Catholic Mass Readings For Friday, July 25, 2014

"Saint James Major" -- by James Tisso

Feast of Saint James, Apostle

FIRST READING: 2 Corinthians 4: 7 - 15

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7 However, we carry this treasure in vessels of clay, so that this all-surpassing power may not be seen as ours but as God's.

8 Trials of every sort come to us, but we are not discouraged.

9 We are left without answer, but do not despair; persecuted but not abandoned, knocked down but not crushed.

10 At any moment we carry in our person the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in us.

11 For we, the living, are given up continually to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may appear in our mortal existence.

12 And as death is at work in us, life comes to you.

13 We have received the same spirit of faith referred to in Scripture that says: I believed and so I spoke. We also believe and so we speak.

14 We know that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and bring us, with you, into his presence.

15 Finally, everything is for your good, so that grace will come more abundantly upon you and great will be the thanksgiving for the glory of God.

PSALM: Psalms 126: 1 - 6

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1 When the Lord brought the exiles back to Zion, we were like those moving in a dream.

2 Then our mouths were filled with laughter, and our tongues with songs of joy. Among the nations it was said, "The Lord has done great things for them."

3 The Lord had done great things for us, and we were glad indeed.

4 Bring back our exiles, O Lord, like fresh streams in the desert.

5 Those who sow in tears will reap with songs and shouts of joy.

6 They went forth weeping, bearing the seeds for sowing, they will come home with joyful shouts, bringing their harvested sheaves.

GOSPEL: Matthew 20: 20 - 28

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20 Then the mother of James and John came to Jesus with her sons, and she knelt down to ask a favor.

21 Jesus said to her, "What do you want?" And she answered, "Here you have my two sons. Grant that they may sit, one at your right and one at your left, when you are in your kingdom."

22 Jesus said to the brothers, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They answered, "We can."

23 Jesus replied, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right or at my left is not for me to grant. That will be for those for whom the Father has prepared it."

24 The other ten heard all this and were angry with the two brothers.

25 Then Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations act as tyrants, and the powerful oppress them.

26 It shall not be so among you; whoever wants to be more important in your group shall make himself your servant.

27 And if you want to be first make yourself the servant of all.

28 Be like the Son of Man who has come, not to be served but to serve and to give his life to redeem many."

Catholic Mass Readings For Thursday, July 24, 2014

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 2: 1 - 3, 7 - 8, 12 - 13

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1 A word of Yahweh came to me,

2 "Go and shout this in the hearing of Jerusalem. This is Yahweh's word: I remember your kindness as a youth, the love of your bridal days, when you followed me in the wilderness, through a land not sown.

3 Israel was holy to Yahweh, the first-fruits of his harvest. All who ate of it had to pay and misfortune fell on them - it is Yahweh who speaks.

7 I brought you to a fertile land to eat of the choicest fruit. As soon as you came you defiled my land and dishonored my heritage!

8 The priests did not ask, 'Where is Yahweh?' The masters of my teaching did not know me; the pastors of my people betrayed me; the prophets followed worthless idols and spoke in the name of Baal.

12 Be aghast at that, O heavens! Shudder, be utterly appalled - it is Yahweh who speaks -

13 for my people have done two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, to dig for themselves leaking cisterns that hold no water!

PSALM: Psalms 36: 6 - 11

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6 Your love, O God, reaches the heavens; your faithfulness, to the clouds.

7 Your justice is like the mighty mountains; your judgment like the unfathomable deep. You preserve, O Lord, humans and beasts.

8 How precious, O God, is your constant love! Mortals take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

9 In your house they find rich food and they drink from your spring of delight,

10 for with you is the fountain of life. In your light we see light.

11 Bestow on your faithful your love and give salvation to the upright of heart.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 10 - 17

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10 Then his disciples came to him with the question, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"

11 Jesus answered, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but not to these people.

12 For the one who has, will be given more and he will have in abundance. But the one who does not have will be deprived of even what he has.

13 That is why I speak to them in parables, because they look and do not see; they hear, but they do not listen or understand.

14 In them the words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled: Much as you hear, you do not understand; much as you see, you do not perceive.

15 For the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears hardly hear and their eyes dare not see. If they were to see with their eyes, hear with their ears and understand with their heart, they would turn back and I would heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear.

17 For I tell you that many prophets and upright people would have longed to see the things you see, but they did not, and to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear it.

Catholic Mass Readings For Wednesday, July 23, 2014

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 1: 1, 4 - 10

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1 These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

4 A word of Yahweh came to me,

5 "Even before I formed you in the womb I have known you; even before you were born I had set you apart, and appointed you a prophet to the nations!"

6 I said, "Ah, Lord Yahweh! I do not know how to speak; I am still young!"

7 But Yahweh replied, "Do not say; 'I am still young', for now you will go whatever be the mission I am entrusting to you, and you will speak of whatever I command you to say.

8 Do not be afraid of them, for I will be with you to protect you - it is Yahweh who speaks!"

9 Then Yahweh stretched out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, "Now I have put my words in your mouth.

10 See! Today I give you authority over nations and over kingdoms to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant."

PSALM: Psalms 71: 1 - 6, 15, 17

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1 In you, O Lord, I seek refuge; let me not be disgraced.

2 In your justice help me and deliver me, turn your ear to me and save me!

3 Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress.

4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of cruel and violent people.

5 For you, O Lord, have been my hope, my trust, O God, from my youth.

6 I have relied on you from birth: from my mother's womb you brought me forth. My praise is of you continually.

15 My lips will proclaim your intervention and tell of your salvation all day, little though it is what I can understand.

17 You have taught me from my youth and until now I proclaim your marvels.

GOSPEL: Matthew 13: 1 - 9

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1 That same day Jesus left the house and sat down by the lakeside.

2 As many people gathered around him, he got in a boat. There he sat while the whole crowd stood on the shore,

3 and he spoke to them in parables about many things.

4 Jesus said, "The sower went out to sow and, as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path and the birds came and ate them up.

5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground where there was little soil, and the seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was not deep.

6 But as soon the sun rose the plants were scorched and withered because they had no roots.

7 Again other seeds fell among thistles; and the thistles grew and choked the plants.

8 Still other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop; some produced a hundredfold, others sixty and others thirty.

9 If you have ears, then hear!"