From: 2 Timothy 1:1-3, 6-12

Greeting

[1] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise
of the life which is in Christ Jesus, [2] To Timothy, my beloved child: Grace,
mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. [3] I thank
God whom I serve with a clear conscience, as did my fathers, when I remember
you constantly in my prayers.

Response to Grace

[6] Hence I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the
laying on of my hands; [7] God did to give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of
power and love and self-control.

St Paul, Herald of the Gospel

[8] Do not be ashamed then of testifying to our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but
take your share of suffering for the gospel in the power of God, [9] who saved us
and called us with a holy calling, not in virtue of our works but in virtue of his own
purpose and the grace which he gave us in Christ Jesus ages ago, [10] and now
has manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished
death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. [11] For this
gospel I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, [12] and therefore
I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I
am sure that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.

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Commentary:

1-2. The greeting is like that of 1 Timothy, although now St Paul adds a specific
reference to the purpose of his God-given call to the apostolate—”according to
the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus”. Christ fulfills all the promises
of happiness given to Abraham and the other Old Testament patriarchs. The pur-
pose of the Gospel message is to let men know that they have been called to
enjoy a new life in Christ, that is, the divine life whose germ we receive at Bap-
tism. That sacrament initiates the life of grace in the soul, and ultimately that life
will blossom into eternal life (cf. 1 Tim 1:16; 6:12; Tit 1:2; 3:9).

On the exact meaning of the expression “in Christ Jesus”, see the note on 1 Tim
1:14.

3. “I thank God”: this is not a spontaneous expression of gratitude but rather a
permanent disposition of Paul’s soul.

St Paul makes the point that his attitude of service and worship is the same as
that of his ancestors, the righteous of the Old Testament, for although the Gos-
pel is something new it does not involve a break with the earlier revelation; rather
it brings that revelation to fulfillment. The Apostle pays tribute to the chosen peo-
ple, not hiding his satisfaction at being a Jew himself (cf. Rom 9:3; 11:1;
Gal 2:15).”The Church of Christ acknowledges”, Vatican II states, “that in God’s
plan of salvation the beginning of her faith and election is to be found in the patri-
archs, Moses and the prophets [...]. The Church cannot forget that she received
the revelation of the Old Testament by way of that people with whom God in his
inexpressible mercy established the ancient covenant [...]. She is mindful, more-
over, that the Apostles, the pillars on which the Church stands, were of Jewish
descent, as were many of those early disciples who proclaimed the Gospel of
Christ to the world” (”Nostra Aetate”, 4).

6. “The gift of God” is the priestly character which Timothy received on the day
of his ordination. St Paul is using very graphic and precise language: by the sac-
rament of Order a divine gift is conferred on the priest; it is like an ember which
needs to be revived from time to time in order to make it glow and give forth the
warmth it contains. St Thomas Aquinas comments that “the grace of God is like
a fire which does not flow when it is covered by ashes; the same thing happens
when grace is covered over in a person by sluggishness or natural fear” (”Com-
mentary on 2 Tim, ad loc.”).

The gifts which God confers on the priest “are not transitory or temporary in him,
but stable and permanent, attached as they are to an indelible character, im-
pressed on his soul, by which he is made a priest forever (cf. Ps 109:4), in the
likeness of Him in whose priesthood he has been made to share” (Pius XI, “Ad
Catholici Sacerdotii”, 17).

“The laying on of my hands”: see the note on 1 Tim 4:14.

7. The gift of God, received in the sacrament of Order by the laying on of hands,
includes sanctifying grace and sacramental grace, and the actual graces needed
for performing ministerial functions in a worthy manner. The Council of Trent uses
this text (vv. 6-7) when it solemnly defines that Priestly Order is a sacrament in-
stituted by Jesus Christ (cf. “De Sacram. Ordinis”, chap. 3).

The minister, then, must be courageous in performing his office: he should preach
the truth unambiguously even if it clashes with the surroundings; he should do so
with love, and be open to everyone despite their faults; with sobriety and modera-
tion, always seeing the good of souls, not his own advantage. Since the days of
the Fathers the Church has urged priests to develop these virtues: “Priests
should be compassionate”, St Polycarp warns; “they should show mercy to all;
they should try to reclaim those who go astray, visit the sick, and care for the
poor, the orphan and the widow. They should be concerned always to do what is
honorable in the sight of God and men. They should avoid any show of anger, any
partiality or trace of greed. They should not be over-ready to believe ill of anyone,
not too severe in their censure, being well aware that we all owe the debt of sin”
(”Letter to the Philippians”, chap. 6).

