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July 30, 2017 Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, "Ask something of me and I will give it to you." Solomon answered:"O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, kingto succeed my father David;but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heartto judge your people and to...

July 29, 2017 Memorial of Saint Martha Reading 1 Ex 24:3-8When Moses came to the peopleand related all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all answered with one voice,"We will do everything that the LORD has told us."Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and,rising early the next day,he erected at the foot of the mountain an altarand twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having sent certain young men of the children of Israelto offer burnt offerings and sacrifice young bullsas peace offerings to the LORD,Moses took half of the blood...

July 28, 2017 Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Ex 20:1-17In those days:God delivered all these commandments: "I, the LORD, am your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery.You shall not have other gods besides me.You shall not carve idols for yourselves in the shape of anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth; you shall not bow down before them or worship them.For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God, inflicting punishment for their fathers' wickedness...

July 27, 2017 Thursday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20bIn the third month after their departure from the land of Egypt,on its first day, the children of Israel came to the desert of Sinai.After the journey from Rephidim to the desert of Sinai,they pitched camp. While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain,the LORD told Moses,"I am coming to you in a dense cloud,so that when the people hear me speaking with you,they may always have faith in you also."When Moses, then, had reported to the LORD the response of...

July 26, 2017 Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, Parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary Reading 1 Ex 16:1-5, 9-15The children of Israel set out from Elim, and came into the desert of Sin,which is between Elim and Sinai,on the fifteenth day of the second monthafter their departure from the land of Egypt.Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israelgrumbled against Moses and Aaron.The children of Israel said to them,"Would that we had died at the LORD's hand in the land of Egypt,as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!But you...

July 25, 2017 Feast of Saint James, Apostle Reading 1 2 Cor 4:7-15Brothers and sisters:We hold this treasure in earthen vessels,that the surpassing power may be of God and not from us.We are afflicted in every way, but not constrained;perplexed, but not driven to despair;persecuted, but not abandoned;struck down, but not destroyed;always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus,so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.For we who live are constantly being given up to deathfor the sake of Jesus,so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our mortal flesh....

July 24, 2017 Monday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Ex 14:5-18When it was reported to the king of Egyptthat the people had fled,Pharaoh and his servants changed their minds about them.They exclaimed, "What have we done!Why, we have released Israel from our service!"So Pharaoh made his chariots ready and mustered his soldiersBsix hundred first-class chariotsand all the other chariots of Egypt, with warriors on them all.So obstinate had the LORD made Pharaohthat he pursued the children of Israeleven while they were marching away in triumph.The Egyptians, then, pursued them;Pharaoh's whole army, his horses, chariots and...

July 23, 2017 Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Wis 12:13, 16-19There is no god besides you who have the care of all,that you need show you have not unjustly condemned.For your might is the source of justice;your mastery over all things makes you lenient to all.For you show your might when the perfection of your power is disbelieved;and in those who know you, you rebuke temerity.But though you are master of might, you judge with clemency,and with much lenience you govern us;for power, whenever you will, attends you.And you taught your people, by these deeds,that those who...

July 22, 2017 Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene Reading 1 Sgs 3:1-4bThe Bride says:On my bed at night I sought himwhom my heart loves–I sought him but I did not find him.I will rise then and go about the city;in the streets and crossings I will seekHim whom my heart loves.I sought him but I did not find him.The watchmen came upon me,as they made their rounds of the city:Have you seen him whom my heart loves?I had hardly left themwhen I found him whom my heart loves. OR 2 Cor 5:14-17Brothers and sisters:The love of Christ impels us,once...

July 21, 2017 Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Ex 11:10—12:14Although Moses and Aaron performed various wondersin Pharaoh's presence,the LORD made Pharaoh obstinate,and he would not let the children of Israel leave his land. The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,"This month shall stand at the head of your calendar;you shall reckon it the first month of the year.Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this monthevery one of your families must procure for itself a lamb,one apiece for each household.If a family is too small for...

