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25 February 2024 2nd Sunday of Lent Seventh ecumenical council, Icon, 17th century, Novodevichy Convent, MoscowReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: B(II).First readingGenesis 22:1-2,9-13,15-18 ©The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faithGod put Abraham to the test. ‘Abraham, Abraham’ he called. ‘Here I am’ he replied. ‘Take your son,’ God said ‘your only child Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him as a burnt offering, on a mountain I will point out to you.’ When they arrived at the place God had pointed out to him, Abraham built an altar there,...

21 February 2023Tuesday of week 7 in Ordinary Time St. Peter Damian Church, Bartlett, IL Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(I).First readingEcclesiasticus 2:1-11 ©The chosen are tested like gold in the fireMy son, if you aspire to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for an ordeal.Be sincere of heart, be steadfast, and do not be alarmed when disaster comes.Cling to him and do not leave him, so that you may be honoured at the end of your days.Whatever happens to you, accept it, and in the uncertainties of your humble state, be patient,since gold is tested in the fire, and...

20 February 2023Monday of week 7 in Ordinary Time The Basilica of Our Lady of Fátima, Portugal Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(I).First readingEcclesiasticus 1:1-10 ©Before all other things, wisdom was createdAll wisdom is from the Lord, and it is his own for ever.The sand of the sea and the raindrops, and the days of eternity, who can assess them?The height of the sky and the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the abyss, who can probe them?Before all other things wisdom was created, shrewd understanding is everlasting.For whom has the root of wisdom ever been uncovered?...

18 February 2023Saturday of week 6 in Ordinary Time Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara Pilgrim Center, Kerala, India Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(I).First readingHebrews 11:1-7 ©It is by faith that we understand that the world was created by one word from GodOnly faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen. It was for faith that our ancestors were commended. It is by faith that we understand that the world was created by one word from God, so that no apparent cause can account for the things...

24 February 2022Thursday of week 7 in Ordinary Time St. Matthias Church, Budapest, Hungary Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green.First readingJames 5:1-6 ©The Lord hears the cries of those you have cheatedAn answer for the rich. Start crying, weep for the miseries that are coming to you. Your wealth is all rotting, your clothes are all eaten up by moths. All your gold and your silver are corroding away, and the same corrosion will be your own sentence, and eat into your body. It was a burning fire that you stored up as your treasure for the last days. Labourers mowed...

February 23rd, 2022 St. Polycarp, bishop and Martyr St. Francis Xavier, Cincinnati, OhioReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst readingJames 4:13-17 ©You cannot know what will happen tomorrowHere is the answer for those of you who talk like this: ‘Today or tomorrow, we are off to this or that town; we are going to spend a year there, trading, and make some money.’ You never know what will happen tomorrow: you are no more than a mist that is here for a little while and then disappears. The most...

21 February 2022 Monday of week 7 in Ordinary Time St Peter Damian Catholic Church, Bartlett IL Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green.First readingJames 3:13-18 ©Show wisdom and avoid ambitionIf there are any wise or learned men among you, let them show it by their good lives, with humility and wisdom in their actions. But if at heart you have the bitterness of jealousy, or a self-seeking ambition, never make any claims for yourself or cover up the truth with lies – principles of this kind are not the wisdom that comes down from above: they are only earthly, animal and...

19 February 2022 Saturday of week 6 in Ordinary Time Benevento Cathedral, Italy Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green.First readingJames 3:1-10 ©The tongue cannot be tamedOnly a few of you, my brothers, should be teachers, bearing in mind that those of us who teach can expect a stricter judgement. After all, every one of us does something wrong, over and over again; the only man who could reach perfection would be someone who never said anything wrong – he would be able to control every part of himself. Once we put a bit into the horse’s mouth, to make it do...

September 26th , 2021 All Saints Church, Los Angeles, CA Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green First readingNumbers 11:25-29 ©If only the whole people of the Lord were prophets!The Lord came down in the Cloud. He spoke with Moses, but took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the spirit came on them they prophesied, but not again. Two men had stayed back in the camp; one was called Eldad and the other Medad. The spirit came down on them; though they had not gone to the Tent, their names were enrolled...

September 19th , 2021Memorial of St. Emily de Rodat St. Espirit Cathedral, Istanbul, Turkey Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Green First readingWisdom 2:12,17-20 ©The wicked prepare to ambush the just manThe godless say to themselves:‘Let us lie in wait for the virtuous man, since he annoys usand opposes our way of life,reproaches us for our breaches of the lawand accuses us of playing false to our upbringing.‘Let us see if what he says is true,let us observe what kind of end he himself will have.If the virtuous man is God’s son, God will take his partand rescue him from the clutches...

