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June 17, 2016 Friday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 2 Kgs 11:1-4, 9-18, 20 When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah,saw that her son was dead,she began to kill off the whole royal family.But Jehosheba, daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah,took Joash, his son, and spirited him away, along with his nurse,from the bedroom where the princes were about to be slain.She concealed him from Athaliah, and so he did not die.For six years he remained hidden in the temple of the LORD,while Athaliah ruled the land. But in the seventh year,Jehoiada summoned the...

June 16, 2016 Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 48:1-14 Like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijahwhose words were as a flaming furnace.Their staff of bread he shattered,in his zeal he reduced them to straits;By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavensand three times brought down fire.How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!Whose glory is equal to yours?You brought a dead man back to lifefrom the nether world, by the will of the LORD.You sent kings down to destruction,and easily broke their power into pieces.You brought down nobles, from their...

June 15, 2016 Wednesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 2 Kgs 2:1, 6-14 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,he and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal.Elijah said to Elisha, “Please stay here;the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.”“As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live,I will not leave you,” Elisha replied.And so the two went on together.Fifty of the guild prophets followed andwhen the two stopped at the Jordan,they stood facing them at a distance.Elijah took his mantle, rolled it upand struck the...

June 14, 2016 Tuesday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Kgs 21:17-29 After the death of Naboth the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite:“Start down to meet Ahab, king of Israel,who rules in Samaria.He will be in the vineyard of Naboth,of which he has come to take possession.This is what you shall tell him,‘The LORD says: After murdering, do you also take possession?For this, the LORD says:In the place where the dogs licked up the blood of Naboth,the dogs shall lick up your blood, too.’”Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me out, my enemy?”“Yes,”...

June 13, 2016 Memorial of Saint Anthony of Padua, Priest and Doctor of the Church Reading 1 1 Kgs 21:1-16 Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreelnext to the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria.Ahab said to Naboth, “Give me your vineyard to be my vegetable garden,since it is close by, next to my house.I will give you a better vineyard in exchange, or,if you prefer, I will give you its value in money.”Naboth answered him, “The LORD forbidthat I should give you my ancestral heritage.”Ahab went home disturbed and angry at the answerNaboth the Jezreelite had made...

June 12, 2016 Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 2 Sm 12:7-10, 13 Nathan said to David: “Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king of Israel.I rescued you from the hand of Saul.I gave you your lord’s house and your lord’s wives for your own.I gave you the house of Israel and of Judah.And if this were not enough, I could count up for you still more.Why have you rejected the LORD and done evil in his sight?You have cut down Uriah the Hittite with the sword;you took his wife as your own,and him...

June 11, 2016 Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle Reading 1 Acts 11:21b-26; 13:1-3 In those days a great number who believed turned to the Lord.The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.When he arrived and saw the grace of God,he rejoiced and encouraged them allto remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.And a large number of people was added to the Lord.Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,and when he had found...

June 10, 2016 Friday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Kgs 19:9a, 11-16 At the mountain of God, Horeb,Elijah came to a cave, where he took shelter.But the word of the LORD came to him,“Go outside and stand on the mountain before the LORD;the LORD will be passing by.”A strong and heavy wind was rending the mountainsand crushing rocks before the LORD—but the LORD was not in the wind.After the wind there was an earthquake— but the LORD was not in the earthquake.After the earthquake there was fire—but the LORD was not in the fire.After...

June 9, 2016 Thursday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Kgs 18:41-46 Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink,for there is the sound of a heavy rain.”So Ahab went up to eat and drink,while Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel,crouched down to the earth,and put his head between his knees.“Climb up and look out to sea,” he directed his servant,who went up and looked, but reported, “There is nothing.”Seven times he said, “Go, look again!”And the seventh time the youth reported,“There is a cloud as small as a man’s hand rising from...

June 8, 2016 Wednesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Kgs 18:20-39 Ahab sent to all the children of Israeland had the prophets assemble on Mount Carmel. Elijah appealed to all the people and said,“How long will you straddle the issue?If the LORD is God, follow him; if Baal, follow him.”The people, however, did not answer him.So Elijah said to the people,“I am the only surviving prophet of the LORD,and there are four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal.Give us two young bulls.Let them choose one, cut it into pieces, and place it on the...

