Today's mass reading from the Bible October/01/2013 (Homily catholic church, Gospel word of God for the day)

First Reading: Zechariah 8: 20 - 23

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20 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities;
21 the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, `Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I am going.'
22 Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the LORD.
23 Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, `Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"

Psalms 87: 1 - 7

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1 On the holy mount stands the city he founded;
2 the LORD loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob.
3 Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God. [Selah]
4 Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon; behold, Philistia and Tyre, with Ethiopia "This one was born there," they say.
5 And of Zion it shall be said, "This one and that one were born in her"; for the Most High himself will establish her.
6 The LORD records as he registers the peoples, "This one was born there." [Selah]
7 Singers and dancers alike say, "All my springs are in you."

Gospel Reading: Luke 9: 51 - 56

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51 When the days drew near for him to be received up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
52 And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him;
53 but the people would not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.
54 And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to bid fire come down from heaven and consume them?"
55 But he turned and rebuked them.
56 And they went on to another village.

Today's mass reading from the Bible September/30/2013 (Homily catholic church, Gospel word of God for the day)

First Reading: Zechariah 8: 1 - 8

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1 And the word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying,
2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath.
3 Thus says the LORD: I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain.
4 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand for very age.
5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets.
6 Thus says the LORD of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, says the LORD of hosts?
7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country;
8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness."

Psalms 102: 16 - 21, 29, 22 - 23

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16 For the LORD will build up Zion, he will appear in his glory;
17 he will regard the prayer of the destitute, and will not despise their supplication.
18 Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet unborn may praise the LORD:
19 that he looked down from his holy height, from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,
20 to hear the groans of the prisoners, to set free those who were doomed to die;
21 that men may declare in Zion the name of the LORD, and in Jerusalem his praise,
22 when peoples gather together, and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.
23 He has broken my strength in midcourse; he has shortened my days.

Gospel Reading: Luke 9: 46 - 50

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46 And an argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.
47 But when Jesus perceived the thought of their hearts, he took a child and put him by his side,
48 and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great."
49 John answered, "Master, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he does not follow with us."
50 But Jesus said to him, "Do not forbid him; for he that is not against you is for you."

Today's mass reading from the Bible September/29/2013 (Homily catholic church, Gospel word of God for the day)

First Reading: Amos 6: 1, 4 - 7

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1 "Woe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who feel secure on the mountain of Sama'ria, the notable men of the first of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!
4 "Woe to those who lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat lambs from the flock, and calves from the midst of the stall;
5 who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp, and like David invent for themselves instruments of music;
6 who drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
7 Therefore they shall now be the first of those to go into exile, and the revelry of those who stretch themselves shall pass away."

Psalms 146: 7 - 10

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7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;
8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the sojourners, he upholds the widow and the fatherless; but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10 The LORD will reign for ever, thy God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

Second Reading: 1 Timothy 6: 11 - 16

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11 But as for you, man of God, shun all this; aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
12 Fight the good fight of the faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
13 In the presence of God who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession,
14 I charge you to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
15 and this will be made manifest at the proper time by the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords,
16 who alone has immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.

Gospel Reading: Luke 16: 19 - 31

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19 "There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day.
20 And at his gate lay a poor man named Laz'arus, full of sores,
21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried;
23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz'arus in his bosom.
24 And he called out, `Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Laz'arus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.'
25 But Abraham said, `Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Laz'arus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.
26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'
27 And he said, `Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house,
28 for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.'
29 But Abraham said, `They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'
30 And he said, `No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'
31 He said to him, `If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.'"

Today's mass reading from the Bible September/28/2013 (Homily catholic church, Gospel word of God for the day)

First Reading: Zechariah 2: 5 - 9, 14 - 15

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5 For I will be to her a wall of fire round about, says the LORD, and I will be the glory within her.'"
6 Ho! ho! Flee from the land of the north, says the LORD; for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, says the LORD.
7 Ho! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.
8 For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye:
9 "Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me.

Jeremiah 31: 10 - 13

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10 "Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, and declare it in the coastlands afar off; say, `He who scattered Israel will gather him, and will keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.'
11 For the LORD has ransomed Jacob, and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.
12 They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion, and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD, over the grain, the wine, and the oil, and over the young of the flock and the herd; their life shall be like a watered garden, and they shall languish no more.
13 Then shall the maidens rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old shall be merry. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

Gospel Reading: Luke 9: 43 - 45

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43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he did, he said to his disciples,
44 "Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men."
45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

Today's mass reading from the Bible September/27/2013 (Homily catholic church, Gospel word of God for the day)

First Reading: Haggai 2: 1 - 9

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1 in the seventh month, on the twentyfirst day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet,
2 "Speak now to Zerub'babel the son of Sheal'tiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest, and to all the remnant of the people, and say,
3 `Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Is it not in your sight as nothing?
4 Yet now take courage, O Zerub'babel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts,
5 according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit abides among you; fear not.
6 For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land;
7 and I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with splendor, says the LORD of hosts.
8 The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts.
9 The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.'"

Psalms 43: 1 - 4

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1 Vindicate me, O God, and defend my cause against an ungodly people; from deceitful and unjust men deliver me!
2 For thou art the God in whom I take refuge; why hast thou cast me off? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?
3 Oh send out thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let them bring me to thy holy hill and to thy dwelling!
4 Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy; and I will praise thee with the lyre, O God, my God.

Gospel Reading: Luke 9: 18 - 22

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18 Now it happened that as he was praying alone the disciples were with him; and he asked them, "Who do the people say that I am?"
19 And they answered, "John the Baptist; but others say, Eli'jah; and others, that one of the old prophets has risen."
20 And he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered, "The Christ of God."
21 But he charged and commanded them to tell this to no one,
22 saying, "The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised."

Today's mass reading from the Bible September/26/2013 (Homily catholic church, Gospel word of God for the day)

First Reading: Haggai 1: 1 - 8

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1 In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet to Zerub'babel the son of Sheal'tiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehoz'adak, the high priest,
2 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: This people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD."
3 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet,
4 "Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins?
5 Now therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared.
6 You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes.
7 "Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared.
8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may appear in my glory, says the LORD.

Psalms 149: 1 - 6, 9

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1 Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful!
2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker, let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King!
3 Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with timbrel and lyre!
4 For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory.
5 Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches.
6 Let the high praises of God be in their throats and twoedged swords in their hands,
9 to execute on them the judgment written! This is glory for all his faithful ones. Praise the LORD!

Gospel Reading: Luke 9: 7 - 9

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7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead,
8 by some that Eli'jah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen.
9 Herod said, "John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?" And he sought to see him.

Today's mass reading from the Bible September/25/2013 (Homily catholic church, Gospel word of God for the day)

First Reading: Ezra 9: 5 - 9

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5 And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garments and my mantle rent, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God,
6 saying: "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to thee, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.
7 From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt; and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as at this day.
8 But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant, and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage.
9 For we are bondmen; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.

Tobit 13: 2 - 4, 7 - 8

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2 For he afflicts, and he shows mercy; he leads down to Hades, and brings up again, and there is no one who can escape his hand.
3 Acknowledge him before the nations, O sons of Israel; for he has scattered us among them.
4 Make his greatness known there, and exalt him in the presence of all the living; because he is our Lord and God, he is our Father for ever.
7 I exalt my God; my soul exalts the King of heaven, and will rejoice in his majesty.
8 Let all men speak, and give him thanks in Jerusalem.

Gospel Reading: Luke 9: 1 - 6

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1 And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,
2 and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal.
3 And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.
4 And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.
5 And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them."
6 And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.