Daily Readings for Monday December 27, 2010

Reading 1, 1 Jn 1:1-4

1 Something which has existed since the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our own eyes, which we have watched and touched with our own hands, the Word of life -- this is our theme.

2 That life was made visible; we saw it and are giving our testimony, declaring to you the eternal life, which was present to the Father and has been revealed to us.

3 We are declaring to you what we have seen and heard, so that you too may share our life. Our life is shared with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ.

4 We are writing this to you so that our joy may be complete.

Gospel, Jn 20:1a, 2-8

1 It was very early on the first day of the week and still dark, when Mary of Magdala came to the tomb. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the tomb

2 and came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. 'They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,' she said, 'and we don't know where they have put him.'

3 So Peter set out with the other disciple to go to the tomb.

4 They ran together, but the other disciple, running faster than Peter, reached the tomb first;

5 he bent down and saw the linen cloths lying on the ground, but did not go in.

6 Simon Peter, following him, also came up, went into the tomb, saw the linen cloths lying on the ground

7 and also the cloth that had been over his head; this was not with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself.

8 Then the other disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in; he saw and he believed.

Daily Readings for Thursday December 23, 2010

Reading 1, Mal 3:1-4, 23-24

1 'Look, I shall send my messenger to clear a way before me. And suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to his Temple; yes, the angel of the covenant, for whom you long, is on his way, says Yahweh Sabaoth.

2 Who will be able to resist the day of his coming? Who will remain standing when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire, like fullers' alkali.

3 He will take his seat as refiner and purifier; he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they can make the offering to Yahweh with uprightness.

4 The offering of Judah and Jerusalem will then be acceptable to Yahweh as in former days, as in the years of old.

23 'Look, I shall send you the prophet Elijah before the great and awesome Day of Yahweh comes.

24 He will reconcile parents to their children and children to their parents, to forestall my putting the country under the curse of destruction.'

Gospel, Lk 1:57-66

57 The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son;

58 and when her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had lavished on her his faithful love, they shared her joy.

59 Now it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call him Zechariah after his father,

60 but his mother spoke up. 'No,' she said, 'he is to be called John.'

61 They said to her, 'But no one in your family has that name,'

62 and made signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called.

63 The father asked for a writing-tablet and wrote, 'His name is John.' And they were all astonished.

64 At that instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God.

65 All their neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout the hill country of Judaea.

66 All those who heard of it treasured it in their hearts. 'What will this child turn out to be?' they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was with him.

Christmas with the pope online

Celebrating Christmas with the pope at home or on the go couldn’t be easier. All you need is an Internet connection or an iPhone.

Today the Vatican announced that it is offering a new “Smooth Streaming” service to broadcast papal Christmas events via the websites of Vatican Radio, the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, the council’s Pope2you site and iPhone.

The CNS Crossplayer, available on client websites such as this, also offers a “Vatican Live” feed from the Vatican Television Center of papal ceremonies in addition to other colorful content produced by CNS staff in Washington DC and Rome.

The new “Smooth Streaming” technology means people will experience top quality video in high definition.

The papal events that will be broadcast live over the Internet and iPhone are the following (listed in local Rome time):

– Christmas Eve Mass from St. Peter’s Basilica Friday Dec. 24 starting at 10pm.

– Christmas Day message and “Urbi et Orbi” blessing from St. Peter’s Square Sat. Dec. 25 starting at 12 noon.

– Mass for World Day of Peace from St. Peter’s Basilica Sat. Jan. 1 starting at 10am.

Live commentary will be available in six languages (English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Portuguese) and one channel will offer live audio with no commentary.

Commentary in Chinese will be available for the Christmas Eve Mass and commentary in Arabic will be offered for New Year’s Day.

Daily Readings for Wednesday December 22, 2010

Reading 1, 1 Sm 1:24-28

24 When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, as well as a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and took him into the temple of Yahweh at Shiloh; the child was very young.

25 They sacrificed the bull and led the child to Eli.

26 She said, 'If you please, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood beside you here, praying to Yahweh.

27 This is the child for which I was praying, and Yahweh has granted me what I asked of him.

28 Now I make him over to Yahweh for the whole of his life. He is made over to Yahweh.' They then worshipped Yahweh there.

