Mass Readings for Sunday, February 6, 2011

FIRST READING: Isaiah 58: 7 - 10

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7 Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house: when thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh.

8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall speedily arise, and thy justice shall go before thy face, and the glory of the Lord shall gather thee up.

9 Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear: thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou wilt take away the chain out of the midst of thee, and cease to stretch out the finger, and to speak that which profiteth not.

10 When thou shalt pour out thy soul to the hungry, and shalt satisfy the afflicted soul then shall thy light rise up in darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the noonday.

PSALM: Psalms 112: 4 - 9

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4 To the righteous a light is risen up in darkness: he is merciful, and compassionate and just.

5 Acceptable is the man that sheweth mercy and lendeth: he shall order his words with judgment:

6 Because he shall not be moved for ever.

7 The just shall be in everlasting remembrance: he shall not hear the evil hearing. His heart is ready to hope in the Lord:

8 His heart is strengthened, he shall not be moved until he look over his enemies.

9 He hath distributed, he hath given to the poor: his justice remaineth for ever and ever: his horn shall be exalted in glory.

SECOND 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.

GOSPEL: Matthew 5: 13 - 16

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13 You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men.

14 You are the light of the world. A city seated on a mountain cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, that it may shine to all that are in the house.

16 So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Mass Readings for Saturday, February 5, 2011

 Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr

FIRST READING: Hebrews 13: 15 - 17, 20 - 21

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15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise always to God, that is to say, the fruit of lips confessing to his name.

16 And do not forget to do good, and to impart; for by such sacrifices God's favour is obtained.

17 Obey your prelates, and be subject to them. For they watch as being to render an account of your souls; that they may do this with joy, and not with grief. For this is not expedient for you.

20 And may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great pastor of the sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the blood of the everlasting testament,

21 Fit you in all goodness, that you may do his will; doing in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom is glory for ever and ever. Amen.

PSALM: Psalms 23: 1 - 6

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1 The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing.

2 He hath set me in a place of pasture. He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment:

3 He hath converted my soul. He hath led me on the paths of justice, for his own name's sake.

4 For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils, for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me.

5 Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me. Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly is it!

6 And thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life. And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

GOSPEL: Mark 6: 30 - 34

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30 And the apostles coming together unto Jesus, related to him all things that they had done and taught.

31 And he said to them: Come apart into a desert place, and rest a little. For there were many coming and going: and they had not so much as time to eat.

32 And going up into a ship, they went into a desert place apart.

33 And they saw them going away, and many knew: and they ran flocking thither on foot from all the cities, and were there before them.

34 And Jesus going out saw a great multitude: and he had compassion on them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.

Mass Readings for Friday, February 4, 2011

"The Head of John the Baptist On A Charger" - James Tissot

FIRST READING: Hebrews 13: 1 - 8

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1 Let the charity of the brotherhood abide in you.

2 And hospitality do not forget; for by this some, being not aware of it, have entertained angels.

3 Remember them that are in bands, as if you were bound with them; and them that labour, as being yourselves also in the body.

4 Marriage honourable in all, and the bed undefiled. For fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

5 Let your manners be without covetousness, contented with such things as you have; for he hath said: I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee.

6 So that we may confidently say: The Lord is my helper: I will not fear what man shall do to me.

7 Remember your prelates who have spoken the word of God to you; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation,

8 Jesus Christ, yesterday, and today; and the same for ever.

PSALM: Psalms 27: 1, 3, 5, 8 - 9

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1 The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the protector of my life: of whom shall I be afraid?

3 If armies in camp should stand together against me, my heart shall not fear. If a battle should rise up against me, in this will I be confident.

5 For he hath hidden me in his tabernacle; in the day of evils, he hath protected me in the secret place of his tabernacle.

8 My heart hath said to thee: My face hath sought thee: thy face, O Lord, will I still seek.

9 Turn not away thy face from me; decline not in thy wrath from thy servant. Be thou my helper, forsake me not; do not thou despise me, O God my Saviour.

GOSPEL: Mark 6:14 - 29

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14 And king Herod heard, (for his name was made manifest,) and he said: John the Baptist is risen again from the dead, and therefore mighty works shew forth themselves in him.

15 And others said: It is Elias. But others said: It is a prophet, as one of the prophets.

16 Which Herod hearing, said: John whom I beheaded, he is risen again from the dead.

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.

Mass Readings for Thursday, February 3, 2011

FIRST READING: Hebrews 12: 18 - 19, 21 - 24

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18 For you are not come to a mountain that might be touched, and a burning fire, and a whirlwind, and darkness, and storm,

19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which they that heard excused themselves, that the word might not be spoken to them.

21 And so terrible was that which was seen, Moses said: I am frighted, and tremble.

22 But you are come to mount Sion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels,

23 And to the church of the firstborn, who are written in the heavens, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect,

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new testament, and to the sprinkling of blood which speaketh better than that of Abel.

PSALM: Psalms 48: 2 - 4, 9 - 11

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2 Great is the Lord, and exceedingly to be praised in the city of our God, in his holy mountain.

3 With the joy of the whole earth is mount Sion founded, on the sides of the north, the city of the great king.

4 In her houses shall God be known, when he shall protect her.

9 As we have heard, so have we seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God: God hath founded it for ever.

10 We have received thy mercy, O God, in the midst of thy temple.

11 According to thy name, O God, so also is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of justice.

GOSPEL: Mark 6: 7 - 13

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7 And he called the twelve; and began to send them two and two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.

8 And he commanded them that they should take nothing for the way, but a staff only: no scrip, no bread, nor money in their purse,

9 But to be shod with sandals, and that they should not put on two coats.

10 And he said to them: Wheresoever you shall enter into an house, there abide till you depart from that place.

11 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you; going forth from thence, shake off the dust from your feet for a testimony to them.

12 And going forth they preached that men should do penance:

13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.