August 6, 2021 The Transfiguration of the Lord Church of the Transfiguration, Mount Tabor Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: White.When a Feast of the Lord is celebrated on a weekday there is only one reading before the Gospel, which may be chosen from either the first or second reading.First readingDaniel 7:9-10,13-14 ©His robe was white as snowAs I watched:Thrones were set in placeand one of great age took his seat.His robe was white as snow,the hair of his head as pure as wool.His throne was a blaze of flames,its wheels were a burning fire.A stream of fire poured out,issuing from his...

February 28 2021 Second Sunday of Lent Cathedral of st. Joseph, Sofia, Bulgaria Lectionary 26Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet.First readingGenesis 22:1-2,9-13,15-18 ©The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faithGod put Abraham to the test. ‘Abraham, Abraham’ he called. ‘Here I am’ he replied. ‘Take your son,’ God said ‘your only child Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him as a burnt offering, on a mountain I will point out to you.’ When they arrived at the place God had pointed out to him, Abraham built an altar there, and arranged the...

February 25 2020 Tuesday of the Seventh Week of Ordinary Time Reading 1 Jas 4:1-10 Beloved: Where do the wars and where do the conflicts among you come from? Is it not from your passions that make war within your members? You covet but do not possess. You kill and envy but you cannot obtain; you fight and wage war. You do not possess because you do not ask. You ask but do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. Adulterers! Do you not know that to be a lover of the world means...

February 24 2020 Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Jas 3:13-18 Beloved: Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show his works by a good life in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Wisdom of this kind does not come down from above but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every foul practice. But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,...

February 28 2019 Thursday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 5:1-8 Rely not on your wealth; say not: "I have the power." Rely not on your strength in following the desires of your heart. Say not: "Who can prevail against me?" or, "Who will subdue me for my deeds?" for God will surely exact the punishment. Say not: "I have sinned, yet what has befallen me?" for the Most High bides his time. Of forgiveness be not overconfident, adding sin upon sin. Say not: "Great is his mercy; my many sins he will forgive." For...

February 27 2019 Wednesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 4:11-19 Wisdom breathes life into her childrenand admonishes those who seek her.He who loves her loves life; those who seek her will be embraced by the Lord.He who holds her fast inherits glory;wherever he dwells, the LORD bestows blessings.Those who serve her serve the Holy One;those who love her the LORD loves.He who obeys her judges nations;he who hearkens to her dwells in her inmost chambers.If one trusts her, he will possess her;his descendants too will inherit her.She walks with him as a strangerand at...

February 26 2019 Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 2:1-11 My son, when you come to serve the LORD,stand in justice and fear,prepare yourself for trials.Be sincere of heart and steadfast,incline your ear and receive the word of understanding,undisturbed in time of adversity.Wait on God, with patience, cling to him, forsake him not;thus will you be wise in all your ways.Accept whatever befalls you,when sorrowful, be steadfast,and in crushing misfortune be patient;For in fire gold and silver are tested,and worthy people in the crucible of humiliation.Trust God and God will help you;trust in him,...

February 25 2019 Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 1:1-10 All wisdom comes from the LORDand with him it remains forever, and is before all timeThe sand of the seashore, the drops of rain,the days of eternity: who can number these?Heaven's height, earth's breadth,the depths of the abyss: who can explore these?Before all things else wisdom was created;and prudent understanding, from eternity.The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdomand her ways are everlasting.To whom has wisdom's root been revealed?Who knows her subtleties?To whom has the discipline of wisdom been revealed?And who...

February 23 2019 Memorial of Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr Reading 1 Heb 11:1-7 Brothers and sisters:Faith is the realization of what is hoped forand evidence of things not seen.Because of it the ancients were well attested.By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God,so that what is visible came into being through the invisible.By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice greater than Cain’s.Through this, he was attested to be righteous,God bearing witness to his gifts,and through this, though dead, he still speaks.By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not...

September 30, 2018 Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Nm 11:25-29 The LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses.Taking some of the spirit that was on Moses,the LORD bestowed it on the seventy elders;and as the spirit came to rest on them, they prophesied. Now two men, one named Eldad and the other Medad,were not in the gathering but had been left in the camp.They too had been on the list, but had not gone out to the tent;yet the spirit came to rest on them also,and they prophesied in the camp.So, when a young...