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Saturday, October 26, 2013

Sunday Catholic Mass Readings For October 27, 2013

"The Pharisee and the Publican" -- by James Tissot
"The Pharisee and the Publican" -- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Sirach 35: 12 - 14, 16 - 18

12 And look not upon an unjust sacrifice, for the Lord is judge, and there is not with him respect of person.
13 The Lord will not accept any person against a poor man, and he will hear the prayer of him that is wronged.
14 He will not despise the prayers of the fatherless; nor the widow, when she poureth out her complaint.
16 For from the cheek they go up even to heaven, and the Lord that heareth will not be delighted with them.
17 He that adoreth God with joy, shall be accepted, and his prayer shall approach even to the clouds.
18 The prayer of him that humbleth himself, shall pierce the clouds: and till it come nigh he will not be comforted: and he will not depart till the most High behold. And the Lord will not be slack, but will judge for the just, and will do judgment.

PSALM: Psalms 34: 2 - 3, 17 - 19, 23

2 I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall be always in my mouth.
3 In the Lord shall my soul be praised: let the meek hear and rejoice.
17 But the countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil things: to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
18 The just cried, and the Lord heard them: and delivered them out of all their troubles.
19 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will save the humble of spirit.
23 The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall offend.

SECOND READING: 2 Timothy 4: 6 - 8, 16 - 18

6 For I am even now ready to be sacrificed: and the time of my dissolution is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.
8 As to the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord the just judge will render to me in that day: and not only to me, but to them also that love his coming. Make haste to come to me quickly.
16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all forsook me: may it not be laid to their charge.
17 But the Lord stood by me, and strengthened me, that by me the preaching may be accomplished, and that all the Gentiles may hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion.
18 The Lord hath delivered me from every evil work: and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

GOSPEL: Luke 18: 9 - 14

9 And to some who trusted in themselves as just, and despised others, he spoke also this parable:
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican.
12 I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O God, be merciful to me a sinner.
14 I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather than the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.


Catholic Mass Readings For Saturday, October 26, 2013

"The Tower of Siloam" -- by James Tissot (1886-1896)
"The Tower of Siloam" -- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Romans 8: 1 - 11

1 There is now therefore no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not according to the flesh.
2 For the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus, hath delivered me from the law of sin and of death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh; God sending his own Son, in the likeness of sinful flesh and of sin, hath condemned sin in the flesh;
4 That the justification of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh, but according to the spirit.
5 For they that are according to the flesh, mind the things that are of the flesh; but they that are according to the spirit, mind the things that are of the spirit.
6 For the wisdom of the flesh is death; but the wisdom of the spirit is life and peace.
7 Because the wisdom of the flesh is an enemy to God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can it be.
8 And they who are in the flesh, cannot please God.
9 But you are not in the flesh, but in the spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body indeed is dead, because of sin; but the spirit liveth, because of justification.
11 And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you; he that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead, shall quicken also your mortal bodies, because of his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

PSALM: Psalms 24: 1 - 6

1 The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof: the world, and all they that dwell therein.
2 For he hath founded it upon the seas; and hath prepared it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend into the mountain of the Lord: or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 The innocent in hands, and clean of heart, who hath not taken his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbour.
5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Saviour.
6 This is the generation of them that seek him, of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob.

GOSPEL: Luke 13: 1 - 9

1 And there were present, at that very time, some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And he answering, said to them: Think you that these Galileans were sinners above all the men of Galilee, because they suffered such things?
3 No, I say to you: but unless you shall do penance, you shall all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen upon whom the tower fell in Siloe, and slew them: think you, that they also were debtors above all the men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 No, I say to you; but except you do penance, you shall all likewise perish.
6 He spoke also this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none.
7 And he said to the dresser of the vineyard: Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it done therefore: why cumbereth it the ground?
8 But he answering, said to him: Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig about it, and dung it.
9 And if happily it bear fruit: but if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.



Thursday, October 24, 2013

Catholic Mass Readings For Friday, October 25, 2013

Icon of Christ

FIRST READING: Romans 7: 18 - 25

18 For I know that there dwelleth not in me, that is to say, in my flesh, that which is good. For to will, is present with me; but to accomplish that which is good, I find not.
19 For the good which I will, I do not; but the evil which I will not, that I do.
20 Now if I do that which I will not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
21 I find then a law, that when I have a will to do good, evil is present with me.
22 For I am delighted with the law of God, according to the inward man:
23 But I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind, and captivating me in the law of sin, that is in my members.
24 Unhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?
25 The grace of God, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Therefore, I myself, with the mind serve the law of God; but with the flesh, the law of sin.

PSALM: Psalms 119: 66, 68, 76 - 77, 93 - 94

66 Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge; for I have believed thy commandments.
68 Thou art good; and in thy goodness teach me thy justifications.
76 O! let thy mercy be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
77 Let thy tender mercies come unto me, and I shall live: for thy law is my meditation.
93 Thy justifications I will never forget: for by them thou hast given me life.
94 I am thine, save thou me: for I have sought thy justifications.

GOSPEL: Luke 12: 54 - 59

54 And he said also to the multitudes: When you see a cloud rising from the west, presently you say: A shower is coming: and so it happeneth:
55 And when ye see the south wind blow, you say: There will be heat: and it cometh to pass.
56 You hypocrites, you know how to discern the face of the heaven and of the earth: but how is it that you do not discern this time?
57 And why even of yourselves, do you not judge that which is just?
58 And when thou goest with thy adversary to the prince, whilst thou art in the way, endeavour to be delivered from him: lest perhaps he draw thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the exacter, and the exacter cast thee into prison.
59 I say to thee, thou shalt not go out thence, until thou pay the very last mite.


Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Catholic Mass Readings For Thursday, October 24, 2013

Jesus Christ - detail from Deesis mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul

FIRST READING: Romans 6: 19 - 23

19 I speak a human thing, because of the infirmity of your flesh. For as you have yielded your members to serve uncleanness and iniquity, unto iniquity; so now yield your members to serve justice, unto sanctification.
20 For when you were the servants of sin, you were free men to justice.
21 What fruit therefore had you then in those things, of which you are now ashamed? For the end of them is death.
22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit unto sanctification, and the end life everlasting.
23 For the wages of sin is death. But the grace of God, life everlasting, in Christ Jesus our Lord.

PSALM: Psalms 1: 1 - 4, 6

1 Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence.
2 But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring forth its fruit, in due season. And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.
4 Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the earth.
6 For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.

GOSPEL: Luke 12: 49 - 53

49 I am come to cast fire on the earth; and what will I, but that it be kindled?
50 And I have a baptism wherewith I am to be baptized: and how am I straitened until it be accomplished?
51 Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.
52 For there shall be from henceforth five in one house divided: three against two, and two against three.
53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against his father, the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother, the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.