and our trouble?
25 For our soul is humbled down to the dust: our belly cleaveth to the earth.

GOSPEL: Mark 1: 40 - 45

40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down said to him: If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
41 And Jesus having compassion on him, stretched forth his hand; and touching him, saith to him: I will. Be thou made clean.
42 And when he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean.
43 And he strictly charged him, and forthwith sent him away.
44 And he saith to him: See thou tell no one; but go, shew thyself to the high priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.
45 But he being gone out, began to publish and to blaze abroad the word: so that he could not openly go into the city, but was without in desert places: and they flocked to him from all sides.


Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Catholic Mass Readings For Wednesday, January 15, 2014

"Jesus Went Out into a Desert Place" -- by James Tissot
"Jesus Went Out into a Desert Place" -- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: 1 Samuel 3: 1 - 10, 19 - 20

1 Now the child Samuel ministered to the Lord before Heli, and the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there was no manifest vision.
2 And it came to pass one day when Heli lay in his place, and his eyes were grown dim, that he could not see:
3 Before the lamp of God went out, Samuel slept in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was.
4 And the Lord called Samuel. And he answered: Here am I.
5 And he ran to Heli and said: Here am I: for thou didst call me. He said: I did not call: go back and sleep. And he went and slept.
6 And the Lord called Samuel again. And Samuel arose and went to Heli, and said: Here am I: for thou calledst me. He answered: I did not call thee, my son: return and sleep.
7 Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither had the word of the Lord been revealed to him.
8 And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose up and went to Heli.
9 And said: Here am I: for thou didst call me. Then Heli understood that the Lord called the child, and he said to Samuel: Go, and sleep: and if he shall call thee any more, thou shalt say: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and slept in his place.
10 And the Lord came and stood: and he called, as he had called the other times: Samuel, Samuel. And Samuel said: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.
19 And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and not one of his words fell to the ground.
20 And all Israel from Dan to Bersabee, knew that Samuel was a faithful prophet of the Lord.

PSALM: Psalms 40: 2, 5, 7 - 10

2 With expectation I have waited for the Lord, and he was attentive to me.
5 Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord; and who hath not had regard to vanities, and lying follies.
7 Sacrifice and oblation thou didst not desire; but thou hast pierced ears for me. Burnt offering and sin offering thou didst not require:
8 Then said I, Behold I come. In the head of the book it is written of me
9 That I should do thy will: O my God, I have desired it, and thy law in the midst of my heart.
10 I have declared thy justice in a great church, lo, I will not restrain my lips: O Lord, thou knowest it.

GOSPEL: Mark 1: 29 - 39

29 And immediately going out of the synagogue they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
30 And Simon's wife's mother lay in a fit of a fever: and forthwith they tell him of her.
31 And coming to her, he lifted her up, taking her by the hand; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.
32 And when it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all that were ill and that were possessed with devils.
33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.
34 And he healed many that were troubled with divers diseases; and he cast out many devils, and he suffered them not to speak, because they knew him.
35 And rising very early, going out, he went into a desert place: and there he prayed.
36 And Simon, and they that were with him, followed after him.
37 And when they had found him, they said to him: All seek for thee.
38 And he saith to them: Let us go into the neighbouring towns and cities, that I may preach there also; for to this purpose am I come.
39 And he was preaching in their synagogues, and in all Galilee, and casting out devils.


Catholic Mass Readings For Tuesday, January 14, 2014

"The Possessed Man in the Synagogue" -- by James Tissot
"The Possessed Man in the Synagogue" -- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: 1 Samuel 1: 9 - 20

9 So Anna arose after she had eaten and drunk in Silo: And Heli the priest sitting upon a stool, before the door of the temple of the Lord:
10 As Anna had her heart full of grief, she prayed to the Lord, shedding many tears,
11 And she made a vow, saying: O Lord, of hosts, if thou wilt look down on the affliction of thy servant, and wilt be mindful of me, and not forget thy handmaid, and wilt give to thy servant a man child: I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.
12 And it came to pass, as she multiplied prayers before the Lord, that Heli observed her mouth.
13 Now Anna spoke in her heart, and only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard at all. Heli therefore thought her to be drunk,
14 And said to her: How long wilt thou, be drunk? digest a little the wine, of which thou hast taken too much.
15 Anna answering, said: Not so, my lord: for I am an exceeding unhappy woman, and have drunk neither wine nor any strong drink, but I have poured out my soul before the Lord.
16 Count not thy handmaid for one of the daughters of Belial: for out of the abundance of my sorrow and grief have I spoken till now.
17 Then Heli said to her: Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition, which thou hast asked of him.
18 And she said: Would to God thy handmaid may find grace in thy eyes. So the woman went on her way, and ate, and her countenance was no more changed.
19 And they rose in the morning, and worshipped before the Lord: and they returned, and came into their house at Ramatha. And Elcana knew Anna his wife: and the Lord remembered her.
20 And it came to pass when the time was come about, Anna conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel: because she had asked him of the Lord.

PSALM: 1 Samuel 2: 1, 4 - 8

1 My heart hath rejoiced in the Lord, and my horn is exalted in my God: my mouth is enlarged over my enemies: because I have joyed in thy salvation.
4 The bow of the mighty is overcome, and the weak are girt with strength.
5 They that were full before have hired out themselves for bread: and the hungry are filled, so that the barren hath borne many: and she that had many children is weakened.
6 The Lord killeth and maketh alive, he bringeth down to hell and bringeth back again.
7 The Lord maketh poor and maketh rich, he humbleth and he exalteth.
8 He raiseth up the needy from the dust, and lifteth up the poor from the dunghill: that he may sit with princes, and hold the throne of glory. For the poles of the earth are the Lord's, and upon them he hath set the world.

GOSPEL: Mark 1: 21 - 28

21 And they entered into Capharnaum, and forthwith upon the sabbath days going into the synagogue, he taught them.
22 And they were astonished at his doctrine. For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes.
23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,
24 Saying: What have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know who thou art, the Holy One of God.
25 And Jesus threatened him, saying: Speak no more, and go out of the man.
26 And the unclean spirit tearing him, and crying out with a loud voice, went out of him.
27 And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying: What thing is this? what is this new doctrine? for with power he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.
28 And the fame of him was spread forthwith into all the country of Galilee.