DAILY MASS READING

                                                                                            from:smile-rowena.blogspot.com

Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Weekday

FIRST READING

Romans 8: 18 – 25

18 I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God; 20 for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; 21 because the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; 23 and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

PSALM  RESPONSE

Psalms 126: 1 – 6

1 When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. 2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." 3 The LORD has done great things for us; we are glad. 4 Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like the watercourses in the Negeb! 5 May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy! 6 He that goes forth weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

GOSPEL

Luke 13: 18 – 21

18 He said therefore, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches." 20 And again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened."

I am not my own; I have given myself to Jesus. He must be my only love. The state of helpless poverty that may befall me if I do not marry does not frighten me. All I need is a little food and a few pieces of clothing. With the work of my hands I shall always earn what is necessary and what is left over I'll give to my relatives and to the poor. If I should become sick and unable to work, then I shall be like the Lord on the cross. He will have mercy on me and help me, I am sure.

-- Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration_10oct2011.htm#ixzz1bfxnfeT7

DAILY MASS READING

                                                   

                                               from:enlightenmentorsalvation.wordpress.com


Monday, October 24, 2011
Weekday

FIRST READING

Romans 8: 12 – 17

12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh -- 13 for if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of sonship. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" 16 it is the Spirit himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

PSALM  RESPONSE

Psalms 68: 2, 4, 6 - 7, 20 – 21

2 As smoke is driven away, so drive them away; as wax melts before fire, let the wicked perish before God! 

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides upon the clouds; his name is the LORD, exult before him!

6 God gives the desolate a home to dwell in; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity; but the rebellious dwell in a parched land. 7 O God, when thou didst go forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness, [Selah]

20 Our God is a God of salvation; and to GOD, the Lord, belongs escape from death. 21 But God will shatter the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways

GOSPEL

Luke 13: 10 – 17

10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And there was a woman who had had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years; she was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 And when Jesus saw her, he called her and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your infirmity." 13 And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was made straight, and she praised God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be healed, and not on the sabbath day." 15 Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?" 17 As he said this, all his adversaries were put to shame; and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

 By humble and faithful prayer, the soul acquires, with time and perseverance, every virtue.

-- St Catherine of Siena

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration_10oct2011.htm#ixzz1bUdVv6jX

DAILY MASS READING

                                                                       from:FreeFoto.com

Sunday, October 23, 2011
Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Exodus 22: 20 – 26

20 "Whoever sacrifices to any god, save to the LORD only, shall be utterly destroyed. 21 "You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not afflict any widow or orphan. 23 If you do afflict them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry; 24 and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless. 25 "If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor, and you shall not exact interest from him. 26 If ever you take your neighbor's garment in pledge, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down;

PSALM  RESPONSE

Psalms 18: 2 - 4, 47, 51

2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies. 4 The cords of death encompassed me, the torrents of perdition assailed me;

47 the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me;

SECOND READING

1 Thessalonians 1: 5 – 10

5 for our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit; 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedo'nia and in Acha'ia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedo'nia and Acha'ia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

GOSPEL

Matthew 22: 34 – 40

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sad'ducees, they came together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. 36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."

 The Eucharist is a burning coal that sets us on fire. Fire is active by nature and tends to spread. When the soul is under the action of the Eucharist, it is forced to cry out; "O my God, what shall I do in return for so much love?" And Jesus answers; "Thou hast to resemble Me, to live for Me, and to live of Me." The transformation will be easy; when it is a matter of love; one does not walk; one runs and flies. -- St. Peter Julian Emyard

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration_10oct2011.htm#ixzz1bUdMb5xw

Psalm 91

                                                                               from:magnifythelord.wordpress.com

His faithful promises are your armor and protection

Psalm 91

Needing a Crutch

I've heard some critics accuse Christians of embracing Christianity because they are weak, because they need a crutch. The truth is, we do need a Protector, we do need a Hiding Place, we do need a Refuge in time of trouble. Because we trust God for our protection does not mean that we are weak. When we do trust in God we become all the stronger. Though we may take a breather in our Hiding Place, we do not retreat from society. We face it knowing that our Defender is with us. No, Christians are not weak, they are strong. They are humans who recognize their inherent weakness and find strength that God intended in God himself.

http://www.jesuswalk.com/names-god/7_stronghold.htm

DAILY MASS READING

  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 Saturday, October 22, 2011
St. Peter of Alcantara, Priest (Optional Memorial)

FIRST READING

Romans 8: 1 - 11

1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God's law, indeed it cannot; 8 and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh, you are in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Any one who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although your bodies are dead because of sin, your spirits are alive because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit which dwells in you.

PSALM  RESPONSE

Psalms 24: 1 - 6

1 The earth is the LORD's and the fulness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein; 2 for he has founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the rivers.
3 Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false, and does not swear deceitfully.
 5 He will receive blessing from the LORD, and vindication from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. [Selah]

GOSPEL


Luke 13: 1 – 9

1 There were some present at that very time who told him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered thus? 3 I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Silo'am fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, No; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." 6And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, `Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?' 8 And he answered him, `Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on manure. 9 And if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

We ought to deal kindly with all, and to manifest those qualities which spring naturally from a heart tender and full of Christian charity; such as affability, love and humility. These virtues serve wonderfully to gain the hearts of men, and to encourage them to embrace things that are more repugnant to nature.                                   -- St Vincent de Paul             

Readmore:http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration_10oct2011.htm#ixzz1bQehfyHf

 from:catholic.net

Friday, October 21, 2011
Weekday

FIRST READING

Romans 7:18-25                                                                                                                

18 For I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. 19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inmost self, 23 but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin which dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

 PSALM  RESPONSE

 Psalms 119: 66,68,76-77,93–94

66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in thy commandments. 68 Thou art good and doest good; teach me thy statutes.

76 Let thy steadfast love be ready to comfort me according to thy promise to thy servant. 77 Let thy mercy come to me, that I may live; for thy law is my delight.

93  I will never forget thy precepts; for by them thou hast given me life. 94 I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.

GOSPEL

Luke 12:54–59                                                                                                                              

  

54 He also said to the multitudes, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, `A shower is coming'; and so it happens. 55 And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, `There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. 56 You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? 57 "And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? 58 As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. 59 I tell you, you will never get out till you have paid the very last copper." 

                                                                       

 True followers of Christ; Be prepared to have a world make jokes at your expense. You can hardly expect a world to be more reverent to you than to Our Lord. When it does make fun of your faith, its practices, abstinences, and rituals-then you are moving to a closer identity with Him Who gave us our faith. Under scorn, Our Lord "answered nothing". The world gets amusement from a Christian who fails to be Christian, but none from his respectful silence. -- Bishop Fulton Sheen  

Read more: http://www.ewtn.com/Devotionals/inspiration_10oct2011.htm#ixzz1bQehfyHf