DAILY MASS READING

house upon the rock

Thursday, December 01, 2011
Advent Weekday

FIRST READING
 

Isaiah 26: 1 – 6

1 In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. 2 Open the gates, that the righteous nation which keeps faith may enter in. 3 Thou dost keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusts in thee. 4 Trust in the LORD for ever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. 5 For he has brought low the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust. 6 The foot tramples it, the feet of the poor, the steps of the needy."

PSALM RESPONSE

Psalms 118: 1, 8 - 9, 19 - 21, 25 – 27

1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for ever! 

8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. 

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. 20 This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. 21 I thank thee that thou hast answered me and hast become my salvation. 

25 Save us, we beseech thee, O LORD! O LORD, we beseech thee, give us success! 26 Blessed be he who enters in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. 27 The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the altar!

GOSPEL
 

Matthew 7: 21, 24 – 27

21 "Not every one who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 

24 "Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; 25 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; 27 and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it."

Humility is the only thing that no devil can imitate. If pride made demons out of angels, there is no doubt that humility could make angels out of demons.

-- St John Climacus

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration_12dec2011.htm#ixzz1eyMrHOnj

The parable  shows the importance of building one's life on the teachings and example of Jesus.

Parable Of The Two Builders - Wise  Foolish-
httpwww.youtube.comwatchv=VlPMld7ScU0

DAILY MASS READING

Take care of the sick

Thursday, November 17, 2011

St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Patroness of the Third Order (Feast)

FIRST READING

Sirach 26: 1 - 3, 15 - 18

1 Happy is the husband of a good wife; the number of his days will be doubled. 2 A loyal wife rejoices her husband, and he will complete his years in peace. 3 A good wife is a great blessing; she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord. 

15 A modest wife adds charm to charm, and no balance can weigh the value of a chaste soul. 16 Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord, so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home. 17 Like the shining lamp on the holy lampstand, so is a beautiful face on a stately figure. 18 Like pillars of gold on a base of silver, so are beautiful feet with a steadfast heart

Or   1 Timothy 5: 3 – 10

3 Honor widows who are real widows. 4 If a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn their religious duty to their own family and make some return to their parents; for this is acceptable in the sight of God. 5 She who is a real widow, and is left all alone, has set her hope on God and continues in supplications and prayers night and day; 6 whereas she who is self-indulgent is dead even while she lives. 7 Command this, so that they may be without reproach. 8 If any one does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own family, he has disowned the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. 9 Let a widow be enrolled if she is not less than sixty years of age, having been the wife of one husband; 10 and she must be well attested for her good deeds, as one who has brought up children, shown hospitality, washed the feet of the saints, relieved the afflicted, and devoted herself to doing good in every way.

PSALM  RESPONSE

Psalms 31: 4 - 5, 8 - 9, 20, 24 

4 take me out of the net which is hidden for me, for thou art my refuge. 5 Into thy hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God. 

8 and hast not delivered me into the hand of the enemy; thou hast set my feet in a broad place. 9 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief, my soul and my body also. 

20 In the covert of thy presence thou hidest them from the plots of men; thou holdest them safe under thy shelter from the strife of tongues. 

24 Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the LORD!

GOSPEL

Matthew 25: 31 – 40

31 "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. 34 Then the King will say to those at his right hand, `Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35 for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' 37 Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? 38 And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? 39 And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' 40 And the King will answer them, `Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.'

You cannot please both God and the world at the same time. They are utterly opposed to each other in their thoughts, their desires, and their actions.
-- St. John Mary Vianney

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/devotionals/inspiration.htm#ixzz1deVXWLBk

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.        - James 2:14-18 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9XRAjKNAKs&feature=related

DAILY MASS READING

 from:crossroadsinitiative.com

  

Wednesday, November 09, 2011
The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica (Feast)

 FIRST READING

Ezekiel 47: 1 - 2, 8 - 9, 12

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  RESPONSE

Psalms 46: 2 - 3, 5 - 6, 8 – 9

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

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

3 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

So, you will ask me, who then are the people most tempted? They are these, my friends; note them carefully. The people most tempted are those who are ready, with the grace of God, to sacrifice everything for the salvation of their poor souls, who renounce all those things which most people eagerly seek. It is not one devil only who tempts them, but millions seek to entrap them.

-- St. John Vianney

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration_11nov2011.htm#ixzz1cqhb0NEA

It is in the temple where we offer, worship and thank God as a whole congregation, receiving the graces, specially the body of Jesus. It is in the church where we can visit Him Who is waiting in the Blessed Tabernacle. It is in the Church where we can receive the Sacraments. It is in the Church where we can receive the right and true teaching of Jesus with the right interpretation of the Bible. We need the Church to guide us and be able to follow Him.

Yes we are the temple of God and Jesus our God wants to stay in our hearts by receiving Him in the Eucharist and only through the Church He built that this can happen. 

"you shall not make my Father's house a house of trade".

 If we do not need the Church, why did Jesus built one and He wants us to respect including the place?

 

GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS by CECE WINANS with lyrics
httpwww.youtube.comwatchv=60o3UP4Kjwg&feature=related