Catholic Mass Readings For Friday, June 20, 2014

FIRST READING: 2 Kings 11: 1 - 4, 9 - 18, 20

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1 When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son had died, she was determined to wipe out all the descendants of the king.

2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash, her nephew, and brought him away from among the king's sons who were about to be killed, and put him with his wet nurse in the bedroom. Thus she hid him from Athaliah, so that the boy was saved.

3 And Joash remained hidden in the House of Yahweh for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.

4 In the seventh year, Jehoiada the chief priest, summoned the officers of the royal guard and of the Carites to the House of Yahweh. After concluding a pact with them under oath, he showed them the king's son.

9 The commanders of the guards did what Jehoiada the priest had told them to do and they showed up with all their men, those who were to go off duty on the sabbath as well as those who were to come on duty on that day.

10 Jehoiada entrusted to the officers the spears and shields of King David which were in the House of Yahweh.

11 And then the guards stood from the southern corner of the house to the north, surrounding the altar and the House of Yahweh.

12 Then Jehoiada, the priest, brought out the king's son, crowned him and put the bracelets on him, then proclaimed and consecrated him king. All clapped their hands, shouting and crying out, "Long live the king!"

13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people, she approached the crowd surrounding the House of Yahweh.

14 The king was standing by the pillar, according to the custom, and the officers and the trumpeters were with him. The people were filled with joy and they were blowing trumpets. On seeing this, Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, "Treason, treason!"

15 Jehoiada the priest commanded the officers, "Surround her and bring her out to the courtyard, and kill anyone who tries to defend her." He gave this order, because he thought, "She should not die in the House of Yahweh."

16 They brought her out, and when they reached the palace of the king by the horses' entrance, there they killed her.

17 Jehoiada made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and the people so they would be the people of Yahweh.

18 All the citizens went to the temple of Baal and destroyed it. They broke the altars and the images into pieces, and killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, before his altar. Then Jehoiada, the priest, posted guards over the House of Yahweh.

20 All the citizens were happy and the city was at peace. Now regarding Athaliah, she had died by the sword in the king's palace.

PSALM: Psalms 132: 11 - 14, 17 - 18

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11 The Lord swore to David a promise, and he will remain true to it: "I will keep your descendance on your throne.

12 If your sons keep my covenant and the decrees I have taught them, their sons, too, will sit forever upon your throne."

13 For the Lord has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling:

14 "This is my resting place forever; this I prefer, here will I dwell.

17 From here a savior shall come forth, a son of David; here shall shine forever the lamp of my anointed.

18 In shame will I clothe his enemies, but upon his head a crown shall shine."

GOSPEL: Matthew 6: 19 - 23

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19 Do not store up treasure for yourself here on earth where moth and rust destroy it, and where thieves can steal it.

20 Store up treasure for yourself with God, where no moth or rust can destroy nor thief come and steal it.

21 For where your treasure is, there also your heart will be.

22 The lamp of the body is the eye; if your eyes are sound, your whole body will be in the light.

23 If your eyes are diseased your whole body will be in darkness. Then, if your light has become darkness, how dark will be the darkest part of you!

Catholic Mass Readings For Thursday, June 19, 2014

FIRST READING: Sirach 48: 1 - 14

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1 Then came the prophet Elijah like a fire, his words a burning torch.

2 He brought a famine on the people and in his zealous love had them reduced in number.

3 Speaking in the name of the Lord he closed the heavens, and on three occasions called down fire.

4 How marvelous you were, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! Who could ever boast of being your equal?

5 By the word of the Most High you brought a dead man back to life;

6 you brought kings to destruction and thrust famous men from their beds.

7 You heard a rebuke at Sinai and sentences of punishment at Horeb;

8 you anointed kings to be avengers and prophets to succeed you.

9 You were taken up by a whirlwind of flames in a chariot drawn by fiery horses.

10 It was written that you should be the one to calm God's anger in the future before it broke out in fury, to turn the hearts of fathers to their sons and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

11 Happy are those who will see you and those who die in love, for we too shall live.

12 Such was Elijah, taken up in a whirlwind, and Elisha was filled with his spirit.

During his life no leader could shake him, no one dominated him.

13 Nothing was too difficult for him and even in death his body prophesied.

14 In life he worked wonders, in death his deeds were amazing.

PSALM: Psalms 97: 1 - 7

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1 The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the distant islands be glad.

2 Clouds and darkness surround him; justice and right are his throne.

3 Fire goes before him, burning his foes on every side.

4 His lightning lights up the world; the earth watches and trembles.

5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his justice, all peoples see his glory.

7 Shame on worshipers of idols, on those proud of their worthless images. Let all spirits bow before him..

GOSPEL: Matthew 6: 7 - 15

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7 When you pray, do not use a lot of words, as the pagans do, for they hold that the more they say, the more chance they have of being heard.

8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need, even before you ask him.

9 This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, holy be your name,

10 your kingdom come and your will be done, on earth as in heaven.

