Mass Readings For Friday November 17, 2006

St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Patroness of the Third Order (Feast)

FIRST READING: Sirach 26: 1 - 3, 15 - 18, 24 or 1 Timothy 5: 3 - 10

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1 Happy is the husband of a good wife; the number of his days will be doubled.

2 A loyal wife rejoices her husband, and he will complete his years in peace.

3 A good wife is a great blessing; she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord.

15 A modest wife adds charm to charm, and no balance can weigh the value of a chaste soul.

16 Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord, so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home.

17 Like the shining lamp on the holy lampstand, so is a beautiful face on a stately figure.

18 Like pillars of gold on a base of silver, so are beautiful feet with a steadfast heart.

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3 Honor widows who are real widows.

4 If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God.

5 She who is a real widow, and is left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day;

6 whereas she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives.

7 Command this, so that they may be without reproach.

8 If any one does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

9 Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband;

10 and she must be well attested for her good deeds, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, relieved the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way.

PSALM: Psalms 31: 4 - 5, 8 - 9, 20, 24

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4 take me out of the net which is hidden for me, for thou art my refuge.

5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

8 and hast not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; thou hast set my feet in a broad place.

9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief, my soul and my body also.

20 In the covert of thy presence thou hidest them from the plots of men; thou holdest them safe under thy shelter from the strife of tongues.

24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!

GOSPEL: Matthew 25: 31 - 40

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31 "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.

32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,

33 and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left.

34 Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;

35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,

36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'

37 Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink?

38 And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee?

39 And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?'

40 And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'

Mass Readings For Monday November 12, 2006

St. Frances Xavier Cabrini, Virgin (Memorial)

FIRST READING: Titus 1: 1 - 9

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1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to further the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness,

2 in hope of eternal life which God, who never lies, promised ages ago

3 and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by command of God our Savior;

4 To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

5 This is why I left you in Crete, that you might amend what was defective, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you,

6 if any man is blameless, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of being profligate or insubordinate.

7 For a bishop, as God's steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

8 but hospitable, a lover of goodness, master of himself, upright, holy, and self-controlled;

9 he must hold firm to the sure word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to confute those who contradict it.

PSALM: Psalms 24: 1 - 6

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1 The earth is the LORD's and the fulness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein;

2 for he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers.

3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully.

5 He will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of his salvation.

6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. [Selah]

GOSPEL: Luke 17: 1 - 6

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1 And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come; but woe to him by whom they come!

2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung round his neck and he were cast into the sea, than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.

3 Take heed to yourselves; if your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him;

4 and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, and says, `I repent,' you must forgive him."

5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"

6 And the Lord said, "If you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamine tree, `Be rooted up, and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

Mass Readings For Sunday, November 12, 2006

FIRST READING: 1 Kings 17: 10 - 16

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10 So he arose and went to Zar'ephath; and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, "Bring me a little water in a vessel, that I may drink."

11 And as she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, "Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand."

12 And she said, "As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a cruse; and now, I am gathering a couple of sticks, that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die."

13 And Eli'jah said to her, "Fear not; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterward make for yourself and your son.

14 For thus says the LORD the God of Israel, `The jar of meal shall not be spent, and the cruse of oil shall not fail, until the day that the LORD sends rain upon the earth.'"

15 And she went and did as Eli'jah said; and she, and he, and her household ate for many days.

16 The jar of meal was not spent, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD which he spoke by Eli'jah.

PSALM: Psalms 146: 7 - 10

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7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;

8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.

9 The LORD watches over the sojourners, he upholds the widow and the fatherless; but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

10 The LORD will reign for ever, thy God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

SECOND READING: Hebrews 9: 24 - 28

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24 For Christ has entered, not into a sanctuary made with hands, a copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the Holy Place yearly with blood not his own;

26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

27 And just as it is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment,

28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

GOSPEL: Mark 12: 38 - 44 -- OR -- Mark 12: 41 - 44

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38 And in his teaching he said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go about in long robes, and to have salutations in the market places

39 and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts,

40 who devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation."

41 And he sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the multitude putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.

42 And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny.

43 And he called his disciples to him, and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.

44 For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living."

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41 And he sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the multitude putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.

42 And a poor widow came, and put in two copper coins, which make a penny.

43 And he called his disciples to him, and said to them, "Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.

44 For they all contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, her whole living."

Mass Readings For Saturday, November 11, 2006

St. Martin of Tours, Bishop (Memorial)

FIRST READING: Philippians 4: 10 - 19

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10 I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me; you were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.

11 Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content.

12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want.

13 I can do all things in him who strengthens me.

14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.

15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedo'nia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving except you only;

16 for even in Thessaloni'ca you sent me help once and again.

17 Not that I seek the gift; but I seek the fruit which increases to your credit.

18 I have received full payment, and more; I am filled, having received from Epaphrodi'tus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God.

19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

PSALM: Psalms 112: 1 - 2, 5 - 6, 8 - 9

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1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!

2 His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice.

6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered for ever.

8 His heart is steady, he will not be afraid, until he sees his desire on his adversaries.

9 He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures for ever; his horn is exalted in honor.

GOSPEL: Luke 16: 9 - 15

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9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal habitations.

10 "He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and he who is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much.

11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you the true riches?

12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?

13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all this, and they scoffed at him.

15 But he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts; for what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.