9-10. There is a theological basis for courageously confronting the difficulties the
Gospel brings with it—the fact that we have been called by God, who has revealed
himself as our Savior. As elsewhere in these letters (cf. 1 Tim 3:15ff; Tit 3:5-7).
St Paul here speaks a succinct hymn in praise of salvation, probably using ex-
pressions based on some liturgical hymn or confession of faith.

The salvation which God brings about is viewed in this passage as it applies to
Christians (v. 9) and is manifested in the incarnation of Christ (v. 10). Four essen-
tial aspects of salvation are identified: 1) God has already accomplished salvation
for everyone; 2) it is God, too, who calls all men to avail of it; 3) it is entirely a gift:
man cannot merit it (cf. Tit 3:5, Eph 2.8-9), and 4) God’s plan is an eternal one
(cf. Rom 8:29-30; Eph 1:11).

“The appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ” (v. 10) refers in the first place to his
incarnation (cf. Tit 2:11; 3:4) but it includes his entire work of redemption which
culminates in his appearing in glory and majesty (cf. 1 Tim 6:14; 2 Tim 4:1, 8).
The Redemption has two wonderful effects—victory over death (physical and spiri-
tual) and the abundant and luminous gift of everlasting life. “He is the true Lamb
who took away the sins of the world. By dying he destroyed our death; by rising
he restored our life” (”Preface of Easter”, I).

“Ages ago”: literally, “from the times of the ages”, a primitive expression meaning
the same thing as “eternity”.

12. “I know whom I have believed”: through the virtue of faith we assent to the
truths God has revealed, not on the intrinsic evidence they provide but on the au-
thority of God, who can neither deceive nor be deceived (cf. Vatican I, “Dei Filius”,
chap. 3). The response of faith is basically a trusting abandonment of oneself into
God’s hands: “By faith man freely commits his entire life to God, making ‘the full
submission of his intellect and will to God who reveals’, and willingly assenting to
the Revelation given by him. Before this faith can be exercised, man must have
the grace of God to move and assist him; he must have the interior helps of the
Holy Spirit, who moves the heart and converts it to God, who opens the eyes of
the mind and ‘makes it easy for all to accept and believe the truth”’ (Vatican II,
“Dei Verbum”, 5).

“What has been entrusted to me”: some commentators think that this “deposit”
is the sum total of the good works and merits the Apostle has built up over his
lifetime. However it is more likely that he is referring to the body of doctrine which
he strives to guard and to teach to others. It is in that sense that St John Chryso-
stom interprets it: “What does this ‘deposit’ mean? Faith, preaching. He himself
who has entrusted the deposit to me knows how to keep it intact. I suffer as may
be to ensure that this treasure is not snatched away from me. I do not try to es-
cape whatever evils I have to undergo; I am happy as long as the deposit is
preserved pure and intact” (”Hom. on 2 Tim, ad loc.”). See also the note on 1
Tim 6:20.

“That Day”: the day of judgment, when he will be called to give an account to
God. It can refer to both the particular judgment and the last judgment.

*********************************************************************************************
Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

From: Mark 12:18-27

The Resurrection of the Dead

[18] And Sadducees came to Him (Jesus), who say that there is no resurrection;
and they asked Him a question, saying [19] “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that
if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take
the wife, and raise up children for his brother. [20] There were seven brothers;
the first took a wife, and when he died left no children; [21] and the second took
her, and died, leaving no children; and the third likewise; [22] and the seven left
no children. Last of all the woman also died. [23] In the resurrection whose wife
will she be? For the seven had her as wife.”

[24] Jesus said to them, “Is not this why you are wrong, that you know neither
the Scriptures nor the power of God? [25] For when they rise from the dead,
they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in Heaven. [26]
And as for being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage
about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God
of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? [27] He is not God of the dead, but of the living;
you are quite wrong.”

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Commentary:

18-27. Before answering the difficulty proposed by the Sadducees, Jesus wants
to identify the source of the problem—man’s tendency to confine the greatness of
God inside a human framework through excessive reliance on reason, not giving
due weight to divine Revelation and the power of God. A person can have difficul-
ty with the truths of faith; this is not surprising, for these truths are above human
reason. But it is ridiculous to try to find contradictions in the revealed word of
God; this only leads away from any solution of difficulty and may make it impos-
sible to find one’s way back to God. We need to approach Sacred Scripture, and,
in general, the things of God, with the humility which faith demands. In the pas-
sage about the burning bush, which Jesus quotes to the Sadducees, God says
this to Moses: “Put off your shoes from your feet, for the place on which you
stand is holy ground” (Exodus 3:5).

