Mass Readings for Saturday, November 10, 2012

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope, Father of the Church, and Doctor of the Church

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.

Mass Readings for Friday, November 09, 2012

"With Passover Approaching, Jesus Goes Up to Jerusalem" -- by James Tissot

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

FIRST READING: Ezekiel 47: 1 - 2, 8 - 9, 12

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1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar.

2 Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me round on the outside to the outer gate, that faces toward the east; and the water was coming out on the south side.

8 And he said to me, "This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah; and when it enters the stagnant waters of the sea, the water will become fresh.

9 And wherever the river goes every living creature which swarms will live, and there will be very many fish; for this water goes there, that the waters of the sea may become fresh; so everything will live where the river goes.

12 And on the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing."

PSALM: Psalms 46: 2 - 3, 5 - 6, 8 - 9

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2 Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;

3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. [Selah]

5 God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God will help her right early.

6 The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts.

8 Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has wrought desolations in the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear, he burns the chariots with fire!

SECOND READING: 1 Corinthians 3: 9 - 11, 16 - 17

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9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.

10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and another man is building upon it. Let each man take care how he builds upon it.

11 For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

16 Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?

17 If any one destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and that temple you are.

GOSPEL: John 2: 13 - 22

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13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers at their business.

15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all, with the sheep and oxen, out of the temple; and he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.

16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade."

17 His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for thy house will consume me."

18 The Jews then said to him, "What sign have you to show us for doing this?"

19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

20 The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"

21 But he spoke of the temple of his body.

22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.

Mass Readings for Thursday, November 08, 2012

FIRST READING: Philippians 3: 3 - 8

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3 For we are the true circumcision, who worship God in spirit, and glory in Christ Jesus, and put no confidence in the flesh.

4 Though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If any other man thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:

5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law a Pharisee,

6 as to zeal a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law blameless.

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

8 Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as refuse, in order that I may gain Christ.

PSALM: Psalms 105: 2 - 7

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2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works!

3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!

4 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his presence continually!

5 Remember the wonderful works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered,

6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!

7 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

GOSPEL: Luke 15: 1 - 10

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1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.

2 And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."

3 So he told them this parable:

4 "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it?

5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.'

7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

8 "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?

9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.'

10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Mass Readings for Wednesday, November 07, 2012

FIRST READING: Philippians 2: 12 - 18

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12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;

13 for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or questioning,

15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.

17 Even if I am to be poured as a libation upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.

PSALM: Psalms 27: 1, 4, 13 - 14

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1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!

14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the LORD!

GOSPEL: Luke 14: 25 - 33

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25 Now great multitudes accompanied him; and he turned and said to them,

26 "If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.

28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?

29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,

30 saying, `This man began to build, and was not able to finish.'

31 Or what king, going to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and take counsel whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?

32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy and asks terms of peace.

33 So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.