Catholic Mass Readings For Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

FIRST READING: Acts 11: 21 - 26; 13: 1 - 3

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21 The hand of the Lord was with them so that a great number believed and turned to the Lord.

22 News of this reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch.

23 When he arrived and saw the manifest signs of God's favor, he rejoiced and urged them all to remain firmly faithful to the Lord;

24 for he himself was a good man filled with Holy Spirit and faith. Thus large crowds came to know the Lord.

25 Then Barnabas went off to Tarsus to look for Saul

26 and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they had meetings with the Church and instructed many people. It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians.

1 There were at Antioch - in the Church which was there - prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Symeon known as Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod, and Saul.

2 On one occasion while they were celebrating the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said to them, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul and send them to do the work for which I have called them."

3 So, after fasting and praying, they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

PSALM: Psalms 98: 1 - 6

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1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wonders; his right hand, his holy arm, has won victory for him.

2 The Lord has shown his salvation, revealing his justice to the nations.

3 He has not forgotten his love nor his faithfulness to Israel. To the farthest ends of the earth all have seen God's saving power.

4 All you lands, make a joyful noise to the Lord, break into song and sing praise,

5 with melody of the lyre and with music of the harp.

6 With trumpet blast and sound of the horn, rejoice before the King, the Lord!

GOSPEL: Matthew 5: 17 - 19

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17 Do not think that I have come to remove the Law and the Prophets. I have not come to remove but to fulfill them.

18 I tell you this: as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or stroke of the Law will change until all is fulfilled.

19 So then, whoever breaks the least important of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys them and teaches others to do the same will be great in the kingdom of heaven.

Catholic Mass Readings For Tuesday, June 10, 2014

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 17: 7 - 16

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7 After a while, the brook dried up because no rain had fallen in the land.

8 Then Yahweh spoke to Elijah,

9 "Go to Zarephath of the Sidonites and stay there. I have given word to a widow there to give you food."

10 So Elijah went to Zarephath. On reaching the gate of the town, he saw a widow gathering sticks. He called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel that I may drink."

11 As she was going to bring it, he called after her and said, "Bring me also a piece of bread."

12 But she answered, "As Yahweh your God lives, I have no bread left but only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am just now gathering some sticks so that I may go in and prepare something for myself and my son to eat - and die."

13 Elijah then said to her, "Do not be afraid. Go and do as you have said, but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me; then make some for yourself and your son.

14 For this is the word of Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'The jar of meal shall not be emptied nor shall the jug of oil fail, until the day when Yahweh sends rain to the earth."

15 So she went and did as Elijah told her; and she had food for herself, Elijah and her son from that day on.

16 The jar of flour was not emptied nor did the jug of oil fail, in accordance with what Yahweh had said through Elijah.

PSALM: Psalms 4: 2 - 5, 7 - 8

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2 Answer when I call, O God, my justice! When I was in distress, you gave me solace. Have compassion on me and hear my plea.

3 And you people, how long will you harden your hearts? How long will you delight in deceit and go in search of falsehood?

4 But you must know that the Lord has shown his kindness to me. When I call to him, he hears me.

5 Be angry, but don't offend. Keep your words to yourself, when you are in bed, and be still.

7 Many ask, "Who will give us a happy time? Would that his favor shine upon us!"

8 You, O Lord, have put joy in my heart; more than by giving me wine and food.

GOSPEL: Matthew 5: 13 - 16

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13 You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its strength, how can it be made salty again? It has become useless. It can only be thrown away and people will trample on it.

14 You are the light of the world. A city built on a mountain cannot be hidden.

15 No one lights a lamp and covers it; instead it is put on a lampstand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.

16 In the same way your light must shine before others, so that they may see the good you do and praise your Father in heaven.

Catholic Mass Readings For Monday, June 09, 2014

"The Sermon of the Beatitudes" -- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 17: 1 - 6

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1 Now Elijah, the prophet from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, "As Yahweh, the God of Israel whom I serve lives, neither dew shall drop nor rain fall except at my command."

2 Then the word of Yahweh came to Elijah,

3 "Leave this place and go eastward. Hide yourself by the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan.

4 You shall drink from the brook and, for your food, I have commanded the ravens to feed you there."

5 So Elijah obeyed the word of Yahweh and went to live by the brook Cherith, east of the Jordan.

6 There the ravens brought him bread in the morning and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.

PSALM: Psalms 121: 1 - 8

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1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains -from where shall come my help?

2 My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.

3 Will he not let your foot slip, the one watching over you? Will he not slumber?

4 No, the guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.

5 The Lord is your guardian, the Lord is at your side and you in his shade;

6 Sunstroke will not be for you by day, nor the spell of the moon by night.

7 The Lord guards you from every evil; he will protect your life.

8 The Lord watches over your coming and going both now and forever.

GOSPEL: Matthew 5: 1 - 12

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1 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain. He sat down and his disciples gathered around him.

2 Then he spoke and began to teach them:

3 Blessed are those who have the spirit of the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the gentle, they shall possess the land.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they shall be satisfied.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy.

8 Blessed are those with a pure heart, for they shall see God.

9 Blessed are those who work for peace, they shall be called children of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for the cause of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you, when people insult you and persecute you and speak all kinds of evil against you because you are my followers.

12 Be glad and joyful, for a great reward is kept for you in God. This is how this people persecuted the prophets who lived before you.

Sunday Catholic Mass Readings For June 08, 2014

Pentecost Sunday

FIRST READING: Acts 2: 1 - 11

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1 And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place:

2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.

3 And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them:

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak.

5 Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

6 And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue.

7 And they were all amazed, and wondered, saying: Behold, are not all these, that speak, Galileans?

8 And how have we heard, every man our own tongue wherein we were born?

9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome,

11 Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.

PSALM: Psalms 104: 1, 24, 29 - 31, 34

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1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: O Lord my God, thou art exceedingly great. Thou hast put on praise and beauty:

24 How great are thy works, O Lord? thou hast made all things in wisdom: the earth is filled with thy riches.

29 But if thou turnest away thy face, they shall be troubled: thou shalt take away their breath, and they shall fail, and shall return to their dust.

30 Thou shalt send forth thy spirit, and they shall be created: and thou shalt renew the face of the earth.

31 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in his works.

34 Let my speech be acceptable to him: but I will take delight in the Lord.

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 12: 3 - 7, 12 - 13

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3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man, speaking by the Spirit of God, saith Anathema to Jesus. And no man can say the Lord Jesus, but by the Holy Ghost.

4 Now there are diversities of graces, but the same Spirit;

5 And there are diversities of ministries, but the same Lord;

6 And there are diversities of operations, but the same God, who worketh all in all.

7 And the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man unto profit.

12 For as the body is one, and hath many members; and all the members of the body, whereas they are many, yet are one body, so also is Christ.

13 For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether bond or free; and in one Spirit we have all been made to drink.

GOSPEL: John 20: 19 - 23

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19 Now when it was late that same day, the first of the week, and the doors were shut, where the disciples were gathered together, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them: Peace be to you.

20 And when he had said this, he shewed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad, when they saw the Lord.

21 He said therefore to them again: Peace be to you. As the Father hath sent me, I also send you.

22 When he had said this, he breathed on them; and he said to them: Receive ye the Holy Ghost.

23 Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.