Catholic Mass Readings For Monday, July 28, 2014

Mustard Seed

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 13: 1 - 11

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1 This is what Yahweh said to me: "Go! Buy yourself a linen belt and put it around your waist; do not put it in water."

2 So I bought the belt as Yahweh ordered and put it around my waist.

3 The word of Yahweh came to me a second time,

4 "Take the belt you bought, the one you put around your waist, and go to the torrent Perah; hide it there in a hole in the rock."

5 I went and hid it as Yahweh instructed me.

6 After many days Yahweh said to me, "Go to the torrent Perah and get the belt I ordered you to hide there."

7 I went to the torrent and dug up the belt but it was ruined and good for nothing,

8 and Yahweh said to me,

9 "In this way I will destroy the pride and great glory of Judah,

10 this wicked people who refuse to heed what I say, this stubborn people who go after other gods to serve and worship them. And they shall become like this belt which is now good for nothing.

11 For just as a belt is to be bound around a man's waist so was the people of Israel and Judah bound to me - it is Yahweh who speaks - to be my people, my glory and my honor; but they would not listen.

PSALM: Deuteronomy 32: 18 - 21

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18 They have disowned the Rock who fathered them; they have forgotten the God who gave them birth.

19 The Lord saw this, and in his anger rejected his sons and daughters.

20 He said, "I will hide my face from them and see what will become of them. They are so perverse, so unfaithful!

21 They made me jealous with their false gods and angered me with their idols. I will, therefore, make them envious of a foolish people, I will provoke them to anger with an empty-headed nation.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 31 - 35

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31 Jesus put another parable before them, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, that a man took and sowed in his field.

32 It is smaller than all other seeds, but once it has fully grown, it is bigger than any garden plant; like a tree, the birds come and rest in its branches."

33 He told them another parable, "The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast which a woman took and buried in three measures of flour until the whole mass of dough began to rise."

34 Jesus taught all this to the crowds by means of parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.

35 So what the Prophet had said was fulfilled: I will speak in parables. I will proclaim things kept secret since the beginning of the world.

Sunday Catholic Mass Readings For July 27, 2014

"The Hidden Treasure" -- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 3: 5, 7 - 12

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5 It was in Gibeon, during the night, that Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, "Ask what you want me to give you."

7 And now, O Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a young boy who does not know how to undertake anything.

8 Meantime, your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen - a people so great that they can neither be numbered nor counted.

9 Give me, therefore, an understanding mind in governing your people that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this multitude of people of yours?"

10 Yahweh was pleased that Solomon had made this request.

11 And he told him, "Because you have requested this rather than long life or wealth or even vengeance on your enemies; indeed, because you have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right,

12 I shall grant you your request. I now give you a wise and discerning mind such as no one has had before you nor anyone after you shall ever have.

PSALM: Psalms 119: 57, 72, 76 - 77, 127 - 130

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57 You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey your word.

72 Your law is more precious to me than heaps of silver and gold.

76 Comfort me then with your unfailing love, as you promised your servant.

77 Let your mercy come to give me life, for your law is my delight.

127 I love your commandments more than gold - the finest gold.

128 Because my steps are guided by your precepts, I hate all false ways.

129 Wonderful are your decrees; my soul cannot but keep them.

130 As your words unfold, light is shed, and the simple-hearted understand.

SECOND READING: Romans 8: 28 - 30

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28 We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him, whom he has called according to his plan.

29 Those whom he knew beforehand, he has also predestined to be like his Son, similar to him, so that he may be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

30 And so, those whom God predestined he called, and those whom he called he makes righteous, and to those whom he makes righteous he will give his Glory.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 44 - 52 OR Matthew 13: 44 - 46

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44 The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. The one who finds it buries it again; and so happy is he, that he goes and sells everything he has, in order to buy that field.

45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who is looking for fine pearls.

46 Once he has found a pearl of exceptional quality, he goes away, sells everything he has and buys it.

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a big fishing net let down into the sea, in which every kind of fish has been caught.

48 When the net is full, it is dragged ashore. Then they sit down and gather the good fish in buckets, but throw the worthless ones away.

49 That is how it will be at the end of time; the angels will go out to separate the wicked from the just

50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where they will weep and gnash their teeth."

51 Jesus asked, "Have you understood all these things?" "Yes," they answered.

52 So he said to them, "You will see that every teacher of the Law who becomes a disciple of the Kingdom is like a householder who can produce from his store things both new and old."

