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Tuesday 24 December 2024 24 DecemberSan Gregorio Maggiore Church, Spoleto, ItalyReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First reading2 Samuel 7:1-5,8-12,14,16Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before meOnce David had settled into his house and the Lord had given him rest from all the enemies surrounding him, the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘Look, I am living in a house of cedar while the ark of God dwells in a tent.’ Nathan said to the king, ‘Go and do all that is in your mind, for the Lord is with you.’ But that very night the word...

Monday 23 December 2024 23 December (optional commemoration of Saint John of Kęty, Priest) St. John Cantius Church, ChicagoReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingMalachi 3:1-4,23-24Before my day comes, I will send you Elijah my prophetThe Lord God says this: Look, I am going to send my messenger to prepare a way before me. And the Lord you are seeking will suddenly enter his Temple; and the angel of the covenant whom you are longing for, yes, he is coming, says the Lord of Hosts. Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will...

Sunday 22 December 2024 4th Sunday of Advent The Shrine of St. Frances Cabrini, NYCReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingMicah 5:1-4He will stand and feed his flock with the power of the LordThe Lord says this:But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,the least of the clans of Judah,out of you will be born for methe one who is to rule over Israel;his origin goes back to the distant past,to the days of old.The Lord is therefore going to abandon themtill the time when she who is to give birth gives birth.Then the remnant of his brothers will come backto the sons...

Saturday 21 December 202421 December (optional commemoration of Saint Peter Canisius, Priest, Doctor) St. Petrus Canisius, Friedrichshafen, GermanyReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingSong of Songs 2:8-14See how my Beloved comes, leaping on the mountainsI hear my Beloved.See how he comesleaping on the mountains,bounding over the hills.My Beloved is like a gazelle,like a young stag.See where he standsbehind our wall.He looks in at the window,he peers through the lattice.My Beloved lifts up his voice,he says to me,‘Come then, my love,my lovely one, come.For see, winter is past,the rains are over and gone.The flowers appear on the earth.The season of...

Friday 20 December 2024 20 December Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio, Rome Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingIsaiah 7:10-14The maiden is with childThe Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, ‘Ask the Lord your God for a sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from the heights above.’ ‘No,’ Ahaz answered ‘I will not put the Lord to the test.’ Then Isaiah said:‘Listen now, House of David:are you not satisfied with trying the patience of menwithout trying the patience of my God, too?The Lord himself, therefore,will give you a sign.It is this: the maiden is with...

Thursday 19 December 2024 19 December St. Volodymyr and Olha Ukrainian Catholic Church, ChicagoReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingJudges 13:2-7,24-25'You will conceive and bear a son'There was a man of Zorah of the tribe of Dan, called Manoah. His wife was barren, she had borne no children. The angel of the Lord appeared to this woman and said to her, ‘You are barren and have had no child. But from now on take great care. Take no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean. For you will conceive and bear a son. No razor is to...

Wednesday 18 December 202418 December Cathédrale Saint-Gatien, Tours, FranceReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingJeremiah 23:5-8I will raise a virtuous Branch for DavidSee, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks –when I will raise a virtuous Branch for David,who will reign as true king and be wise,practising honesty and integrity in the land.In his days Judah will be savedand Israel dwell in confidence.And this is the name he will be called:The-Lord-our-integrity.So, then, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when people will no longer say, “As the Lord lives who...

17 December 2024 Tuesday 17 DecemberIsrael, Bethany, interior of the Church of St LazarusReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingGenesis 49:2,8-10Until he comes, the sceptre will not pass from JudahJacob called his sons and said:‘Gather round, sons of Jacob, and listen;listen to Israel your father.Judah, your brothers shall praise you:you grip your enemies by the neck,your father’s sons shall do you homage,Judah is a lion cub,you climb back, my son, from your kill;like a lion he crouches and lies down,or a lioness: who dare rouse him?The sceptre shall not pass from Judah,nor the mace from between his feet,until...

16 December 2024 Monday of the 3rd week of Advent St Adelaide Church, Peabody, MAReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingNumbers 24:2-7,15-17The oracles of BalaamRaising his eyes Balaam saw Israel, encamped by tribes; the spirit of God came on him and he declaimed his poem. He said:‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes,the oracle of one who hears the word of God.He sees what Shaddai makes him see,receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.How fair are your tents, O Jacob!How fair your dwellings, Israel!Like valleys that stretch afar,like gardens...

15 December 2024 3rd Sunday of Advent Santo Niño Basilica, Cebu City, the PhilippinesReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Rose or Violet. Year: C(I).First readingZephaniah 3:14-18The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midstShout for joy, daughter of Zion,Israel, shout aloud!Rejoice, exult with all your heart,daughter of Jerusalem!The Lord has repealed your sentence;he has driven your enemies away.The Lord, the king of Israel, is in your midst;you have no more evil to fear.When that day comes, word will come to Jerusalem:Zion, have no fear,do not let your hands fall limp.The Lord your God is in your midst,a victorious warrior.He will exult...