Gospel, Lk 1:46-56

46 And Mary said: My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour;

48 because he has looked upon the humiliation of his servant. Yes, from now onwards all generations will call me blessed,

49 for the Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name,

50 and his faithful love extends age after age to those who fear him.

51 He has used the power of his arm, he has routed the arrogant of heart.

52 He has pulled down princes from their thrones and raised high the lowly.

53 He has filled the starving with good things, sent the rich away empty.

54 He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his faithful love

55 -according to the promise he made to our ancestors -- of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.

56 Mary stayed with her some three months and then went home.

Ancient practice seen as way for modern Catholics to get close to Jesus

"Lectio divina," an antique scriptural meditative practice, is an ideal way for modern Catholics to unplug from worldly distractions and establish holy intimacy, enduring friendship and fruitful companionship with Jesus Christ, according to Trappist Brother Simeon Leiva.

Brother Leiva, a Scripture scholar and monk at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Mass., said encountering the living Christ in shared knowledge and love is transformative and challenging. "The word of God must never be a calming narcotic. God calls us out of our comfort zone and offers us new life on his own conditions," he said.

"The movement toward Jesus requires bravery and generosity and is both exciting and frightening," Brother Leiva said."Lectio divina" -- "the reading of the sacred" or "the divine reading" -- dates from the second century. It uses a pattern of reading, reflection, prayer, thought and action to meditate on short scriptural passages.

Brother Leiva addressed priests of the Archdiocese of New York Dec. 9 at the American Bible Society's launch of two books dedicated to the practice: "The Catholic Prayer Bible -- 'Lectio Divina' Edition" and "Pray With the Bible, Meditate With the Word -- a Manual for the Prayerful
Reading of the Bible."

The new books are a timely reaction to a post-synodal article in which Pope Benedict XVI urged Christians to get to know the Scriptures better."Verbum Domini" ("The Word of the Lord") is an apostolic exhortation on the 2008 Synod of Bishops on the Word of God. In it and in earlier statements, Pope Benedict optional "lectio divina" as an effective way to encounter Christ in Scripture and respond with openness and generosity.

Brother Leiva said "lectio divina" cultivates the human heart to activate to its uppermost potential and helps bring Christian souls to their natural state with Jesus Christ at the center of their being. "Union with Jesus is the whole of my life and my association with him is the primal relationship that invigorates all others," he said.

He described "lectio divina" as leisurely, ruminative, cordial, contemplative, disinterested, provocative, ecclesial and mystagogical. "Each session of 'lectio' is a unassuming foretaste of heavenly experiences," he said. He called "lectio divina" a tool to "make our lives themselves a living exegesis of the Word."

Brother Leiva told Catholic News Service that "lectio divina" is "a Catholic way to decompress and pray at the same time. For whatever reason you practice it, it requires you to slow down and unplug yourself. It's healthy and it's very achievable."

Paraphrasing St. Bernard, the Trappist said, "'Stay at home, you may receive an significant visitor.' "'Lectio divina' is coming home to oneself."Mario Paredes, presidential liaison to the American Bible Society's Catholic ministries, said the "lectio divina" initiative is an effort to get the Bible read. "We have studies that show there is an excess of Bibles, three to five in each household, but the problem is that no one is reading them," Paredes said. "We're uneven tactics. 'Lectio divina' is not a Bible course, but an invitation to read the Bible carefully."

Paredes said the Bible society provides the "lectio divina" materials in English and Spanish and organizes and subsidizes training sessions for parish leaders in dioceses across the United States. He said 2,000 people attended training in Los Angeles, San Antonio, Miami, Houston, Brooklyn, N.Y., Chicago, Newark, N.J., and Norwich and Bridgeport, Conn., and are now training others.

Paredes said "lectio divina" is an effective tool to "redirect the enthusiasm of the charismatic movement."He told CNS, "There are many charismatic groups that read and interpret the Bible in a very free way. 'Lectio divina' helps people really know and develop a reading of Scripture within the framework of the teaching and tradition of the church."

