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July 10, 2017 Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 28:10-22aJacob departed from Beer-sheba and proceeded toward Haran.When he came upon a certain shrine, as the sun had already set,he stopped there for the night.Taking one of the stones at the shrine, he put it under his headand lay down to sleep at that spot.Then he had a dream: a stairway rested on the ground,with its top reaching to the heavens;and God's messengers were going up and down on it.And there was the LORD standing beside him and saying:"I, the LORD, am the God of...

July 9, 2017 Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Zec 9:9-10Thus says the LORD:Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion,shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!See, your king shall come to you;a just savior is he,meek, and riding on an ass,on a colt, the foal of an ass.He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim,and the horse from Jerusalem;the warrior's bow shall be banished,and he shall proclaim peace to the nations.His dominion shall be from sea to sea,and from the River to the ends of the earth. Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for...

July 8, 2017 Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 27:1-5, 15-29When Isaac was so old that his eyesight had failed him,he called his older son Esau and said to him, "Son!""Yes father!" he replied.Isaac then said, "As you can see, I am so oldthat I may now die at any time.Take your gear, therefore–your quiver and bow–and go out into the country to hunt some game for me.With your catch prepare an appetizing dish for me, such as I like,and bring it to me to eat,so that I may give you my special blessing...

July 7, 2017 Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67The span of Sarah's life was one hundred and twenty-seven years.She died in Kiriatharba (that is, Hebron)in the land of Canaan,and Abraham performed the customary mourning rites for her.Then he left the side of his dead one and addressed the Hittites:"Although I am a resident alien among you,sell me from your holdings a piece of property for a burial ground,that I may bury my dead wife." After the transaction, Abraham buried his wife Sarahin the cave of the field of Machpelah,facing Mamre...

July 6, 2017 Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 22:1b-19God put Abraham to the test.He called to him, "Abraham!""Here I am," he replied.Then God said: "Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,and go to the land of Moriah.There you shall offer him up as a burnt offeringon a height that I will point out to you."Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey,took with him his son Isaac, and two of his servants as well,and with the wood that he had cut for the burnt offering,set out for the place of...

July 5, 2017 Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 21:5, 8-20aAbraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.Isaac grew, and on the day of the child's weaningAbraham held a great feast. Sarah noticed the son whom Hagar the Egyptianhad borne to Abrahamplaying with her son Isaac;so she demanded of Abraham:"Drive out that slave and her son! No son of that slave is going to share the inheritancewith my son Isaac!"Abraham was greatly distressed,especially on account of his son Ishmael.But God said to Abraham: "Do not be distressed about...

July 4, 2017 Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 19:15-29As dawn was breaking, the angels urged Lot on, saying, "On your way!Take with you your wife and your two daughters who are here,or you will be swept away in the punishment of Sodom."When he hesitated, the men, by the LORD's mercy,seized his hand and the hands of his wife and his two daughtersand led them to safety outside the city.As soon as they had been brought outside, he was told:"Flee for your life!Don't look back or stop anywhere on the Plain.Get off to the...

July 3, 2017 Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle Reading 1 Eph 2:19-22Brothers and sisters:You are no longer strangers and sojourners,but you are fellow citizens with the holy onesand members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets,with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.Through him the whole structure is held togetherand grows into a temple sacred in the Lord;in him you also are being built togetherinto a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Responsorial Psalm Ps 117:1bc, 2R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.Praise the LORD,...

July 2, 2017 Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 2 Kgs 4:8-11, 14-16aOne day Elisha came to Shunem,where there was a woman of influence, who urged him to dine with her. Afterward, whenever he passed by, he used to stop there to dine.So she said to her husband, "I know that Elisha is a holy man of God.Since he visits us often, let us arrange a little room on the roofand furnish it for him with a bed, table, chair, and lamp,so that when he comes to us he can stay there."Sometime later Elisha arrived and stayed in...

July 1, 2017 Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 18:1-15The LORD appeared to Abraham by the Terebinth of Mamre,as Abraham sat in the entrance of his tent,while the day was growing hot.Looking up, he saw three men standing nearby.When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them;and bowing to the ground, he said:"Sir, if I may ask you this favor,please do not go on past your servant.Let some water be brought, that you may bathe your feet,and then rest yourselves under the tree.Now that you have come this...

