Daily Catholic Mass Readings For Wednesday, September 17, 2014

FIRST READING: 1 Corinthians 12: 31; 13: 1 - 10, 13

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31 But be zealous for the better gifts. And I shew unto you yet a more excellent way.

1 If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

4 Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up;

5 Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away.

13 And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.

PSALM: Psalms 33: 2 - 5, 12, 22

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2 Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings.

3 Sing to him a new canticle, sing well unto him with a loud noise.

4 For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness.

5 He loveth mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.

12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance.

22 Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have hoped in thee.

GOSPEL: Luke 7: 31 - 35

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31 And the Lord said: Whereunto then shall I liken the men of this generation? and to what are they like?

32 They are like to children sitting in the marketplace, and speaking one to another, and saying: We have piped to you, and you have not danced: we have mourned, and you have not wept.

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and you say: He hath a devil.

34 The Son of man is come eating and drinking: and you say: Behold a man that is a glutton and a drinker of wine, a friend of publicans and sinners.

35 And wisdom is justified by all her children.

Daily Catholic Mass Readings For Tuesday, September 16, 2014

"The Resurrection of the Widow's Son at Nain"
-- by James Tissot

Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs

FIRST READING: 1 Corinthians 12: 12 - 14, 27 - 31

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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.

14 For the body also is not one member, but many.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members of member.

28 And God indeed hath set some in the church; first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly doctors; after that miracles; then the graces of healing, helps, governments, kinds of tongues, interpretations of speeches.

29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all doctors?

30 Are all workers of miracles? Have all the grace of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

31 But be zealous for the better gifts. And I shew unto you yet a more excellent way.

PSALM: Psalms 100: 1 - 5

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1 Sing joyfully to God, all the earth:

2 serve ye the Lord with gladness. Come in before his presence with exceeding great joy.

3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: he made us, and not we ourselves. We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Go ye into his gates with praise, into his courts with hymns: and give glory to him. Praise ye his name:

5 For the Lord is sweet, his mercy endureth for ever, and his truth to generation and generation.

GOSPEL: Luke 7: 11 - 17

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11 And it came to pass afterwards, that he went into a city that is called Naim; and there went with him his disciples, and a great multitude.

12 And when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold a dead man was carried out, the only son of his mother; and she was a widow: and a great multitude of the city was with her.

13 Whom when the Lord had seen, being moved with mercy towards her, he said to her: Weep not.

14 And he came near and touched the bier. And they that carried it, stood still. And he said: Young man, I say to thee, arise.

15 And he that was dead, sat up, and began to speak. And he gave him to his mother.

16 And there came a fear on them all: and they glorified God, saying: A great prophet is risen up among us: and, God hath visited his people.

17 And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the country round about.

Daily Catholic Mass Readings For Monday, September 15, 2014

"Woman, Behold Thy Son (Stabat Mater)" (left) and "The Sorrowful Mother (Mater Dolorosa)" (right) -- by James Tissot

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

FIRST READING: 1 Corinthians 11: 17 - 26, 33

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17 Now this I ordain: not praising you, that you come together not for the better, but for the worse.

18 For first of all I hear that when you come together in the church, there are schisms among you; and in part I believe it.

19 For there must be also heresies: that they also, who are approved, may be made manifest among you.

20 When you come therefore together into one place, it is not now to eat the Lord's supper.

21 For every one taketh before his own supper to eat. And one indeed is hungry and another is drunk.

22 What, have you not houses to eat and to drink in? Or despise ye the church of God; and put them to shame that have not? What shall I say to you? Do I praise you? In this I praise you not.

23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread.

24 And giving thanks, broke, and said: Take ye, and eat: this is my body, which shall be delivered for you: this do for the commemoration of me.

25 In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me.

26 For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come.

33 Wherefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

PSALM: Psalms 40: 7 - 10, 17

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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.

17 Let all that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say always: The Lord be magnified.

OPTIONAL SEQUENCE: Stabat Mater

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At the cross her station keeping,

Stood the mournful Mother weeping,

Close to Jesus to the last.

Through her heart, his sorrow sharing,

All his bitter anguish bearing,

Now at length the sword had passed.

Oh, how sad and sore distressed

Was that Mother highly blessed

Of the sole begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs,

She beneath beholds the pangs

Of her dying, glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,

‘Whelmed in miseries so deep,

Christ’s dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain

From partaking in her pain,

In that mother’s pain untold?

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled,

She beheld her tender Child,

All with bloody scourges rent.

For the sins of his own nation

Saw him hang in desolation

Till his spirit forth he sent.

O sweet Mother! font of love,

Touch my spirit from above,

Make my heart with yours accord.

Make me feel as you have felt;

Make my soul to glow and melt

With the love of Christ, my Lord.

Holy Mother, pierce me through,

In my heart each wound renew

Of my Savior crucified.

Let me share with you his pain,

Who for all our sins was slain,

Who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with you,

Mourning him who mourned for me,

All the days that I may live.

By the cross with you to stay,

There with you to weep and pray,

Is all I ask of you to give.

Virgin of all virgins blest!

Listen to my fond request:

Let me share your grief divine.

Let me to my latest breath,

In my body bear the death

Of that dying Son of yours.

GOSPEL: John 19: 25 - 27 OR Luke 2: 33 - 35

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25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus, his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen.

26 When Jesus therefore had seen his mother and the disciple standing whom he loved, he saith to his mother: Woman, behold thy son.

27 After that, he saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.

OR

33 And his father and mother were wondering at those things which were spoken concerning him.

34 And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother: Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted;

35 And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.

Sunday Catholic Mass Readings For September 14, 2014

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

FIRST READING: Numbers 21: 4 - 9

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4 And they marched from mount Hor, by the way that leadeth to the Red Sea, to compass the land of Edom. And the people began to be weary of their journey and labour:

5 And speaking against God and Moses, they said: Why didst thou bring us out of Egypt, to die in the wilderness? There is no bread, nor have we any waters: our soul now loatheth this very light food.

6 Wherefore the Lord sent among the people fiery serpents, which bit them and killed many of them.

7 Upon which they came to Moses, and said: We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and thee: pray that he may take away these serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

8 And the Lord said to him: Make brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign: whosoever being struck shall look on it, shall live.

9 Moses therefore made a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign: which when they that were bitten looked upon, they were healed.

PSALM: Psalms 78: 1 - 2, 34 - 38

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1 Attend, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

2 I will open my mouth in parables: I will utter propositions from the beginning.

34 When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned, and came to him early in the morning.

35 And they remembered that God was their helper: and the most high God their redeemer.

36 And they loved him with their mouth: and with their tongue they lied unto him:

37 But their heart was not right with him: nor were they counted faithful in his covenant.

38 But he is merciful, and will forgive their sins: and will not destroy them. And many a time did he turn away his anger: and did not kindle all his wrath.

SECOND READING: Philippians 2: 6 - 11

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6 Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man.

8 He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.

9 For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all names:

10 That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth:

11 And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.

GOSPEL: John 3: 13 - 17

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13 And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him, may not perish; but may have life everlasting.

16 For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that the world may be saved by him.