Daily Readings for Tuesday December 21, 2010

Reading 1, Sg 2:8-14

8 BELOVED: I hear my love. See how he comes leaping on the mountains, bounding over the hills.

9 My love is like a gazelle, like a young stag. See where he stands behind our wall. He looks in at the window, he peers through the opening.

10 My love lifts up his voice, he says to me, 'Come then, my beloved, my lovely one, come.

11 For see, winter is past, the rains are over and gone.

12 'Flowers are appearing on the earth. The season of glad songs has come, the cooing of the turtledove is heard in our land.

13 The fig tree is forming its first figs and the blossoming vines give out their fragrance. Come then, my beloved, my lovely one, come.

14 'My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock, in the coverts of the cliff, show me your face, let me hear your voice; for your voice is sweet and your face is lovely.'

Gospel, Lk 1:39-45

39 Mary set out at that time and went as quickly as she could into the hill country to a town in Judah.

40 She went into Zechariah's house and greeted Elizabeth.

41 Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

42 She gave a loud cry and said, 'Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.

43 Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?

44 Look, the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy.

45 Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.'

Daily Bible Readings for Monday December 20, 2010

Reading 1, Is 7:10-14

10 Yahweh spoke to Ahaz again and said:

11 Ask Yahweh your God for a sign, either in the depths of Sheol or in the heights above.

12 But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask. I will not put Yahweh to the test.'

13 He then said: Listen now, House of David: are you not satisfied with trying human patience that you should try my God's patience too?

14 The Lord will give you a sign in any case: It is this: the young woman is with child and will give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel.

Gospel, Lk 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 He went in and said to her, 'Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favour! The Lord is with you.'

29 She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean,

30 but the angel said to her, 'Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favour.

31 Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.

32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David;

33 he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.'

34 Mary said to the angel, 'But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?'

35 The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God.

36 And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month,

37 for nothing is impossible to God.'

38 Mary said, 'You see before you the Lord's servant, let it happen to me as you have said.' And the angel left her.

Daily Readings for Monday December 13, 2010

Reading 1, Nm 24:2-7, 15-17a

2 Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel settled tribe by tribe; the spirit of God came on him

3 and he declaimed his poem, as follows: The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of the man with far-seeing eyes,

4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God. He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.

5 How fair your tents are, Jacob, how fair your dwellings, Israel,

6 like valleys that stretch afar, like gardens by the banks of a river, like aloes planted by Yahweh, like cedars beside the waters!

7 A hero arises from their stock, he reigns over countless peoples. His king is greater than Agag, and his kingship held in honour.

15 He then declaimed his poem, as follows: The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor, the prophecy of the man with far-seeing eyes,

16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God, of one who knows the knowledge of the Most High. He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened.

17 I see him -- but not in the present. I perceive him -- but not close at hand: a star is emerging from Jacob, a sceptre is rising from Israel, to strike the brow of Moab, the skulls of all the children of Seth.

Gospel, Mt 21:23-27

23 He had gone into the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him and said, 'What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?'

24 In reply Jesus said to them, 'And I will ask you a question, just one; if you tell me the answer to it, then I will tell you my authority for acting like this.

25 John's baptism: what was its origin, heavenly or human?' And they argued this way among themselves, 'If we say heavenly, he will retort to us, "Then why did you refuse to believe him?";

26 but if we say human, we have the people to fear, for they all hold that John was a prophet.'

27 So their reply to Jesus was, 'We do not know.' And he retorted to them, 'Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.'

Related post : Yahweh your god

Daily Bible Readings for Sunday December 12, 2010

Reading 1, Is 35:1-6a, 10

1 Let the desert and the dry lands be glad, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom; like the asphodel,

2 let it burst into flower, let it rejoice and sing for joy. The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon; then they will see the glory of Yahweh, the splendour of our God.

3 Strengthen all weary hands, steady all trembling knees

4 and say to the faint-hearted, 'Be strong! Do not be afraid. Here is your God, vengeance is coming, divine retribution; he is coming to save you.'