June 30, 2017 Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 17:1, 9-10, 15-22When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to himand said: "I am God the Almighty.Walk in my presence and be blameless." God also said to Abraham:"On your part, you and your descendants after youmust keep my covenant throughout the ages.This is my covenant with you and your descendants after youthat you must keep:every male among you shall be circumcised." God further said to Abraham:"As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai;her name shall be Sarah.I will bless her, and...

June 29, 2017 - Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, ApostlesMass during the Day Reading 1 Acts 12:1-11In those days, King Herod laid hands upon some members of the Church to harm them.He had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword,and when he saw that this was pleasing to the Jewshe proceeded to arrest Peter also.–It was the feast of Unleavened Bread.–He had him taken into custody and put in prisonunder the guard of four squads of four soldiers each.He intended to bring him before the people after Passover.Peter thus...

June 28, 2017 Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr Reading 1 Gn 15:1-12, 17-18The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: "Fear not, Abram!I am your shield;I will make your reward very great." But Abram said,"O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be,if I keep on being childlessand have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?"Abram continued,"See, you have given me no offspring,and so one of my servants will be my heir."Then the word of the LORD came to him:"No, that one shall not be your heir;your own issue shall be your...

June 27, 2017 Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 13:2, 5-18Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents,so that the land could not support them if they stayed together;their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.There were quarrels between the herdsmen of Abram's livestockand those of Lot's.(At this time the Canaanites and the Perizziteswere occupying the land.) So Abram said to Lot:"Let there be no strife between you and me,or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are...

June 26, 2017 Monday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 12:1-9The LORD said to Abram:"Go forth from the land of your kinsfolkand from your father's house to a land that I will show you. "I will make of you a great nation,and I will bless you;I will make your name great,so that you will be a blessing.I will bless those who bless youand curse those who curse you.All the communities of the earthshall find blessing in you." Abram went as the LORD directed him, and Lot went with him.Abram was seventy-five years old when he...

June 25, 2017 Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Jer 20:10-13Jeremiah said:"I hear the whisperings of many:'Terror on every side!Denounce! let us denounce him!'All those who were my friendsare on the watch for any misstep of mine.'Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,and take our vengeance on him.'But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.In their failure they will be put to utter shame,to lasting, unforgettable confusion.O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,who probe mind and heart,let me witness the vengeance you take on them,for...

June 24, 2017 Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist Reading 1 Is 49:1-6Hear me, O coastlands,listen, O distant peoples.The LORD called me from birth,from my mother's womb he gave me my name.He made of me a sharp-edged swordand concealed me in the shadow of his arm.He made me a polished arrow,in his quiver he hid me.You are my servant, he said to me,Israel, through whom I show my glory. Though I thought I had toiled in vain,and for nothing, uselessly, spent my strength,yet my reward is with the LORD,my recompense is with my God.For now the...

June 23, 2017 Solemnity of Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Reading 1 Dt 7:6-11Moses said to the people:"You are a people sacred to the LORD, your God;he has chosen you from all the nations on the face of the earthto be a people peculiarly his own.It was not because you are the largest of all nationsthat the LORD set his heart on you and chose you,for you are really the smallest of all nations.It was because the LORD loved youand because of his fidelity to the oath he had sworn your fathers,that he brought you out with his strong...

June 22, 2017 Thursday of the Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 2 Cor 11:1-11Brothers and sisters:If only you would put up with a little foolishness from me!Please put up with me.For I am jealous of you with the jealousy of God,since I betrothed you to one husbandto present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning,your thoughts may be corruptedfrom a sincere and pure commitment to Christ.For if someone comes and preaches another Jesus than the one we preached,or if you receive a different spirit from...

June 21, 2017 Memorial of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious Reading 1 2 Cor 9:6-11Brothers and sisters, consider this:whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,for God loves a cheerful giver.Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,so that in all things, always having all you need,you may have an abundance for every good work.As it is written: He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;his righteousness endures forever. The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for foodwill supply...