June 7, 2016 Tuesday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Kgs 17:7-16 The brook near where Elijah was hiding ran dry,because no rain had fallen in the land.So the LORD said to Elijah: “Move on to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there.I have designated a widow there to provide for you.”He left and went to Zarephath.As he arrived at the entrance of the city,a widow was gathering sticks there; he called out to her,“Please bring me a small cupful of water to drink.”She left to get it, and he called out after her,“Please bring along...

June 6, 2016 Monday of the Tenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Kgs 17:1-6 Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab:“As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve,during these years there shall be no dew or rain except at my word.”The LORD then said to Elijah:“Leave here, go eastand hide in the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan.You shall drink of the stream,and I have commanded ravens to feed you there.”So he left and did as the LORD had commanded.He went and remained by the Wadi Cherith, east of the Jordan.Ravens...

June 5, 2016 Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Kgs 17:17-24 Elijah went to Zarephath of Sidon to the house of a widow.The son of the mistress of the house fell sick,and his sickness grew more severe until he stopped breathing.So she said to Elijah,“Why have you done this to me, O man of God?Have you come to me to call attention to my guiltand to kill my son?”Elijah said to her, “Give me your son.”Taking him from her lap, he carried the son to the upper roomwhere he was staying, and put him on his bed.Elijah...

June 4, 2016 Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 2 Tm 4:1-8 Beloved:I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,who will judge the living and the dead,and by his appearing and his kingly power:proclaim the word;be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrinebut, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity,will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truthand will be diverted to myths.But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances;put up...

June 3, 2016 Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Reading 1 Ez 34:11-16 Thus says the Lord GOD:I myself will look after and tend my sheep.As a shepherd tends his flockwhen he finds himself among his scattered sheep,so will I tend my sheep.I will rescue them from every place where they were scatteredwhen it was cloudy and dark.I will lead them out from among the peoplesand gather them from the foreign lands;I will bring them back to their own countryand pasture them upon the mountains of Israelin the land's ravines and all its inhabited places.In good pastures will...

June 2, 2016 Thursday in the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time Reading 1 2 Tm 2:8-15 Beloved:Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:such is my Gospel, for which I am suffering,even to the point of chains, like a criminal.But the word of God is not chained.Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,together with eternal glory.This saying is trustworthy: If we have died with himwe shall also live with him;if we perseverewe shall also reign with him.But if...

June 1, 2016 Memorial of Saint Justin, Martyr Reading 1 2 Tm 1:1-3, 6-12 Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of Godfor the promise of life in Christ Jesus,to Timothy, my dear child:grace, mercy, and peace from God the Fatherand Christ Jesus our Lord. I am grateful to God,whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day. For this reason, I remind you to stir into flamethe gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give...

May 31, 2016 Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 Zep 3:14-18a Shout for joy, O daughter Zion!Sing joyfully, O Israel!Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!The LORD has removed the judgment against you,he has turned away your enemies;The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst,you have no further misfortune to fear.On that day, it shall be said to Jerusalem:Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!The LORD, your God, is in your midst,a mighty savior;He will rejoice over you with gladness,and renew you in his love,He will sing joyfully...

May 30, 2016 Monday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 2 Pt 1:2-7 Beloved:May grace and peace be yours in abundancethrough knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has bestowed on useverything that makes for life and devotion,through the knowledge of himwho called us by his own glory and power.Through these, he has bestowed on usthe precious and very great promises,so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature,after escaping from the corruption that is in the worldbecause of evil desire.For this very reason,make every effort to supplement...

May 29, 2016 The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ Reading 1 Gn 14:18-20 In those days, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine,and being a priest of God Most High,he blessed Abram with these words:"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,the creator of heaven and earth;and blessed be God Most High,who delivered your foes into your hand."Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. Responsorial Psalm Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4 R. (4b) You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my...