July 20, 2017 Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Ex 3:13-20Moses, hearing the voice of the LORD from the burning bush, said to him,"When I go to the children of Israel and say to them,'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,'if they ask me, 'What is his name?' what am I to tell them?"God replied, "I am who am."Then he added, "This is what you shall tell the children of Israel:I AM sent me to you." God spoke further to Moses, "Thus shall you say to the children of Israel:The LORD, the...

July 19, 2017 Wednesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Ex 3:1-6, 9-12Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian.Leading the flock across the desert, he came to Horeb,the mountain of God.There an angel of the LORD appeared to him in fireflaming out of a bush.As he looked on, he was surprised to see that the bush,though on fire, was not consumed.So Moses decided,"I must go over to look at this remarkable sight,and see why the bush is not burned." When the LORD saw him coming over to look at it...

July 18, 2017 Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Ex 2:1-15aA certain man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman,who conceived and bore a son.Seeing that he was a goodly child, she hid him for three months.When she could hide him no longer, she took a papyrus basket,daubed it with bitumen and pitch,and putting the child in it,placed it among the reeds on the river bank.His sister stationed herself at a distanceto find out what would happen to him. Pharaoh's daughter came down to the river to bathe,while her maids walked along the...

July 17, 2017 Monday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Ex 1:8-14, 22A new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to power in Egypt.He said to his subjects, "Look how numerous and powerfulthe people of the children of Israel are growing, more so than we ourselves!Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase;otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemiesto fight against us, and so leave our country." Accordingly, taskmasters were set over the children of Israelto oppress them with forced labor.Thus they had to build for Pharaohthe supply...

July 16, 2017 Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Is 55:10-11Thus says the LORD:Just as from the heavensthe rain and snow come downand do not return theretill they have watered the earth,making it fertile and fruitful,giving seed to the one who sowsand bread to the one who eats,so shall my word bethat goes forth from my mouth;my word shall not return to me void,but shall do my will,achieving the end for which I sent it. Responsorial Psalm Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14R. (Lk 8:8) The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.You have visited...

July 15, 2017 Memorial of Saint Bonaventure, Bishop and Doctor of the Church Reading 1 Gn 49:29-32; 50:15-26aJacob gave his sons this charge:"Since I am about to be taken to my people,bury me with my fathers in the cave that liesin the field of Ephron the Hittite,the cave in the field of Machpelah,facing on Mamre, in the land of Canaan,the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittitefor a burial ground.There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried,and so are Isaac and his wife Rebekah,and there, too, I buried Leah–the field and the cave in itthat had been purchased...

July 14, 2017 Memorial of Saint Kateri Tekakwitha, Virgin Reading 1 Gn 46:1-7, 28-30Israel set out with all that was his.When he arrived at Beer-sheba,he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.There God, speaking to Israel in a vision by night, called,"Jacob! Jacob!"He answered, "Here I am."Then he said: "I am God, the God of your father.Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt,for there I will make you a great nation.Not only will I go down to Egypt with you;I will also bring you back here, after Joseph has closed your eyes." So Jacob departed...

July 13, 2017 Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5Judah approached Joseph and said: "I beg you, my lord,let your servant speak earnestly to my lord,and do not become angry with your servant,for you are the equal of Pharaoh.My lord asked your servants, 'Have you a father, or another brother?'So we said to my lord, 'We have an aged father,and a young brother, the child of his old age.This one's full brother is dead,and since he is the only one by that mother who is left,his father dotes on him.'Then you told your...

July 12, 2017 Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Gn 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24aWhen hunger came to be felt throughout the land of Egyptand the people cried to Pharaoh for bread,Pharaoh directed all the Egyptians to go to Josephand do whatever he told them.When the famine had spread throughout the land,Joseph opened all the cities that had grainand rationed it to the Egyptians,since the famine had gripped the land of Egypt.In fact, all the world came to Joseph to obtain rations of grain,for famine had gripped the whole world. The sons of Israel were among thosewho...

July 11, 2017 Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot Reading 1 Gn 32:23-33In the course of the night, Jacob arose, took his two wives,with the two maidservants and his eleven children,and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.After he had taken them across the streamand had brought over all his possessions,Jacob was left there alone.Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.When the man saw that he could not prevail over him,he struck Jacob's hip at its socket,so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled.The man then said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."But Jacob...