5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed,

6 then the lame will leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy; for water will gush in the desert and streams in the wastelands,

10 For those whom Yahweh has ransomed will return, they will come to Zion shouting for joy, their heads crowned with joy unending; rejoicing and gladness will escort them and sorrow and sighing will take flight.

Gospel, Mt 11:2-11

2 Now John had heard in prison what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him,

3 'Are you the one who is to come, or are we to expect someone else?'

4 Jesus answered, 'Go back and tell John what you hear and see;

5 the blind see again, and the lame walk, those suffering from virulent skin-diseases are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life and the good news is proclaimed to the poor;

6 and blessed is anyone who does not find me a cause of falling.'

7 As the men were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John, 'What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No?

8 Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Look, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces.

9 Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet:

10 he is the one of whom scripture says: Look, I am going to send my messenger in front of you to prepare your way before you.

11 'In truth I tell you, of all the children born to women, there has never been anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

Reading 2, Jas 5:7-10

7 Now be patient, brothers, until the Lord's coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains!

8 You too must be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord's coming will be soon.

9 Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates.

10 For your example, brothers, in patiently putting up with persecution, take the prophets who spoke in the Lord's name;

Vatican delegations meet with Palestinians, Israelis, in separate negotiations

Talks appear to be moving forward for the Vatican in the Palestine and Israel. Vatican delegations met with the representatives this week to discuss about the Church's status in each of the two contentious Middle Eastern areas.

Talks between the Holy See and the Palestinian Liberation Organization took place in the Ramallah on Dec. 7. According to the Holy See's Press Office, the two sides are working to reach "a comprehensive international agreement" to govern the Church’s operations in the Palestinian territories.

The meeting took place in a "cordial atmosphere" and both the delegations agreed to establish a working group to bring about such an agreement, the Vatican said.

Some of the same Vatican officials crossed the heated border into Israel to take part in a plenary meeting with the representatives from Israel's foreign affairs ministry on Dec. 9.

The ongoing meetings are seeking to negotiate the details of an accord to establish the legal and economic status of Church properties and workers in the Holy Land. Delegations have met on and off since 1993 and the official joint communique issued this week reported a "good and open atmosphere."

for more news details : Vatican deligations meet

Daily Readings for Friday December 10, 2010

Reading 1, Is 48:17-19

17 Thus says Yahweh, your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: I am Yahweh your God and teach you for your own good, I lead you in the way you ought to go.

18 If only you had listened to my commandments! Your prosperity would have been like a river and your saving justice like the waves of the sea.

19 Your descendants would have been numbered like the sand, your offspring as many as its grains. Their name would never be cancelled or blotted out from my presence.

Gospel, Mt 11:16-19

16 'What comparison can I find for this generation? It is like children shouting to each other as they sit in the market place:

17 We played the pipes for you, and you wouldn't dance; we sang dirges, and you wouldn't be mourners.

18 'For John came, neither eating nor drinking, and they say, "He is possessed."

19 The Son of man came, eating and drinking, and they say, "Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners." Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds.'

WikiLeaks cable notes Vatican commitment to accord on climate change

The Vatican was committed to getting countries aligned with the Copenhagen Accord on the climate change, according to the first Vatican cable to appear on the WikiLeaks website.

The confidential cable claimed a Vatican official at the Secretariat of State would support U.S. government "efforts to have countries associate themselves with the Copenhagen Accord by the January 31 deadline" as well as "encourage other countries discreetly to associate themselves with the Accord as opportunities arise."

The cable, dated Jan. 21, 2010, came from the U.S. Embassy to the Vatican and was sent to the U.S. government's Bureau of Oceans, Environment, and Science.

It was one of more than 250,000 alleged diplomatic cables that WikiLeaks said it would be releasing over the coming months. Sources in Rome said 850 documents concern communications between the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Embassy to the Vatican.

The cable, titled "'Green' pope supports US path forward from Copenhagen," was based in part on discussions an embassy official had with Paolo Conversi, a Vatican official at the Secretariat of State, and with U.S. Msgr. James Reinert of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

The one-page document made no mention of Pope Benedict XVI's Jan. 11 speech to diplomats in which he was critical of the lack of real commitment to mitigating climate change.