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible by Darton, Longman & Todd

Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green.

First reading
2 Timothy 1:1-3,6-12 ©

God's gift is the Spirit of power, love and self-control

From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus in his design to promise life in Christ Jesus; to Timothy, dear child of mine, wishing you grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord.

Night and day I thank God, keeping my conscience clear and remembering my duty to him as my ancestors did, and always I remember you in my prayers. That is why I am reminding you now to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you when I laid my hands on you. God’s gift was not a spirit of timidity, but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy – not because of anything we ourselves have done but for his own purpose and by his own grace. This grace had already been granted to us, in Christ Jesus, before the beginning of time, but it has only been revealed by the Appearing of our saviour Christ Jesus. He abolished death, and he has proclaimed life and immortality through the Good News; and I have been named its herald, its apostle and its teacher.

It is only on account of this that I am experiencing fresh hardships here now; but I have not lost confidence, because I know who it is that I have put my trust in, and I have no doubt at all that he is able to take care of all that I have entrusted to him until that Day.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 122(123):1-2 ©

To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.

To you have I lifted up my eyes,

you who dwell in the heavens;

my eyes, like the eyes of slaves

on the hand of their lords.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.

Like the eyes of a servant

on the hand of her mistress,

so our eyes are on the Lord our God

till he show us his mercy.

To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.

Gospel Acclamation	Jn17:17

Alleluia, alleluia!

Your word is truth, O Lord:

consecrate us in the truth.

Alleluia!

Or:	Jn11:25, 26

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;

whoever believes in me will never die.

Alleluia!

Gospel	Mark 12:18-27 ©

The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob is the God of the living

Some Sadducees – who deny that there is a resurrection – came to him and they put this question to him, ‘Master, we have it from Moses in writing, if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, the man must marry the widow to raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first married a wife and then died leaving no children. The second married the widow, and he too died leaving no children; with the third it was the same, and none of the seven left any children. Last of all the woman herself died. Now at the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be, since she had been married to all seven?’

Jesus said to them, ‘Is not the reason why you go wrong, that you understand neither the scriptures nor the power of God? For when they rise from the dead, men and women do not marry; no, they are like the angels in heaven. Now about the dead rising again, have you never read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the Bush, how God spoke to him and said: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? He is God, not of the dead, but of the living. You are very much mistaken.’

Mark
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Mark 12
18.	And there came to him the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying:	Et venerunt ad eum sadducæi, qui dicunt resurrectionem non esse : et interrogabant eum, dicentes :	και ερχονται σαδδουκαιοι προς αυτον οιτινες λεγουσιν αναστασιν μη ειναι και επηρωτησαν αυτον λεγοντες
19.	Master, Moses wrote unto us, that if any man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.	Magister, Moyses nobis scripsit, ut si cujus frater mortuus fuerit, et dimiserit uxorem, et filios non reliquerit, accipiat frater ejus uxorem ipsius, et resuscitet semen fratri suo.	διδασκαλε μωσης εγραψεν ημιν οτι εαν τινος αδελφος αποθανη και καταλιπη γυναικα και τεκνα μη αφη ινα λαβη ο αδελφος αυτου την γυναικα αυτου και εξαναστηση σπερμα τω αδελφω αυτου
20.	Now there were seven brethren; and the first took a wife, and died leaving no issue.	Septem ergo fratres erant : et primus accepit uxorem, et mortuus est non relicto semine.	επτα αδελφοι ησαν και ο πρωτος ελαβεν γυναικα και αποθνησκων ουκ αφηκεν σπερμα
21.	And the second took her, and died: and neither did he leave any issue. And the third in like manner.	Et secundus accepit eam, et mortuus est : et nec iste reliquit semen. Et tertius similiter.	και ο δευτερος ελαβεν αυτην και απεθανεν και ουδε αυτος αφηκεν σπερμα και ο τριτος ωσαυτως
22.	And the seven all took her in like manner; and did not leave issue. Last of all the woman also died.	Et acceperunt eam similiter septem : et non reliquerunt semen. Novissima omnium defuncta est et mulier.	και ελαβον αυτην οι επτα και ουκ αφηκαν σπερμα εσχατη παντων απεθανεν και η γυνη
23.	In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise again, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.	In resurrectione ergo cum resurrexerint, cujus de his erit uxor ? septem enim habuerunt eam uxorem.	εν τη αναστασει οταν αναστωσιν τινος αυτων εσται γυνη οι γαρ επτα εσχον αυτην γυναικα
24.	And Jesus answering, saith to them: Do ye not therefore err, because you know not the scriptures, nor the power of God?	Et respondens Jesus, ait illis : Nonne ideo erratis, non scientes Scripturas, neque virtutem Dei ?	και αποκριθεις ο ιησους ειπεν αυτοις ου δια τουτο πλανασθε μη ειδοτες τας γραφας μηδε την δυναμιν του θεου
25.	For when they shall rise again from the dead, they shall neither marry, nor be married, but are as the angels in heaven.	Cum enim a mortuis resurrexerint, neque nubent, neque nubentur, sed sunt sicut angeli in cælis.	οταν γαρ εκ νεκρων αναστωσιν ουτε γαμουσιν ουτε γαμισκονται αλλ εισιν ως αγγελοι οι εν τοις ουρανοις
26.	And as concerning the dead that they rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spoke to him, saying: I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?	De mortuis autem quod resurgant, non legistis in libro Moysi, super rubum, quomodo dixerit illi Deus, inquiens : Ego sum Deus Abraham, et Deus Isaac, et Deus Jacob ?	περι δε των νεκρων οτι εγειρονται ουκ ανεγνωτε εν τη βιβλω μωσεως επι του βατου ως ειπεν αυτω ο θεος λεγων εγω ο θεος αβρααμ και ο θεος ισαακ και ο θεος ιακωβ
27.	He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You therefore do greatly err.	Non est Deus mortuorum, sed vivorum. Vos ergo multum erratis.	ουκ εστιν ο θεος νεκρων αλλα θεος ζωντων υμεις ουν πολυ πλανασθε

