Daily Catholic Mass Readings For Monday, September 01, 2014

"Jesus Unrolls the Book in the Synagogue"
-- by James Tissot

Labor Day (U.S.A.)

FIRST READING: 1 Corinthians 2: 1 - 5

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1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not in loftiness of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of Christ.

2 For I judged not myself to know anything among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

4 And my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom, but in shewing of the Spirit and power;

5 That your faith might not stand on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

PSALM: Psalms 119: 97 - 102

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97 O how have I loved thy law, O Lord! it is my meditation all the day.

98 Through thy commandment, thou hast made me wiser than my enemies: for it is ever with me.

99 I have understood more than all my teachers: because thy testimonies are my meditation.

100 I have had understanding above ancients: because I have sought thy commandments.

101 I have restrained my feet from every evil way: that I may keep thy words.

102 I have not declined from thy judgments, because thou hast set me a law.

GOSPEL: Luke 4: 16 - 30

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16 And he came to Nazareth, where he was brought up: and he went into the synagogue, according to his custom, on the sabbath day; and he rose up to read.

17 And the book of Isaias the prophet was delivered unto him. And as he unfolded the book, he found the place where it was written:

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. Wherefore he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the contrite of heart,

19 To preach deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of reward.

20 And when he had folded the book, he restored it to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.

21 And he began to say to them: This day is fulfilled this scripture in your ears.

22 And all gave testimony to him: and they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth, and they said: Is not this the son of Joseph?

23 And he said to them: Doubtless you will say to me this similitude: Physician, heal thyself: as great things as we have heard done in Capharnaum, do also here in thy own country.

24 And he said: Amen I say to you, that no prophet is accepted in his own country.

25 In truth I say to you, there were many widows in the days of Elias in Israel, when heaven was shut up three years and six months, when there was a great famine throughout all the earth.

26 And to none of them was Elias sent, but to Sarepta of Sidon, to a widow woman.

27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet: and none of them was cleansed but Naaman the Syrian.

28 And all they in the synagogue, hearing these things, were filled with anger.

29 And they rose up and thrust him out of the city; and they brought him to the brow of the hill, whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.

30 But he passing through the midst of them, went his way.

Sunday Catholic Mass Readings For August 31, 2014

"Get Thee Behind Me, Satan" -- by James Tissot

FIRST READING: Jeremiah 20: 7 - 9

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7 Thou hast deceived me, O Lord, and I am deceived: thou hast been stronger than I, and thou hast prevailed. I am become a laughing-stock all the day, all scoff at me.

8 For I am speaking now this long time, crying out against iniquity, and I often proclaim devastation: and the word of the Lord is made a reproach to me, and a derision all the day.

9 Then I said: I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name: and there came in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was wearied, not being able to bear it.

PSALM: Psalms 63: 2 - 6, 8 - 9

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2 O God, my God, to thee do I watch at break of day. For thee my soul hath thirsted; for thee my flesh, O how many ways!

3 In a desert land, and where there is no way, and no water: so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, to see thy power and thy glory.

4 For thy mercy is better than lives: thee my lips shall praise.

5 Thus will I bless thee all my life long: and in thy name I will lift up my hands.

6 Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness: and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.

8 Because thou hast been my helper. And I will rejoice under the covert of thy wings:

9 My soul hath stuck close to thee: thy right hand hath received me.

SECOND READING: Romans 12: 1 - 2

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1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world; but be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, and the acceptable, and the perfect will of God.

GOSPEL: Matthew 16: 21 - 27

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21 From that time Jesus began to shew to his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the ancients and scribes and chief priests, and be put to death, and the third day rise again.

22 And Peter taking him, began to rebuke him, saying: Lord, be it far from thee, this shall not be unto thee.

23 Who turning, said to Peter: Go behind me, Satan, thou art a scandal unto me: because thou savourest not the things that are of God, but the things that are of men.

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25 For he that will save his life, shall lose it: and he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall find it.

26 For what doth it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul? Or what exchange shall a man give for his soul?

27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels: and then will he render to every man according to his works.

Daily Catholic Mass Readings For Saturday, August 30, 2014

FIRST READING: 1 Corinthians 1: 26 - 31

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26 For see your vocation, brethren, that there are not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble:

27 But the foolish things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the wise; and the weak things of the world hath God chosen, that he may confound the strong.