In a lengthy speech, he told ambassadors that have diplomatic relations with the Vatican, including U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican Miguel Diaz, that he shared "the growing concern caused by economic and political resistance to combating the degradation of the environment."

for more news : wikileaks cable notes

Daily Readings for Thursday December 09, 2010

Reading 1, Is 41:13-20

13 For I, Yahweh, your God, I grasp you by your right hand; I tell you, 'Do not be afraid, I shall help you.'

14 Do not be afraid, Jacob, you worm! You little handful of Israel! I shall help you, declares Yahweh; your redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

15 Look, I am making you into a threshing-sledge, new, with double teeth; you will thresh and beat the mountains to dust and reduce the hills to straw.

16 You will winnow them and the wind will carry them off, the gale will scatter them; whereas you will rejoice in Yahweh, will glory in the Holy One of Israel.

17 The oppressed and needy search for water, and there is none, their tongue is parched with thirst. I, Yahweh, shall answer them, I, the God of Israel, shall not abandon them.

18 I shall open up rivers on barren heights and water-holes down in the ravines; I shall turn the desert into a lake and dry ground into springs of water.

19 I shall plant the desert with cedar trees, acacias, myrtles and olives; in the wastelands I shall put cypress trees, plane trees and box trees side by side;

20 so that people may see and know, so that they may all observe and understand that the hand of Yahweh has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.

Gospel, Mt 11:11-15

11 'In truth I tell you, of all the children born to women, there has never been anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

12 Since John the Baptist came, up to this present time, the kingdom of Heaven has been subjected to violence and the violent are taking it by storm.

13 Because it was towards John that all the prophecies of the prophets and of the Law were leading;

14 and he, if you will believe me, is the Elijah who was to return.

15 Anyone who has ears should listen!

Daily Catholic Bible Readings for Wednesday December 08, 2010

Reading 1, Gn 3:9-15, 20

9 But Yahweh God called to the man. 'Where are you?' he asked.

10 'I heard the sound of you in the garden,' he replied. 'I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.'

11 'Who told you that you were naked?' he asked. 'Have you been eating from the tree I forbade you to eat?'

12 The man replied, 'It was the woman you put with me; she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.'

13 Then Yahweh God said to the woman, 'Why did you do that?' The woman replied, 'The snake tempted me and I ate.'

14 Then Yahweh God said to the snake, 'Because you have done this, Accursed be you of all animals wild and tame! On your belly you will go and on dust you will feed as long as you live.

15 I shall put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; it will bruise your head and you will strike its heel.'

20 The man named his wife 'Eve' because she was the mother of all those who live.

Gospel, Lk 1:26-38

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the House of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 He went in and said to her, 'Rejoice, you who enjoy God's favour! The Lord is with you.'

29 She was deeply disturbed by these words and asked herself what this greeting could mean,

30 but the angel said to her, 'Mary, do not be afraid; you have won God's favour.

31 Look! You are to conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you must name him Jesus.

32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David;

33 he will rule over the House of Jacob for ever and his reign will have no end.'

34 Mary said to the angel, 'But how can this come about, since I have no knowledge of man?'

35 The angel answered, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God.

36 And I tell you this too: your cousin Elizabeth also, in her old age, has conceived a son, and she whom people called barren is now in her sixth month,

37 for nothing is impossible to God.'

38 Mary said, 'You see before you the Lord's servant, let it happen to me as you have said.' And the angel left her.

Reading 2, Eph 1:3-6, 11-12

3 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.

4 Thus he chose us in Christ before the world was made to be holy and faultless before him in love,

5 marking us out for himself beforehand, to be adopted sons, through Jesus Christ. Such was his purpose and good pleasure,

6 to the praise of the glory of his grace, his free gift to us in the Beloved,

11 And it is in him that we have received our heritage, marked out beforehand as we were, under the plan of the One who guides all things as he decides by his own will,

12 chosen to be, for the praise of his glory, the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came.

Spanish choir prepares to sing for World Youth Day

The Donostiarra Choir, the most prestigious in the Spain, will sing for Pope Benedict XVI at the final Mass for the World Youth Day 2011.

