Mass Readings for Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

FIRST READING: Numbers 21: 4 - 9

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4 From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the people became impatient on the way.

5 And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food."

6 Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.

7 And the people came to Moses, and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.

8 And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live."

9 So Moses made a bronze serpent, and set it on a pole; and if a serpent bit any man, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

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

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1 Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth!

2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old,

34 When he slew them, they sought for him; they repented and sought God earnestly.

35 They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer.

36 But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues.

37 Their heart was not steadfast toward him; they were not true to his covenant.

38 Yet he, being compassionate, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them; he restrained his anger often, and did not stir up all his wrath.

SECOND READING: Philippians 2: 6 - 11

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6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

GOSPEL: John 3: 13 - 17

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13 No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.

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

15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

17 For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

Mass Readings for Tuesday, September 13, 2011

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

 Saint John Chrysostom, Bishop, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

FIRST READING: 1 Timothy 3: 1 - 13

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1 The saying is sure: If any one aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble task.

2 Now a bishop must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, dignified, hospitable, an apt teacher,

3 no drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and no lover of money.

4 He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way;

5 for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he care for God's church?

6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil;

7 moreover he must be well thought of by outsiders, or he may fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

8 Deacons likewise must be serious, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for gain;

9 they must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

10 And let them also be tested first; then if they prove themselves blameless let them serve as deacons.

11 The women likewise must be serious, no slanderers, but temperate, faithful in all things.

12 Let deacons be the husband of one wife, and let them manage their children and their households well;

13 for those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.

PSALM: Psalms 101: 1 - 3, 5 - 6

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1 I will sing of loyalty and of justice; to thee, O LORD, I will sing.

2 I will give heed to the way that is blameless. Oh when wilt thou come to me? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house;

3 I will not set before my eyes anything that is base. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cleave to me.

5 Him who slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy. The man of haughty looks and arrogant heart I will not endure.

6 I will look with favor on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he who walks in the way that is blameless shall minister to me.

GOSPEL: Luke 7: 11 - 17

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11 Soon afterward he went to a city called Na'in, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him.

12 As he drew near to the gate of the city, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a large crowd from the city was with her.

13 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep."

14 And he came and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise."

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

16 Fear seized them all; and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!"

17 And this report concerning him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.