OR

44 The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. The one who finds it buries it again; and so happy is he, that he goes and sells everything he has, in order to buy that field.

45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who is looking for fine pearls.

46 Once he has found a pearl of exceptional quality, he goes away, sells everything he has and buys it.

Catholic Mass Readings For Saturday, July 26, 2014

Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 7: 1 - 11

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1 These words were spoken by Yahweh, to Jeremiah,

2 "Stand at the gate of Yahweh's house and proclaim this in a loud voice: Listen to what Yahweh says, all you people of Judah (who enter these gates to worship Yahweh).

3 Yahweh the God of Israel says this:

Amend your ways and your deeds and I will stay with you in this place.

4 Rely not on empty words such as: "Look, the Temple of Yahweh! the Temple of Yahweh! This is the Temple of Yahweh!"

5 It is far better for you to amend your ways and act justly with all.

6 Do not abuse the stranger, orphan or widow or shed innocent blood in this place or follow false gods to your own ruin.

7 Then I will stay with you in this place, in the land I gave to your forefathers in times past and forever.

8 But you trust in deceptive and useless words.

9 You steal, kill, take the wife of your neighbor; you swear falsely, worship Baal and follow foreign gods who are not yours.

10 Then, after doing all these horrible things, you come and stand before me in this temple that bears my Name and say, "Now we are safe."

11 Is this house on which rests my Name a den of thieves? I have seen this myself - it is Yahweh who speaks.

PSALM: Psalms 84: 3 - 6, 8, 11

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3 My soul yearns, pines, for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.

4 Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest where she may lay her young, at your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God!

5 Happy are those who live in your house, continually singing your praise!

6 Happy the pilgrims whom you strengthen, to make the ascent to you.

8 They go from strength to strength till they appear before God in Zion.

11 One day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be left at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 24 - 30

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24 Jesus told them another parable, "The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

25 While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and left.

26 When the plants sprouted and produced grain, the weeds also appeared.

27 Then the servants of the owner came to him and said: 'Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?'

28 He answered them: 'This is the work of an enemy.' They asked him: 'Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?'

29 He told them: 'No, when you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat with them.

30 Let them just grow together until harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the workers: Pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them; then gather the wheat into my barn."

Catholic Mass Readings For Friday, July 25, 2014

"Saint James Major" -- by James Tisso

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

FIRST READING: 2 Corinthians 4: 7 - 15

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7 However, we carry this treasure in vessels of clay, so that this all-surpassing power may not be seen as ours but as God's.

8 Trials of every sort come to us, but we are not discouraged.

9 We are left without answer, but do not despair; persecuted but not abandoned, knocked down but not crushed.

10 At any moment we carry in our person the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in us.

11 For we, the living, are given up continually to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may appear in our mortal existence.

12 And as death is at work in us, life comes to you.

13 We have received the same spirit of faith referred to in Scripture that says: I believed and so I spoke. We also believe and so we speak.

14 We know that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and bring us, with you, into his presence.

15 Finally, everything is for your good, so that grace will come more abundantly upon you and great will be the thanksgiving for the glory of God.

PSALM: Psalms 126: 1 - 6

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1 When the Lord brought the exiles back to Zion, we were like those moving in a dream.

2 Then our mouths were filled with laughter, and our tongues with songs of joy. Among the nations it was said, "The Lord has done great things for them."

3 The Lord had done great things for us, and we were glad indeed.

4 Bring back our exiles, O Lord, like fresh streams in the desert.

5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs and shouts of joy.

6 They went forth weeping, bearing the seeds for sowing, they will come home with joyful shouts, bringing their harvested sheaves.

GOSPEL: Matthew 20: 20 - 28

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20 Then the mother of James and John came to Jesus with her sons, and she knelt down to ask a favor.

21 Jesus said to her, "What do you want?" And she answered, "Here you have my two sons. Grant that they may sit, one at your right and one at your left, when you are in your kingdom."

22 Jesus said to the brothers, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They answered, "We can."

23 Jesus replied, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right or at my left is not for me to grant. That will be for those for whom the Father has prepared it."

24 The other ten heard all this and were angry with the two brothers.

25 Then Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations act as tyrants, and the powerful oppress them.

26 It shall not be so among you; whoever wants to be more important in your group shall make himself your servant.

27 And if you want to be first make yourself the servant of all.

28 Be like the Son of Man who has come, not to be served but to serve and to give his life to redeem many."