The youth event will take place in Madrid, Spain on Aug. 15-21, 2011.

World Youth Day 2011 organizers said the Donostiarra Choir is “an amateur choir,” composed of 185 voices. “Attesting to its greatness is an extensive list of awards that demonstrates it is the most important choir in the Spain and one of the best in the world.”

Bishop José Ignacio Munilla of San Sebastián noted that he hopes “the Holy Father will enjoy your performance, as he has a great ear and a highly refined soul. Above all, I hope you lift the hearts of the young people who will participate in this event.”

The General Coordinator of WYD 2011, Auxiliary Bishop Cesar Franco, also expressed his gratitude for the choir’s collaboration. Their participation is an expression of the profound desire for this event to demonstrate “the path of beauty that leads to God," he said.

The choir’s director, Jose Antonio Sainz Alfaro, explained that the repertoire for the two events has not yet been finalized, “but we would like to sing both religious music as well as folklore pieces from different parts of Spain.”

Daily Readings for Monday December 06, 2010

Reading 1, Is 35:1-10

1 Let the desert and the dry lands be glad, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom; like the asphodel,

2 let it burst into flower, let it rejoice and sing for joy. The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon; then they will see the glory of Yahweh, the splendour of our God.

3 Strengthen all weary hands, steady all trembling knees

4 and say to the faint-hearted, 'Be strong! Do not be afraid. Here is your God, vengeance is coming, divine retribution; he is coming to save you.'

5 Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, the ears of the deaf unsealed,

6 then the lame will leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy; for water will gush in the desert and streams in the wastelands,

7 the parched ground will become a marsh and the thirsty land springs of water; the lairs where the jackals used to live will become plots of reed and papyrus.

8 And through it will run a road for them and a highway which will be called the Sacred Way; the unclean will not be allowed to use it; He will be the one to use this road, the fool will not stray along it.

9 No lion will be there, no ferocious beast set foot on it, nothing of the sort be found; it will be used by the redeemed.

10 For those whom Yahweh has ransomed will return, they will come to Zion shouting for joy, their heads crowned with joy unending; rejoicing and gladness will escort them and sorrow and sighing will take flight.

Gospel, Lk 5:17-26

17 Now it happened that he was teaching one day, and Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who had come from every village in Galilee, from Judaea and from Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was there so that he should heal.

18 And now some men appeared, bringing on a bed a paralysed man whom they were trying to bring in and lay down in front of him.

19 But as they could find no way of getting the man through the crowd, they went up onto the top of the house and lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus.

20 Seeing their faith he said, 'My friend, your sins are forgiven you.'

21 The scribes and the Pharisees began to think this over. 'Who is this man, talking blasphemy? Who but God alone can forgive sins?'

22 But Jesus, aware of their thoughts, made them this reply, 'What are these thoughts you have in your hearts?

23 Which of these is easier: to say, "Your sins are forgiven you," or to say, "Get up and walk"?

24 But to prove to you that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins,' -- he said to the paralysed man-'I order you: get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.'

25 And immediately before their very eyes he got up, picked up what he had been lying on and went home praising God.

26 They were all astounded and praised God and were filled with awe, saying, 'We have seen strange things today.'

Daily Readings for Sunday December 05, 2010

Reading 1, Is 11:1-10

1 A shoot will spring from the stock of Jesse, a new shoot will grow from his roots.

2 On him will rest the spirit of Yahweh, the spirit of wisdom and insight, the spirit of counsel and power, the spirit of knowledge and fear of Yahweh:

3 his inspiration will lie in fearing Yahweh. His judgement will not be by appearances. his verdict not given on hearsay.

4 He will judge the weak with integrity and give fair sentence for the humblest in the land. He will strike the country with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips bring death to the wicked.

5 Uprightness will be the belt around his waist, and constancy the belt about his hips.

6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the panther lie down with the kid, calf, lion and fat-stock beast together, with a little boy to lead them.

