Daily Readings

Reading 1 Is 2:1-5 This is what Isaiah, son of Amoz,saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.In days to come,The mountain of the LORD's houseshall be established as the highest mountainand raised above the hills.All nations shall stream toward it;many peoples shall come and say:"Come, let us climb the LORD's mountain,to the house of the God of Jacob,That he may instruct us in his ways,and we may walk in his paths."For from Zion shall go forth instruction,and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.He shall judge between the nations,and impose terms on many peoples.They shall beat their swords into plowsharesand their spears into pruning hooks;One nation shall not raise the sword against another,nor shall they train for war again.O house of Jacob, come,let us walk in the light of the LORD! Responsorial Psalm Ps 122:1-2, 3-4b, 4cd-5, 6-7, 8-9 R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.I rejoiced because they said to me,"We will go up to the house of the LORD."And now we have set footwithin your gates, O Jerusalem.R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.Jerusalem, built as a city with compact unity.To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD.R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.According to the decree for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the LORD.In it are set up judgment seats, seats for the house of David. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! May those who love you prosper!May peace be within your walls, prosperity in your buildings. R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.Because of my relatives and friendsI will say, "Peace be within you!"Because of the house of the LORD, our God,I will pray for your good.R. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. Alleluia See Ps 80:4 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Come and save us, LORD our God;Let your face shine upon us, that we may be saved.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 8:5-11 When Jesus entered Capernaum,a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,"Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully." He said to him, "I will come and cure him." The centurion said in reply,"Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;only say the word and my servant will be healed.For I too am a man subject to authority,with soldiers subject to me.And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes;and to another, 'Come here,' and he comes;and to my slave, 'Do this,' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,"Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith. I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacobat the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven." Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint John of Damascus, priest, religious, doctor of the Church - - - Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Readings for the Memorial of Saint Francis Xavier, priest Reading 1 IS 63:16B-17, 19B; 64:2-7 You, LORD, are our father,our redeemer you are named forever.Why do you let us wander, O LORD, from your ways,and harden our hearts so that we fear you not?Return for the sake of your servants,the tribes of your heritage.Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down,with the mountains quaking before you,while you wrought awesome deeds we could not hope for,such as they had not heard of from of old.No ear has ever heard, no eye ever seen, any God but youdoing such deeds for those who wait for him.Would that you might meet us doing right,that we were mindful of you in our ways!Behold, you are angry, and we are sinful;all of us have become like unclean people,all our good deeds are like polluted rags;we have all withered like leaves,and our guilt carries us away like the wind.There is none who calls upon your name,who rouses himself to cling to you;for you have hidden your face from usand have delivered us up to our guilt.Yet, O LORD, you are our father;we are the clay and you the potter:we are all the work of your hands. Responsorial Psalm PS 80:2-3, 15-16, 18-19 R. (4) Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.O shepherd of Israel, hearken,from your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.Rouse your power,and come to save us.R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.Once again, O LORD of hosts,look down from heaven, and see;take care of this vine,and protect what your right hand has plantedthe son of man whom you yourself made strong.R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.May your help be with the man of your right hand,with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.Then we will no more withdraw from you;give us new life, and we will call upon your name.R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.   Reading II 1 COR 1:3-9 Brothers and sisters: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I give thanks to my God always on your account for the grace of God bestowed on you in Christ Jesus, that in him you were enriched in every way, with all discourse and all knowledge, as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you, so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift as you wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will keep you firm to the end, irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, and by him you were called to fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Alleluia PS 85:8 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Show us Lord, your love;and grant us your salvation.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel MK 13:33-37 Jesus said to his disciples: “Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come. It is like a man traveling abroad. He leaves home and places his servants in charge, each with his own work, and orders the gatekeeper to be on the watch. Watch, therefore; you do not know when the lord of the house is coming, whether in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning. May he not come suddenly and find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to all: ‘Watch!’” - - - Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Dn 7:15-27 I, Daniel, found my spirit anguished within its covering of flesh,and I was terrified by the visions of my mind.I approached one of those presentand asked him what all this meant in truth;in answer, he made known to me the meaning of the things:"These four great beasts stand for four kingdomswhich shall arise on the earth.But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingship,to possess it forever and ever."But I wished to make certain about the fourth beast,so very terrible and different from the others,devouring and crushing with its iron teeth and bronze claws,and trampling with its feet what was left;about the ten horns on its head, and the other one that sprang up,before which three horns fell;about the horn with the eyes and the mouth that spoke arrogantly,which appeared greater than its fellows.For, as I watched, that horn made war against the holy onesand was victorious until the Ancient One arrived;judgment was pronounced in favor of the holy ones of the Most High,and the time came when the holy ones possessed the kingdom.He answered me thus:"The fourth beast shall be a fourth kingdom on earthdifferent from all the others;It shall devour the whole earth,beat it down, and crush it.The ten horns shall be ten kingsrising out of that kingdom;another shall rise up after them,Different from those before him,who shall lay low three kings.He shall speak against the Most Highand oppress the holy ones of the Most High,thinking to change the feast days and the law.They shall be handed over to himfor a year, two years, and a half-year.But when the court is convened,and his power is taken awayby final and absolute destruction,Then the kingship and dominion and majestyof all the kingdoms under the heavensshall be given to the holy people of the Most High,Whose Kingdom shall be everlasting:all dominions shall serve and obey him." Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87 R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."You sons of men, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."O Israel, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him. Alleluia Lk 21:36 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Be vigilant at all times and prayThat you may have the strength to stand before the Son of Man.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 21:34-36 Jesus said to his disciples:"Beware that your hearts do not become drowsyfrom carousing and drunkennessand the anxieties of daily life,and that day catch you by surprise like a trap.For that day will assault everyonewho lives on the face of the earth.Be vigilant at all timesand pray that you have the strengthto escape the tribulations that are imminentand to stand before the Son of Man." - - - Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Dn 7:2-14 In a vision I, Daniel, saw during the night,the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea,from which emerged four immense beasts,each different from the others.The first was like a lion, but with eagle's wings.While I watched, the wings were plucked;it was raised from the ground to stand on two feetlike a man, and given a human mind. The second was like a bear; it was raised up on one side,and among the teeth in its mouth were three tusks.It was given the order, "Up, devour much flesh." After this I looked and saw another beast, like a leopard;on its back were four wings like those of a bird,and it had four heads.To this beast dominion was given.After this, in the visions of the night I saw the fourth beast,different from all the others,terrifying, horrible, and of extraordinary strength;it had great iron teeth with which it devoured and crushed,and what was left it trampled with its feet.I was considering the ten horns it had,when suddenly another, a little horn, sprang out of their midst,and three of the previous horns were torn away to make room for it.This horn had eyes like a man,and a mouth that spoke arrogantly.As I watched,Thrones were set up and the Ancient One took his throne.His clothing was snow bright,and the hair on his head as white as wool;His throne was flames of fire,with wheels of burning fire.A surging stream of fireflowed out from where he sat;Thousands upon thousands were ministering to him,and myriads upon myriads attended him.The court was convened, and the books were opened.I watched, then, from the first of the arrogant wordswhich the horn spoke, until the beast was slainand its body thrown into the fire to be burnt up.The other beasts, which also lost their dominion,were granted a prolongation of life for a time and a season.As the visions during the night continued, I sawOne like a son of man coming,on the clouds of heaven;When he reached the Ancient Oneand was presented before him,He received dominion, glory, and kingship;nations and peoples of every language serve him.His dominion is an everlasting dominionthat shall not be taken away,his kingship shall not be destroyed. Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81 R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"Mountains and hills, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever.R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"You springs, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"Seas and rivers, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"All you birds of the air, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him!"All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him! Alleluia Lk 21:28 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Stand erect and raise your headsbecause your redemption is at hand.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 21:29-33 Jesus told his disciples a parable."Consider the fig tree and all the other trees.When their buds burst open,you see for yourselves and know that summer is now near;in the same way, when you see these things happening,know that the Kingdom of God is near.Amen, I say to you, this generation will not pass awayuntil all these things have taken place.Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." - - - Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Rom 10:9-18 Brothers and sisters:If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lordand believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,you will be saved.For one believes with the heart and so is justified,and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.The Scripture says,No one who believes in him will be put to shame.There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;the same Lord is Lord of all,enriching all who call upon him.For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?And how can they hear without someone to preach?And how can people preach unless they are sent?As it is written,How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!But not everyone has heeded the good news;for Isaiah says, Lord, who has believed what was heard from us?Thus faith comes from what is heard,and what is heard comes through the word of Christ.But I ask, did they not hear?Certainly they did; forTheir voice has gone forth to all the earth,and their words to the ends of the world. Responsorial Psalm PS 19:8, 9, 10, 11 R. (10) The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.or:R. (John 6:63) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.The law of the LORD is perfect,refreshing the soul;The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,giving wisdom to the simple.R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.or:R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.The precepts of the LORD are right,rejoicing the heart;The command of the LORD is clear,enlightening the eye.R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.or:R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.The fear of the LORD is pure,enduring forever;The ordinances of the LORD are true,all of them just.R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.or:R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.They are more precious than gold,than a heap of purest gold;Sweeter also than syrupor honey from the comb.R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.or:R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. Alleluia Mt 4:19 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Come after me, says the Lord,and I will make you fishers of men.