Catholic Mass Readings For Friday, June 13, 2014

Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 19: 9, 11 - 16

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9 On reaching the place, he came to the cave and stayed in it. Then the word of Yahweh came to him,"What are you doing here, Elijah?"

11 Then Yahweh said, "Go up and stand on the mount, waiting for Yahweh." And Yahweh passed by.

There was first a windstorm, wild wind which rent the mountains and broke the rocks into pieces before Yahweh, but Yahweh was not in the wind. After the storm, an earthquake, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake.

12 After the earthquake, a fire, but Yahweh was not in the fire. After the fire, the murmur of a gentle breeze.

13 When Elijah perceived it, he covered his face with his cloak, went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.

Then he heard a voice addressing him again, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

14 He answered, "I am burning with jealous love for Yahweh, the God of hosts, because the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars and slain your prophets with the sword. No one is left but myself, yet they still seek my life to take it away."

15 Yahweh said to him, "Take the road back through the desert and go to Damascus for you must anoint Hazael as king of Syria;

16 you shall also anoint Jehu, son of Minshi, as king over Israel; and Elisha, son of Shaphat, from Abelmehrah, you shall anoint as prophet in your place.

PSALM: Psalms 27: 7 - 9, 13 - 14

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7 Hear my voice when I call, O Lord, have mercy on me and answer.

8 My heart says to you, "I seek your face, O Lord."

9 Do not hide your face from me nor turn away your servant in anger. You are my protector, do not reject me abandon me not, O God my savior!

13 I hope, I am sure, that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

14 Trust in the Lord, be strong and courageous - yes, put your hope in the Lord!

GOSPEL: Matthew 5: 27 - 32

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27 You have heard that it was said: Do not commit adultery.

28 But I tell you this: anyone who looks at a woman to satisfy his lust has in fact already committed adultery with her in his heart.

29 So, if your right eye causes you to sin, pull it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

30 If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell.

31 It was also said: anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce.

32 But what I tell you is this: If a man divorces his wife except in the case of unlawful union, he causes her to commit adultery. And the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Catholic Mass Readings For Thursday, June 12, 2014

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 18: 41 - 46

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41 Elijah then said to Ahab, "Go up, eat and drink, for the sound of rain is rushing in."

42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. Elijah, in the meantime, went to the top of Carmel, bowed to the ground and put his face between his knees.

43 Then he said to his servant, "Go up and look in the direction of the sea." The man went up, looked, and said, "There is nothing." Then Elijah said, "Go again" and seven times he went.

44 At the seventh time, he perceived a little cloud, the size of a man's hand, rising out of the sea. Elijah told him, "Go, tell Ahab: Prepare your chariot and go down before the rain stops you."

45 A little later the sky grew dark with clouds and wind and a strong rain fell. Ahab was riding on his way to Jezreel;

46 as for Elijah, the hand of Yahweh was on him, and tucking his cloak in his belt, he ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

PSALM: Psalms 65: 10 - 13

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10 You water the land and care for it, enriching it with natural resources. God's stream is filled with water; so you prepare the earth to give us its fruits.

11 You drench the furrows in the land and level the ridges, you soften the soil with showers and bless its crops.

12 You crown the year with your goodness; abundance flows everywhere.

13 The deserts have become pasture land, the hills are clothed with gladness.

GOSPEL: Matthew 5: 20 - 26

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20 I tell you, then, that if you are not righteous in a better way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.

21 You have heard that it was said to our people in the past: Do not commit murder; anyone who does kill will have to face trial.

22 But now I tell you: whoever gets angry with a brother or sister will have to face trial. Whoever insults a brother or sister deserves to be brought before the council; whoever humiliates a brother or sister deserves to be thrown into the fire of hell.

23 So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar and you remember that your brother has something against you,

24 leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with him, and then come back and offer your gift to God.

25 Don't forget this: be reconciled with your opponent quickly when you are together on the way to court. Otherwise he will turn you over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, who will put you in jail.

26 There you will stay, until you have paid the last penny.

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.