7 The cow and the bear will graze, their young will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like the ox.

8 The infant will play over the den of the adder; the baby will put his hand into the viper's lair.

9 No hurt, no harm will be done on all my holy mountain, for the country will be full of knowledge of Yahweh as the waters cover the sea.

10 That day, the root of Jesse, standing as a signal for the peoples, will be sought out by the nations and its home will be glorious.

Gospel, Mt 3:1-12

1 In due course John the Baptist appeared; he proclaimed this message in the desert of Judaea,

2 'Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is close at hand.'

3 This was the man spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said: A voice of one that cries in the desert, 'Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.'

4 This man John wore a garment made of camel-hair with a leather loin-cloth round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

5 Then Jerusalem and all Judaea and the whole Jordan district made their way to him,

6 and as they were baptised by him in the river Jordan they confessed their sins.

7 But when he saw a number of Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism he said to them, 'Brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the coming retribution?

8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance,

9 and do not presume to tell yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father," because, I tell you, God can raise children for Abraham from these stones.

10 Even now the axe is being laid to the root of the trees, so that any tree failing to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown on the fire.

11 I baptise you in water for repentance, but the one who comes after me is more powerful than I, and I am not fit to carry his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

12 His winnowing-fan is in his hand; he will clear his threshing-floor and gather his wheat into his barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out.'

Reading 2, Rom 15:4-9

4 And all these things which were written so long ago were written so that we, learning perseverance and the encouragement which the scriptures give, should have hope.

5 Now the God of perseverance and encouragement give you all the same purpose, following the example of Christ Jesus,

6 so that you may together give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one heart.

7 Accept one another, then, for the sake of God's glory, as Christ accepted you.

8 I tell you that Christ's work was to serve the circumcised, fulfilling the truthfulness of God by carrying out the promises made to the fathers,

9 and his work was also for the gentiles, so that they should give glory to God for his faithful love; as scripture says: For this I shall praise you among the nations and sing praise to your name.

Pope urges Catholics to prepare their hearts for Jesus’ birth

Thousands of families gathered in the St. Peter’s Square this morning to hear Pope Benedict speak about preparing their hearts for “He who comes” and to see the Vatican’s Christmas tree.

As the crowd listened to Pope Benedict’s address, little children tried to peek through the barriers surrounding the Vatican’s unfinished Nativity scene for this year.

The Pope offered those present a reflection on today’s Gospel, Matthew 3:1-12, which features St. John the Baptist being called into the wilderness to urge the repentance to prepare for the coming of the Lord.

St. Gregory the Great, the Pope said, taught that “the Baptist preaches the true faith and good works ... so that … the pathways to God are straightened and honest thoughts are born in souls after listening to the Word that leads to all good.” 

Daily Readings for Friday December 03, 2010

Reading 1, Is 29:17-24

17 Is it not true that in a very short time the Lebanon will become productive ground, so productive you might take it for a forest?

18 That day the deaf will hear the words of the book and, delivered from shadow and darkness, the eyes of the blind will see.

19 The lowly will find ever more joy in Yahweh and the poorest of people will delight in the Holy One of Israel;

20 for the tyrant will be no more, the scoffer has vanished and all those on the look-out for evil have been destroyed:

21 those who incriminate others by their words, those who lay traps for the arbitrator at the gate and groundlessly deprive the upright of fair judgement.

22 That is why Yahweh, God of the House of Jacob, Abraham's redeemer, says this, 'No longer shall Jacob be disappointed, no more shall his face grow pale,

23 for when he sees his children, my creatures, home again with him, he will acknowledge my name as holy, he will acknowledge the Holy One of Jacob to be holy and will hold the God of Israel in awe.

24 Erring spirits will learn to understand and murmurers accept instruction.'

Gospel, Mt 9:27-31

27 As Jesus went on his way two blind men followed him shouting, 'Take pity on us, son of David.'

28 And when Jesus reached the house the blind men came up to him and he said to them, 'Do you believe I can do this?' They said, 'Lord, we do.'

29 Then he touched their eyes saying, 'According to your faith, let it be done to you.'

30 And their sight returned. Then Jesus sternly warned them, 'Take care that no one learns about this.'

31 But when they had gone away, they talked about him all over the countryside.

35 Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.