14 December 2024 Saint John of the Cross, Priest, Doctor on Saturday of the 2nd week of Advent St. John of the Cross Catholic Church Western Springs, ILReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I).Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst readingEcclesiasticus 48:1-4,9-12The prophet Elijah will come againThe prophet Elijah arose like a fire, his word flaring like a torch.It was he who brought famine on the people, and who decimated them in his zeal.By the word of the Lord, he shut up the heavens, he also, three times, brought down fire.How glorious you...

13 December 2024 Saint Lucy, Virgin, Martyr on Friday of the 2nd week of Advent St. Lucy Catholic Church Racine, WIReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Red. Year: C(I).Readings for the feriaReadings for the memorialThese are the readings for the feriaFirst readingIsaiah 48:17-19If you had been alert to my commandments, your happiness would have been like a riverThus says the Lord, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is good for you,I lead you in the way that you must go.If only you had been alert to my commandments,your happiness would have been like a...

Thursday 12 December 2024 Our Lady of Guadalupe FeastSaint Finian's Catholic Church, Towlaght Townland, Co. Meath, IrelandReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I).First readingZechariah 2:14-17'I am coming', says the LordSing, rejoice,daughter of Zion;for I am comingto dwell in the middle of you– it is the Lord who speaks.Many nations will join the Lord,on that day;they will become his people.But he will remain among you,and you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you.But the Lord will hold Judahas his portion in the Holy Land,and again make Jerusalem his very own.Let all mankind be silent before...

11 December 2024 Wednesday of the 2nd week of Advent San Lorenzo in Damaso, Rome, burial place of Saint Damasus I Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingIsaiah 40:25-31The Lord strengthens the powerless‘To whom could you liken meand who could be my equal?’ says the Holy One.Lift your eyes and look.Who made these starsif not he who drills them like an army,calling each one by name?So mighty is his power, so great his strength,that not one fails to answer.How can you say, Jacob,how can you insist, Israel,‘My destiny is hidden from the Lord,my rights are ignored by my God’?Did...

10 December 2024 Tuesday of the 2nd week of AdventSt Eulalia de Mérida Chapel. Oviedo Cathedral Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingIsaiah 40:1-11Consolations from the heart of Jerusalem‘Console my people, console them’says your God.‘Speak to the heart of Jerusalemand call to herthat her time of service is ended,that her sin is atoned for,that she has received from the hand of the Lorddouble punishment for all her crimes.’A voice cries, ‘Prepare in the wildernessa way for the Lord.Make a straight highway for our Godacross the desert.Let every valley be filled in,every mountain and hill be laid low.Let every...

Monday 9 December 2024 The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary Solemnity St. Juan Diego Catholic Church, Chandler, AZReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I).First readingGenesis 3:9-15,20The mother of all those who liveAfter Adam had eaten of the tree the Lord God called to him. ‘Where are you?’ he asked. ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden;’ he replied ‘I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.’ ‘Who told you that you were naked?’ he asked ‘Have you been eating of the tree I forbade you to eat?’ The man replied, ‘It was the...

6 December 2024 Friday of the 1st week of Advent Saint Nicholas Roman Catholic Church, in Saint Louis, MissouriReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingIsaiah 29:17-24In a very short time, the deaf will hear and the eyes of the blind will seeThe Lord says this:In a short time, a very short time,shall not Lebanon become fertile landand fertile land turn into forest?The deaf, that day,will hear the words of a bookand, after shadow and darkness,the eyes of the blind will see.But the lowly will rejoice in the Lord even moreand the poorest exult in the Holy One of...

5 December 2024Thursday of the 1st week of Advent Relics of Saint Sabbas, Mar Saba Monastery, the Holy Land Readings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingIsaiah 26:1-6Open the gates; let the upright nation come inThat day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah:We have a strong city;to guard us he has setwall and rampart about us.Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in,she, the faithful onewhose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace,because she trusts in you.Trust in the Lord for ever,for the Lord is the everlasting Rock;he has brought low those who lived high...

4 December 2024 Wednesday of the 1st week of Advent Saint Barbara, Kutna Hora, Czech RepublicReadings at MassLiturgical Colour: Violet. Year: C(I).First readingIsaiah 25:6-10The Lord will prepare a banquet for every nationOn this mountain,the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoplesa banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines,of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines.On this mountain he will removethe mourning veil covering all peoples,and the shroud enwrapping all nations,he will destroy Death for ever.The Lord will wipe awaythe tears from every cheek;he will take away his people’s shameeverywhere on earth,for the Lord has said...

If I had to offer one piece of advice to Catholics, it’s getting Advent right. Advent is a time of preparation, not a time of anticipation. The problem with the “anticipation” approach is that December 25–Christmas–ends the holiday rather than begins it. All the important “holiday stuff” is stuffed into the first 24 days of December. Even “Christmas movies” (except on the Hallmark Channel) peter off during the week between Christmas and New Year. And whatever “holiday” spirit might still be coasting on celebratory gases can count on extinguishment by about 4 am January 1. This is not the Catholic...