28 And the base things of the world, and the things that are contemptible, hath God chosen, and things that are not, that he might bring to nought things that are:

29 That no flesh should glory in his sight.

30 But of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and justice, and sanctification, and redemption:

31 That, as it is written: He that glorieth, may glory in the Lord.

PSALM: Psalms 33: 12 - 13, 18 - 21

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12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom he hath chosen for his inheritance.

13 The Lord hath looked from heaven: he hath beheld all the sons of men.

18 Behold the eyes of the Lord are on them that fear him: and on them that hope in his mercy.

19 To deliver their souls from death; and feed them in famine.

20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: for he is our helper and protector.

21 For in him our heart shall rejoice: and in his holy name we have trusted.

GOSPEL: Matthew 25: 14 - 30

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14 For even as a man going into a far country, called his servants, and delivered to them his goods;

15 And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, and to another one, to every one according to his proper ability: and immediately he took his journey.

16 And he that had received the five talents, went his way, and traded with the same, and gained other five.

17 And in like manner he that had received the two, gained other two.

18 But he that had received the one, going his way digged into the earth, and hid his lord's money.

19 But after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them.

20 And he that had received the five talents coming, brought other five talents, saying: Lord, thou didst deliver to me five talents, behold I have gained other five over and above.

21 His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant, because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

22 And he also that had received the two talents came and said: Lord, thou deliveredst two talents to me: behold I have gained other two.

23 His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant: because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will place thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

24 But he that had received the one talent, came and said: Lord, I know that thou art a hard man; thou reapest where thou hast not sown, and gatherest where thou hast not strewed.

25 And being afraid I went and hid thy talent in the earth: behold here thou hast that which is thine.

26 And his lord answering, said to him: Wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sow not, and gather where I have not strewed:

27 Thou oughtest therefore to have committed my money to the bankers, and at my coming I should have received my own with usury.

28 Take ye away therefore the talent from him, and give it to him that hath ten talents.

29 For to every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound: but from him that hath not, that also which he seemeth to have shall be taken away.

30 And the unprofitable servant cast ye out into the exterior darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Daily Catholic Mass Readings For Friday, August 29, 2014

"The Head of Saint John the Baptist on a Charger" --  by James Tissot

Memorial of the Passion of Saint John the Baptist

FIRST READING: 1 Corinthians 1: 17 - 25

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17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of speech, lest the cross of Christ should be made void.

18 For the word of the cross, to them indeed that perish, is foolishness; but to them that are saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God.

19 For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the prudence of the prudent I will reject.

20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

21 For seeing that in the wisdom of God the world, by wisdom, knew not God, it pleased God, by the foolishness of our preaching, to save them that believe.

22 For both the Jews require signs, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:

23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews indeed a stumblingblock, and unto the Gentiles foolishness:

24 But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

PSALM: Psalms 33: 1 - 2, 4 - 5, 10 - 11

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1 Rejoice in the Lord, O ye just: praise becometh the upright.

2 Give praise to the Lord on the harp; sing to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings.

4 For the word of the Lord is right, and all his works are done with faithfulness.

5 He loveth mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.

10 The Lord bringeth to naught the counsels of nations; and he rejecteth the devices of people, and casteth away the counsels of princes.

11 But the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever: the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

GOSPEL: Mark 6: 17 - 29

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17 For Herod himself had sent and apprehended John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her.

18 For John said to Herod: It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

19 Now Herodias laid snares for him: and was desirous to put him to death, and could not.

20 For Herod feared John, knowing him to be a just and holy man: and kept him, and when he heard him, did many things: and he heard him willingly.

21 And when a convenient day was come, Herod made a supper for his birthday, for the princes, and tribunes, and chief men of Galilee.

22 And when the daughter of the same Herodias had come in, and had danced, and pleased Herod, and them that were at table with him, the king said to the damsel: Ask of me what thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

23 And he swore to her: Whatsoever thou shalt ask I will give thee, though it be the half of my kingdom.

24 Who when she was gone out, said to her mother, What shall I ask? But she said: The head of John the Baptist.

25 And when she was come in immediately with haste to the king, she asked, saying: I will that forthwith thou give me in a dish, the head of John the Baptist.

26 And the king was struck sad. Yet because of his oath, and because of them that were with him at table, he would not displease her:

27 But sending an executioner, he commanded that his head should be brought in a dish.

28 And he beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head in a dish: and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother.

29 Which his disciples hearing came, and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.