11 Give us today the kind of bread we need.

12 Forgive us our debts just as we have forgiven those who are in debt to us.

13 Do not bring us to the test but deliver us from the evil one.

14 If you forgive others their wrongs, your Father in heaven will also forgive yours.

15 If you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive you either.

Catholic Mass Readings For Wednesday, June 18, 2014

FIRST READING: 2 Kings 2: 1, 6 - 14

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1 Yahweh took Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. It happened this way: Elijah and Elisha had left Gilgal.

6 Elijah said once more to Elisha, "Stay here, I beg you, for Yahweh is only sending me to the Jordan." But Elisha answered, "I swear by Yahweh and by your life that I will never leave you." And as they went on their way,

7 fifty fellow prophets of Jericho followed them at a certain distance.

When Elijah and Elisha stood by the Jordan

8 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it, and struck the water with it. The water parted to both sides and they crossed over on dry ground.

9 After they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, "What shall I do for you before I am taken away from you? Ask me." Elisha said, "Grant that I may have the best of your spirit."

10 Elijah answered, "Your request is most difficult. Yet if you see me while I am being taken from you, then you shall have it. But if not, you shall not have it."

11 As they were talking on the way, a chariot of fire with horses of fire stood between them, and Elijah was taken up to heaven in a whirlwind.

12 Elisha saw him and cried out, "Father, my father, chariots of Israel and its horsemen!"

When Elisha lost sight of him, he took hold of his own clothes and tore them.

13 He then picked up the mantle which had fallen from Elijah and returned to the banks of the Jordan.

14 There he struck the water with the mantle, but it did not part. So he asked, "Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?" And as he struck the water again it parted. Elisha crossed over.

PSALM: Psalms 31: 20 - 21, 24

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20 How great is the goodness which you have stored for those who fear you, which you show, for all to see, to those who take refuge in you!

21 In the shelter of your presence you hide them from human wiles; you keep them in your dwelling, safe from the intrigues of wagging tongues.

24 Love the Lord, all you his saints! The Lord preserves his faithful, but he fully requites the arrogant.

GOSPEL: Matthew 6: 1 - 6, 16 - 18

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1 Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven.

2 When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have been already paid in full.

3 If you give something to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,

4 so that your gift remains really secret. Your Father who sees what is kept secret, will reward you.

5 When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen. They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full.

6 When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you.

16 When you fast, do not put on a miserable face as do the hypocrites. They put on a gloomy face, so people can see they are fasting. I tell you this: they have been paid in full already.

17 When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful,

18 because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret will reward you.

Catholic Mass Readings For Tuesday, June 17, 2014

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 21: 17 - 29

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17 Then Yahweh spoke to Elijah of Tishbe,

18 "Go down to meet Ahab, king of Israel, in Samaria. He is taking possession of the vineyard of Naboth.

19 Say to him: 'Have you killed and have taken possession at the same time?' Then give him this word of mine: 'Dogs shall lick your blood in the very place where the dogs licked the blood of Naboth.'"

20 Ahab then said to Elijah, "Who, better than my enemy, could find me here and now!" Elijah answered, "I have come to you because you have done what Yahweh abhors.

21 This is Yahweh's word: I will bring disgrace on you. I will sweep you away and cut off every male of your family, from the lowliest to the greatest.

22 Your family will disappear like the families of Jeroboam and Baasa, because you have offended me and have dragged Israel into sin.

23 There is another word of Yahweh to Jezebel: 'The dogs shall devour Jezebel within the territory of Jezreel.'

24 If anyone of Ahab's line dies in the city, he shall be devoured by dogs; if in the green country, the birds of the air shall feed on him."

25 There was no one like Ahab, urged by his wife Jezebel, in doing what Yahweh abhorred.

26 He did horrible things and ran after unclean idols just as the Amorites had done, from whom Yahweh had taken the land to give it to Israel.

27 On hearing these words, Ahab tore his clothes and put on sackcloth. He fasted as he lay in sackcloth and moved around despondently.

28 Then Yahweh said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself?

29 Because of this I will not bring about the disaster during his reign; during his son's reign disgrace will fall on his family."

PSALM: Psalms 51: 3 - 6, 11, 16

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3 Have mercy on me, O God, in your love. In your great compassion blot out my sin.

4 Wash me thoroughly of my guilt; cleanse me of evil.

5 For I acknowledge my wrongdoings and have my sins ever in mind.

6 Against you alone have I sinned; what is evil in your sight I have done. You are right when you pass sentence and blameless in your judgment.

11 Turn your face away from my sins and blot out all my offenses.

16 Deliver me, O God, from the guilt of blood, and of your justice I shall sing aloud.

GOSPEL: Matthew 5: 43 - 48

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43 You have heard that it was said: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy.

44 But this I tell you: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you,

45 so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good, and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust.

46 If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much?

47 And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much?

48 For your part you shall be righteous and perfect in the way your heavenly Father is righteous and perfect.