18. Then come to him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,
19. Master, Moses wrote to us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed to his brother.
20. Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
21. And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.
22. And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.
23. In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
24. And Jesus answering, said to them, Do you not therefore err, because you know not the Scriptures, neither the power of God?
25. For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
26. And as touching the dead, that they rise: have you not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
27. He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: you therefore do greatly err.

GLOSS. After that our Lord has prudently escaped the crafty temptation of the Pharisees, it is shows how He also confounds the Sadducees, who tempt Him; wherefore it is Said: Then come to him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection.

THEOPHYL. A certain heretical sect of the Jews called Sadducees denied the resurrection, and said that there was neither angel nor spirit. These then coming to Jesus, craftily proposed to Him a certain tale, in order to show that no resurrection should take place, or had taken place; and therefore there is added, And they asked him, saying, Master.

And in this tale they lay down that seven men had married one woman, in order to make men draw back from belief in the resurrection.

BEDE; And fitly do they frame such a fable in order to prove the madness of those who assert the resurrection of the body. Such a thing however might really have happened at some time or other among them.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But in a mystical sense: what can this woman, leaving no seed of seven brothers, and last of all dying, mean except the Jewish synagogue, deserted by the seven-fold Spirit, which filled those seven patriarchs, who did not leave to her the seed of Abraham, that is, Jesus Christ? For although a Son was born to them, nevertheless He was given to us Gentiles.

This woman was dead to Christ, nor shall she be joined in the resurrection to any patriarch of the seven; for by the number seven is meant the whole company of the faithful. Thus it is said contrariwise by Isaiah, Seven women shall take hold of one man; that is, the seven Churches, which the Lord loves, reproves, and chastises, adore Him with one faith.

Wherefore it goes on: And Jesus answering, said to them, Do you not therefore err, not knowing the Scripture, neither the power of God!

THEOPHYL. As if He had said, you understand not what sort of a resurrection the Scriptures announce; for you believe that there will be a restoration of our bodies, such as they are now, but it shall not be so. Thus then you know not the Scriptures; neither again do you know the power of God; for you consider it as a difficult thing, saying, How can the limbs, which have been scattered, be united together and joined to the soul? But this in respect of the Divine power is as nothing.

There follows: For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven; as if He had said, There will be a certain heavenly and angelic restoration to life, when there shall be no more decay, and we shall remain unchanged; and for this reason marriage shall cease. For marriage now exists on account of our decay, that we may be carried on by succession of our race, and not fail; but then we shall be as the Angels, which need no succession by marriage, and never come to an end.

