Sunday, February 19, 2012

DAILY MASS READING

  (Artwork by Paul Remmey)  archatl.com

Sunday, February 19, 2012
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time  


FIRST READING   

Isaiah 43: 18 - 19, 21 - 22, 24 – 25 

18 "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. 
21 the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise. 22 "Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel! 
24 You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins, you have wearied me with your iniquities. 25 "I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. 

PSALM RESPONSE   

Psalms 41: 2 - 5, 13 – 14 

2 the LORD protects him and keeps him alive; he is called blessed in the land; thou dost not give him up to the will of his enemies. 3 The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness thou healest all his infirmities. 4 As for me, I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against thee!" 5 My enemies say of me in malice: "When will he die, and his name perish?" 

13 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen. 

SECOND READING

2 Corinthians 1: 18 – 22 

18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we preached among you, Silva'nus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No; but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why we utter the Amen through him, to the glory of God. 21 But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has commissioned us; 22 he has put his seal upon us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee. 

GOSPEL   

Mark 2: 1 – 12 

1 And when he returned to Caper'na-um after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 "Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise, take up your pallet and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralytic -- 11 "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home." 12 And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"


O my God, Trinity whom I adore, help me forget myself entirely so to establish myself in you, unmovable and peaceful as if my soul were already in eternity. May nothing be able to trouble my peace or make me leave you, O my unchanging God, but may each minute bring me more deeply into your mystery! Grant my soul peace. Make it your heaven, your beloved dwelling and the place of your rest. May I never abandon you there, but may I be there, whole and entire, completely vigilant in my faith, entirely adoring, and wholly given over to your creative action. - Prayer of Blessed Elizabeth of the Trinity.

God always keep His promises to us. 
Jesus is the incarnate YES (fidelity of God) 
to His people.
 Let us follow Him and always say YES to God.













Which is Easier to Say
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OR2jvn0xmA



Saturday, February 18, 2012

DAILY MASS READING

Transfiguration
 
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
 
FIRST READING
 
James 3:1-10
 
1 Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. 3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.
 
PSALM READING
 
Psalms 12: 2 - 5, 7 – 8
 
2 Every one utters lies to his neighbor; with flattering lips and a double heart they speak. 3 May the LORD cut off all flattering lips, the tongue that makes great boasts, 4 those who say, "With our tongue we will prevail, our lips are with us; who is our master?" 5 "Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan, I will now arise," says the LORD; "I will place him in the safety for which he longs." 
 
7 Do thou, O LORD, protect us, guard us ever from this generation. 8 On every side the wicked prowl, as vileness is exalted among the sons of men.
 
GOSPEL
 
Mark 9: 2 – 13
 
2 And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves; and he was transfigured before them, 3 and his garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller on earth could bleach them. 4 And there appeared to them Eli'jah with Moses; and they were talking to Jesus. 5 And Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is well that we are here; let us make three booths, one for you and one for Moses and one for Eli'jah." 6 For he did not know what to say, for they were exceedingly afraid. 7 And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, "This is my beloved Son; listen to him." 8 And suddenly looking around they no longer saw any one with them but Jesus only. 9 And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of man should have risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what the rising from the dead meant. 11 And they asked him, "Why do the scribes say that first Eli'jah must come?" 12 And he said to them, "Eli'jah does come first to restore all things; and how is it written of the Son of man, that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Eli'jah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him."


Cheerfulness strengthens the heart and makes us persevere in a good life. Therefore the servant of God ought always to be in good spirits. - St. Philip Neri




Transfiguration / Listen To Him Well by Bruce Hunt




Friday, February 17, 2012

DAILY MASS READING

Friday, February 17, 2012
Weekday


FIRST READING 

James 2:14-24,26

 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. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless[a]? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[b] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

PSALM RESPONSE
 
Psalms 112: 1 – 6

1 Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! 2 His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house; and his righteousness endures for ever. 4 Light rises in the darkness for the upright; the LORD is gracious, merciful, and righteous. 5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice. 6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered for ever

GOSPEL
 
Mark 8: 34 – 38

34 And he called to him the multitude with his disciples, and said to them, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? 37 For what can a man give in return for his life? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of man also be ashamed, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."


To purposely allow one's mind to wander in prayer is sinful and hinders the prayer from having fruit.
  -- St. Thomas Aquinas