Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Friday, September 1, 2017

"The Foolish Virgins" (top), and
"The Wise Virgins"
-- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: 1 Thessalonians 4: 1- 8

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1 For the rest therefore, brethren, we pray and beseech you in the Lord Jesus, that as you have received from us, how you ought to walk, and to please God, so also you would walk, that you may abound the more.

2 For you know what precepts I have given to you by the Lord Jesus.

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that you should abstain from fornication;

4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour:

5 Not in the passion of lust, like the Gentiles that know not God:

6 And that no man overreach, nor circumvent his brother in business: because the Lord is the avenger of all these things, as we have told you before, and have testified.

7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto sanctification.

8 Therefore, he that despiseth these things, despiseth not man, but God, who also hath given his holy Spirit in us.

PSALM: Psalms 97: 1 – 2, 5- 6, 10 - 12 15, 17

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1 The Lord hath reigned, let the earth rejoice: let many islands be glad.

2 Clouds and darkness are round about him: justice and judgment are the establishment of his throne.

5 The mountains melted like wax, at the presence of the Lord: at the presence of the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens declared his justice: and all people saw his glory.

10 You that love the Lord, hate evil: the Lord preserveth the souls of his saints, he will deliver them out of the hand of the sinner.

11 Light is risen to the just, and joy to the right of heart.

12 Rejoice, ye just, in the Lord: and give praise to the remembrance of his holiness.

GOSPEL: Matthew 25: 1 - 13

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1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.

2 And five of them were foolish, and five wise.

3 But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them:

4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps.

5 And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.

6 And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him.

7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.

8 And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.

9 The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.

10 Now whilst they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.

11 But at last come also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not.

13 Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour.

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Thursday, August 31, 2017

FIRST READING: 1 Thessalonians 3: 7- 13

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7 Therefore we were comforted, brethren, in you, in all our necessity and tribulation, by your faith,

8 Because now we live, if you stand in the Lord.

9 For what thanks can we return to God for you, in all the joy wherewith we rejoice for you before our God,

10 Night and day more abundantly praying that we may see your face, and may accomplish those things that are wanting to your faith?

11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

12 And may the Lord multiply you, and make you abound in charity towards one another, and towards all men: as we do also towards you,

13 To confirm your hearts without blame, in holiness, before God and our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all his saints. Amen.

PSALM: Psalms 90: 3 – 5, 12 – 14, 17

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3 Turn not man away to be brought low: and thou hast said: Be converted, O ye sons of men.

4 For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past. And as a watch in the night,

5 Things that are counted nothing, shall their years be.

12 Can number thy wrath? So make thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord, how long? and be entreated in favour of thy servants.

14 We are filled in the morning with thy mercy: and we have rejoiced, and are delighted all our days.

17 And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do thou direct.

GOSPEL: Matthew 24: 42 – 51

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42 Watch ye therefore, because ye know not what hour your Lord will come.

43 But know this ye, that if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open.

44 Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come.

45 Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season.

46 Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing.

47 Amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.

48 But if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord is long a coming:

49 And shall begin to strike his fellow servants, and shall eat and drink with drunkards:

50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day that he hopeth not, and at an hour that he knoweth not:

51 And shall separate him, and appoint his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Feast Day of Saint Jeanne Jugan

FIRST READING: 1 Thessalonians 2: 9 - 13

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9 For you remember, brethren, our labour and toil: working night and day, lest we should be chargeable to any of you, we preached among you the gospel of God.

10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and without blame, we have been to you that have believed:

11 As you know in what manner, entreating and comforting you, (as a father doth his children,)

12 We testified to every one of you, that you would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

13 Therefore, we also give thanks to God without ceasing: because, that when you had received of us the word of the hearing of God, you received it not as the word of men, but (as it is indeed) the word of God, who worketh in you that have believed.

PSALM: Psalms 139: 7 – 12

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7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy face?

8 If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I descend into hell, thou art present.

9 If I take my wings early in the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea:

10 Even there also shall thy hand lead me: and thy right hand shall hold me.

11 And I said: Perhaps darkness shall cover me: and night shall be my light in my pleasures.

12 But darkness shall not be dark to thee, and night shall be light as day: the darkness thereof, and the light thereof are alike to thee.

GOSPEL: Matthew 23: 27 - 32

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27 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you are like to whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all filthiness.

28 So you also outwardly indeed appear to men just; but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

29 Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; that build the sepulchres of the prophets, and adorn the monuments of the just,

30 And say: If we had been in the days of our Fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

31 Wherefore you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons of them that killed the prophets.

32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

Daily Catholic Mass Readings for Tuesday, August 29, 2017

"The Head of Saint John the Baptist on a Charger"
-- by James Tissot

Memorial of The Passion of Saint John the Baptist

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 1: 17 - 19

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17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee. Be not afraid at their presence: for I will make thee not to fear their countenance.

18 For behold I have made thee this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass, over all the land, to the kings of Juda, to the princes thereof, and to the priests, and to the people of the land.

19 And they shall fight against thee, and shall not prevail: for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.

PSALM: Psalms 71: 1 – 6, 15, 17

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1 In thee, O Lord, I have hoped, let me never be put to confusion:

2 Deliver me in thy justice, and rescue me. Incline thy ear unto me, and save me.

3 Be thou unto me a God, a protector, and a place of strength: that thou mayst make me safe. For thou art my firmament and my refuge.

4 Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the sinner, and out of the hand of the transgressor of the law and of the unjust.

5 For thou art my patience, O Lord: my hope, O Lord, from my youth;

6 By thee have I been confirmed from the womb: from my mother's womb thou art my protector. Of thee shall I continually sing:

15 My mouth shall shew forth thy justice; thy salvation all the day long. Because I have not known learning,

17 Thou hast taught me, O God, from my youth: and till now I will declare thy wonderful works.

GOSPEL: Mark 6: 17 - 29

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17 For Herod himself had sent and apprehended John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her.

18 For John said to Herod: It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

19 Now Herodias laid snares for him: and was desirous to put him to death, and could not.

20 For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man: and kept him, and when he heard him, did many things: and he heard him willingly.

21 And when a convenient day was come, Herod made a supper for his birthday, for the princes, and tribunes, and chief men of Galilee.

22 And when the daughter of the same Herodias had come in, and had danced, and pleased Herod, and them that were at table with him, the king said to the damsel: Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

23 And he swore to her: Whatsoever thou shalt ask I will give thee, though it be the half of my kingdom.

24 Who when she was gone out, said to her mother, What shall I ask? But she said: The head of John the Baptist.

25 And when she was come in immediately with haste to the king, she asked, saying: I will that forthwith thou give me in a dish, the head of John the Baptist.

26 And the king was struck sad. Yet because of his oath, and because of them that were with him at table, he would not displease her:

27 But sending an executioner, he commanded that his head should be brought in a dish.

28 And he beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a dish: and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother.

29 Which his disciples hearing came, and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.