BEDE; We must here consider that the Latin custom does not answer to the Greek idiom. For properly different words are used for the marriage of men, and that of women; but here we may simply understand that, marry is meant of men, and given in marriage of women.

PSEUDO-JEROME; Thus then they do not understand the Scripture, in that in the resurrection, men shall be as the Angels of God, that is, no man there dies, no one is born, no infant is there, no old man.

THEOPHYL. In another way also they are deceived, not understanding the Scriptures; for if they had understood them, they should also have understood how by the Scriptures the resurrection of the dead may be proved; wherefore He adds, And as touching the dead, that they rise, have you not read in the took of Moses, how in the bush God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?

PSEUDO-JEROME; But I say, in the bush, in which is an image of you; for in it the fire was kindled, but it did not consume its thorns; so my words set you on fire, but do not burn off your thorns, which have grown under the curse.

THEOPHYL. But I say, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. As if He had said, The God of the living, wherefore He adds, He is not the God of the dead, but of the living; for He did not say, I have been, but I am, as if they had been present. But some one perhaps will say, that God spoke this only of the soul of Abraham, not of His body; to which I answer, that Abraham implies both, that is, soul and body, so that He also is the God of the body, and the body lives with God, that is, in God's ordinance.

BEDE; Or else; because after proving that the soul remained after death, (for God could not be God of those who did not exist at all,) the resurrection of the body also might be inferred as a consequence, since it had done good and evil with the soul.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But when He says, The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; by naming God thrice, He implied the Trinity. But when He says, He is not the God of the dead, by naming again the One God, he implies One Substance. But they live who make good the portion, which they had chosen; and they are dead, who have lost what they had made good. You therefore do greatly err.

GLOSS. That is, because they contradicted the Scriptures, and derogated from the power of God.

Catena Aurea Mark 12

Jesus, High Priest

We thank you, God our Father, for those who have responded to your call to priestly ministry.

Accept this prayer we offer on their behalf: Fill your priests with the sure knowledge of your love.

Open their hearts to the power and consolation of the Holy Spirit.

Lead them to new depths of union with your Son.

Increase in them profound faith in the Sacraments they celebrate as they nourish, strengthen and heal us.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant that these, your priests, may inspire us to strive for holiness by the power of their example, as men of prayer who ponder your word and follow your will.

O Mary, Mother of Christ and our mother, guard with your maternal care these chosen ones, so dear to the Heart of your Son.

Intercede for our priests, that offering the Sacrifice of your Son, they may be conformed more each day to the image of your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint John Vianney, universal patron of priests, pray for us and our priests

This icon shows Jesus Christ, our eternal high priest.

The gold pelican over His heart represents self-sacrifice.

The border contains an altar and grapevines, representing the Mass, and icons of Melchizedek and St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney.

Melchizedek: king of righteousness (left icon) was priest and king of Jerusalem. He blessed Abraham and has been considered an ideal priest-king.

St. Jean-Baptiste Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests.

Pray a Rosary each day for our nation.

1. Sign of the Cross: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

2. The Apostles Creed: I BELIEVE in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

3. The Lord's Prayer: OUR Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.

4. (3) Hail Mary: HAIL Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now, and in the hour of our death. Amen. (Three times)

5. Glory Be: GLORY be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

6. Fatima Prayer: Oh, my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy.

Announce each mystery, then say 1 Our Father, 10 Hail Marys, 1 Glory Be and 1 Fatima prayer. Repeat the process with each mystery.

End with the Hail Holy Queen:
Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy, our life, our sweetness and our hope! To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve! To thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this vale of tears! Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; and after this, our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus!

O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary! Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Final step -- The Sign of the Cross

The Mysteries of the Rosary By tradition, Catholics meditate on these Mysteries during prayers of the Rosary. The biblical references follow each of the Mysteries below.

The Glorious Mysteries
(Wednesdays and Sundays)
1.The Resurrection (Matthew 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-12, John 20:1-29) [Spiritual fruit - Faith]
2. The Ascension (Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53, Acts 1:6-11) [Spiritual fruit - Christian Hope]
3. The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-13) [Spiritual fruit - Gifts of the Holy Spirit]
4. The Assumption [Spiritual fruit - To Jesus through Mary]
5. The Coronation [Spiritual fruit - Grace of Final Perseverance]

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June 6, 2018

Wednesday of the Ninth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 2 Tm 1:1-3, 6-12

Responsorial Psalm Ps 123:1b-2ab, 2cdef

Alleluia Jn 11:25a, 26

Gospel Mk 12:18-27

Readings at Mass