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 4:18-22 As Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.He said to them,"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."At once they left their nets and followed him.He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. - - - Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Dn 5:1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28 King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his lords,with whom he drank.Under the influence of the wine,he ordered the gold and silver vesselswhich Nebuchadnezzar, his father,had taken from the temple in Jerusalem,to be brought in so that the king, his lords,his wives and his entertainers might drink from them.When the gold and silver vesselstaken from the house of God in Jerusalem had been brought in,and while the king, his lords, his wives and his entertainerswere drinking wine from them,they praised their gods of gold and silver,bronze and iron, wood and stone.Suddenly, opposite the lampstand,the fingers of a human hand appeared,writing on the plaster of the wall in the king's palace.When the king saw the wrist and hand that wrote, his face blanched;his thoughts terrified him, his hip joints shook,and his knees knocked.Then Daniel was brought into the presence of the king.The king asked him, "Are you the Daniel, the Jewish exile,whom my father, the king, brought from Judah?I have heard that the Spirit of God is in you,that you possess brilliant knowledge and extraordinary wisdom.I have heard that you can interpret dreams and solve difficulties;if you are able to read the writing and tell me what it means,you shall be clothed in purple,wear a gold collar about your neck,and be third in the government of the kingdom."Daniel answered the king:"You may keep your gifts, or give your presents to someone else;but the writing I will read for you, O king,and tell you what it means.You have rebelled against the Lord of heaven.You had the vessels of his temple brought before you,so that you and your nobles, your wives and your entertainers,might drink wine from them;and you praised the gods of silver and gold,bronze and iron, wood and stone,that neither see nor hear nor have intelligence.But the God in whose hand is your life breathand the whole course of your life, you did not glorify.By him were the wrist and hand sent, and the writing set down."This is the writing that was inscribed:MENE, TEKEL, and PERES.These words mean:MENE, God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it;TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting;PERES, your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians." Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him."Sun and moon, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Stars of heaven, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Every shower and dew, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."All you winds, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Fire and heat, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Cold and chill, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him. Alleluia Rev 2:10c R. Alleluia, alleluia.Remain faithful until death,And I will give you the crown of life.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 21:12-19 Jesus said to the crowd:"They will seize and persecute you,they will hand you over to the synagogues and to prisons,and they will have you led before kings and governorsbecause of my name.It will lead to your giving testimony.Remember, you are not to prepare your defense beforehand,for I myself shall give you a wisdom in speakingthat all your adversaries will be powerless to resist or refute.You will even be handed over by parents,brothers, relatives, and friends,and they will put some of you to death.You will be hated by all because of my name,but not a hair on your head will be destroyed.By your perseverance you will secure your lives." - - - Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Dn 2:31-45 Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar:"In your vision, O king, you saw a statue,very large and exceedingly bright,terrifying in appearance as it stood before you.The head of the statue was pure gold,its chest and arms were silver,its belly and thighs bronze, the legs iron,its feet partly iron and partly tile.While you looked at the statue,a stone which was hewn from a mountainwithout a hand being put to it,struck its iron and tile feet, breaking them in pieces.The iron, tile, bronze, silver, and gold all crumbled at once,fine as the chaff on the threshing floor in summer,and the wind blew them away without leaving a trace.But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountainand filled the whole earth."This was the dream;the interpretation we shall also give in the king's presence.You, O king, are the king of kings;to you the God of heavenhas given dominion and strength, power and glory;men, wild beasts, and birds of the air, wherever they may dwell,he has handed over to you, making you ruler over them all;you are the head of gold.Another kingdom shall take your place, inferior to yours,then a third kingdom, of bronze,which shall rule over the whole earth.There shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron;it shall break in pieces and subdue all these others,just as iron breaks in pieces and crushes everything else.The feet and toes you saw, partly of potter's tile and partly of iron,mean that it shall be a divided kingdom,but yet have some of the hardness of iron.As you saw the iron mixed with clay tile,and the toes partly iron and partly tile,the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile.The iron mixed with clay tilemeans that they shall seal their alliances by intermarriage,but they shall not stay united, any more than iron mixes with clay.In the lifetime of those kingsthe God of heaven will set up a kingdomthat shall never be destroyed or delivered up to another people;rather, it shall break in pieces all these kingdomsand put an end to them, and it shall stand forever.That is the meaning of the stone you saw hewn from the mountainwithout a hand being put to it,which broke in pieces the tile, iron, bronze, silver, and gold.The great God has revealed to the king what shall be in the future;this is exactly what you dreamed, and its meaning is sure." Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:57, 58, 59, 60, 61 R. (59b) Give glory and eternal praise to him."Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord,praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord,praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."You heavens, bless the Lord,praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord,praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him."All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord;praise and exalt him above all forever."R. Give glory and eternal praise to him. Alleluia Rev 2:10c R. Alleluia, alleluia.Remain faithful until death,And I will give you the crown of life.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 21:5-11 While some people were speaking abouthow the temple was adorned with costly stones and votive offerings,Jesus said, "All that you see here–the days will come when there will not be lefta stone upon another stone that will not be thrown down."Then they asked him,"Teacher, when will this happen?And what sign will there be when all these things are about to happen?" He answered,"See that you not be deceived,for many will come in my name, saying,'I am he,' and 'The time has come.' Do not follow them! When you hear of wars and insurrections,do not be terrified; for such things must happen first,but it will not immediately be the end." Then he said to them,"Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plaguesfrom place to place;and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky." - - - Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.