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June 7, 2017 Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Tb 3:1-11a, 16-17aGrief-stricken in spirit, I, Tobit, groaned and wept aloud.Then with sobs I began to pray: "You are righteous, O Lord,and all your deeds are just;All your ways are mercy and truth;you are the judge of the world.And now, O Lord, may you be mindful of me,and look with favor upon me.Punish me not for my sins,nor for my inadvertent offenses,nor for those of my ancestors. "We sinned against you,and disobeyed your commandments.So you handed us over to plundering, exile, and death,till you made us...

June 6, 2017 Tuesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Tb 2:9-14On the night of Pentecost, after I had buried the dead,I, Tobit, went into my courtyard to sleep next to the courtyard wall. My face was uncovered because of the heat. I did not know there were birds perched on the wall above me, till their warm droppings settled in my eyes, causing cataracts. I went to see some doctors for a curebut the more they anointed my eyes with various salves, the worse the cataracts became, until I could see no more. For four...

June 5, 2017 Memorial of Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr Reading 1 Tb 1:3; 2:1a-8I, Tobit, have walked all the days of my lifeon the paths of truth and righteousness.I performed many charitable works for my kinsmen and my peoplewho had been deported with me to Nineveh, in Assyria. On our festival of Pentecost, the feast of Weeks, a fine dinner was prepared for me, and I reclined to eat.The table was set for me,and when many different dishes were placed before me,I said to my son Tobiah: "My son,go out and try to find a poor manfrom among...

February 28, 2017 Tuesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 35:1-12To keep the law is a great oblation,and he who observes the commandments sacrifices a peace offering.In works of charity one offers fine flour,and when he gives alms he presents his sacrifice of praise.To refrain from evil pleases the LORD,and to avoid injustice is an atonement.Appear not before the LORD empty-handed,for all that you offer is in fulfillment of the precepts.The just one's offering enriches the altarand rises as a sweet odor before the Most High.The just one's sacrifice is most pleasing,nor will it ever...

February 27, 2017 Monday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 17:20-24To the penitent God provides a way back,he encourages those who are losing hopeand has chosen for them the lot of truth.Return to him and give up sin,pray to the LORD and make your offenses few.Turn again to the Most High and away from your sin,hate intensely what he loathes,and know the justice and judgments of God,Stand firm in the way set before you,in prayer to the Most High God. Who in the nether world can glorify the Most Highin place of the living who...

February 26, 2017 Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Is 49:14-15Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me;my LORD has forgotten me."Can a mother forget her infant,be without tenderness for the child of her womb?Even should she forget,I will never forget you. Responsorial Psalm Ps 62:2-3, 6-7, 8-9R. (6a) Rest in God alone, my soul.Only in God is my soul at rest;from him comes my salvation.He only is my rock and my salvation,my stronghold; I shall not be disturbed at all.R. Rest in God alone, my soul.Only in God be at rest, my soul,for from him comes my hope.He...

February 25, 2017 Saturday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 17:1-15God from the earth created man,and in his own image he made him.He makes man return to earth again,and endows him with a strength of his own.Limited days of life he gives him,with power over all things else on earth.He puts the fear of him in all flesh,and gives him rule over beasts and birds.He created for them counsel, and a tongue and eyes and ears, and an inventive heart,and filled them with the discipline of understanding.He created in them knowledge of the spirit;With wisdom...

February 24, 2017 Friday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 6:5-17A kind mouth multiplies friends and appeases enemies,and gracious lips prompt friendly greetings.Let your acquaintances be many,but one in a thousand your confidant.When you gain a friend, first test him,and be not too ready to trust him.For one sort is a friend when it suits him,but he will not be with you in time of distress.Another is a friend who becomes an enemy,and tells of the quarrel to your shame.Another is a friend, a boon companion,who will not be with you when sorrow comes.When things...

February 23, 2017 Memorial of Saint Polycarp, Bishop and Martyr Reading 1 Sir 5:1-8Rely not on your wealth;say not: "I have the power."Rely not on your strengthin 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 mercy and anger alike are with him;upon the wicked alights his wrath.Delay not your conversion...

February 22, 2017 Feast of the Chair of Saint Peter, Apostle Reading 1 1 Pt 5:1-4Beloved:I exhort the presbyters among you,as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christand one who has a share in the glory to be revealed.Tend the flock of God in your midst,overseeing not by constraint but willingly,as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly.Do not lord it over those assigned to you,but be examples to the flock.And when the chief Shepherd is revealed,you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-3a, 4, 5, 6R. (1) The...

February 21, 2017 Tuesday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 2:1-11My 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, and...

February 20, 2017 Monday of the Seventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 1:1-10All 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 has...

February 19, 2017 Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Lv 19:1-2, 17-18The LORD said to Moses,"Speak to the whole Israelite community and tell them:Be holy, for I, the LORD, your God, am holy. "You shall not bear hatred for your brother or sister in your heart.Though you may have to reprove your fellow citizen,do not incur sin because of him.Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against any of your people.You shall love your neighbor as yourself.I am the LORD." Responsorial Psalm Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.Bless the LORD, O...

February 18, 2017 Saturday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Heb 11:1-7Brothers 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...

February 17, 2017 Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 11:1-9The whole world spoke the same language, using the same words.While the people were migrating in the east,they came upon a valley in the land of Shinar and settled there.They said to one another,"Come, let us mold bricks and harden them with fire."They used bricks for stone, and bitumen for mortar.Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a cityand a tower with its top in the sky,and so make a name for ourselves;otherwise we shall be scattered all over the earth." The LORD came...

February 16, 2017 Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 9:1-13God blessed Noah and his sons and said to them:"Be fertile and multiply and fill the earth.Dread fear of you shall come upon all the animals of the earthand all the birds of the air,upon all the creatures that move about on the groundand all the fishes of the sea;into your power they are delivered. Every creature that is alive shall be yours to eat;I give them all to you as I did the green plants. Only flesh with its lifeblood still in it you...

February 15, 2017 Wednesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 8:6-13, 20-22At the end of forty days Noah opened the hatch he had made in the ark,and he sent out a raven,to see if the waters had lessened on the earth.It flew back and forth until the waters dried off from the earth.Then he sent out a dove,to see if the waters had lessened on the earth.But the dove could find no place to alight and perch,and it returned to him in the ark,for there was water all over the earth.Putting out his hand, he...

February 14, 2017 Memorial of Saints Cyril, Monk, and Methodius, Bishop Reading 1 Gn 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10When the LORD saw how great was man's wickedness on earth,and how no desire that his heart conceivedwas ever anything but evil,he regretted that he had made man on the earth,and his heart was grieved. So the LORD said:"I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created,and not only the men,but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air,for I am sorry that I made them."But Noah found favor with the LORD. Then the...

February 13, 2017 Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 4:1-15, 25The man had relations with his wife Eve,and she conceived and bore Cain, saying,"I have produced a man with the help of the LORD."Next she bore his brother Abel.Abel became a keeper of flocks, and Cain a tiller of the soil.In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the LORDfrom the fruit of the soil,while Abel, for his part,brought one of the best firstlings of his flock.The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering,but on Cain and his offering he...

February 12, 2017 Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Sir 15:15-20If you choose you can keep the commandments, they will save you;if you trust in God, you too shall live;he has set before you fire and waterto whichever you choose, stretch forth your hand.Before man are life and death, good and evil,whichever he chooses shall be given him.Immense is the wisdom of the Lord;he is mighty in power, and all-seeing.The eyes of God are on those who fear him;he understands man's every deed.No one does he command to act unjustly,to none does he give license to sin. Responsorial...