36 And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.

37 Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers to his harvest.'

1 He summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits with power to drive them out and to cure all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.

Daily Readings for Thursday December 02, 2010

Reading 1, Is 26:1-6

1 That day, this song will be sung in Judah: 'We have a fortress city, the walls and ramparts provide safety.

2 Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in, the nation that keeps faith!

3 This is the plan decreed: you will guarantee peace, the peace entrusted to you.

4 Trust in Yahweh for ever, for Yahweh is a rock for ever.

5 He has brought low the dwellers on the heights, the lofty citadel; he lays it low, brings it to the ground, flings it down in the dust.

6 It will be trodden under foot, by the feet of the needy, the steps of the weak.'

Gospel, Mt 7:21, 24-27

21 'It is not anyone who says to me, "Lord, Lord," who will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.

24 'Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock.

25 Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock.

26 But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand.

27 Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!'

Daily Readings for Wednesday December 01, 2010

Reading 1, Is 25:6-10a

6 On this mountain, for all peoples, Yahweh Sabaoth is preparing a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines, of succulent food, of well-strained wines.

7 On this mountain, he has destroyed the veil which used to veil all peoples, the pall enveloping all nations;

8 he has destroyed death for ever. Lord Yahweh has wiped away the tears from every cheek; he has taken his people's shame away everywhere on earth, for Yahweh has spoken.

9 And on that day, it will be said, 'Look, this is our God, in him we put our hope that he should save us, this is Yahweh, we put our hope in him. Let us exult and rejoice since he has saved us.'

10 For Yahweh's hand will rest on this mountain, and Moab will be trodden under his feet as straw is trodden into the dung-heap.

Gospel, Mt 15:29-37

29 Jesus went on from there and reached the shores of the Lake of Galilee, and he went up onto the mountain. He took his seat,

30 and large crowds came to him bringing the lame, the crippled, the blind, the dumb and many others; these they put down at his feet, and he cured them.

31 The crowds were astonished to see the dumb speaking, the cripples whole again, the lame walking and the blind with their sight, and they praised the God of Israel.

32 But Jesus called his disciples to him and said, 'I feel sorry for all these people; they have been with me for three days now and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them off hungry, or they might collapse on the way.'

33 The disciples said to him, 'Where in a deserted place could we get sufficient bread for such a large crowd to have enough to eat?'

34 Jesus said to them, 'How many loaves have you?' They said, 'Seven, and a few small fish.'

35 Then he instructed the crowd to sit down on the ground,

36 and he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks he broke them and began handing them to the disciples, who gave them to the crowds.

37 They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected what was left of the scraps, seven baskets full.

Daily Readings for Tuesday November 30, 2010

Reading 1, Rom 10:9-18

9 that if you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and if you believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, then you will be saved.

10 It is by believing with the heart that you are justified, and by making the declaration with your lips that you are saved.

11 When scripture says: No one who relies on this will be brought to disgrace,

12 it makes no distinction between Jew and Greek: the same Lord is the Lord of all, and his generosity is offered to all who appeal to him,

13 for all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.

14 How then are they to call on him if they have not come to believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard of him? And how will they hear of him unless there is a preacher for them?

15 And how will there be preachers if they are not sent? As scripture says: How beautiful are the feet of the messenger of good news.

16 But in fact they have not all responded to the good news. As Isaiah says: Lord, who has given credence to what they have heard from us?

17 But it is in that way faith comes, from hearing, and that means hearing the word of Christ.

18 Well then, I say, is it possible that they have not heard? Indeed they have: in the entire earth their voice stands out, their message reaches the whole world.

Gospel, Mt 4:18-22

18 As he was walking by the Lake of Galilee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast into the lake with their net, for they were fishermen.

19 And he said to them, 'Come after me and I will make you fishers of people.'

20 And at once they left their nets and followed him.

21 Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.

22 And at once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him. 

Daily Readings for Monday November 29, 2010

Reading 1, Is 4:2-6

2 That day, Yahweh's seedling will turn to beauty and glory, what the earth brings forth will turn to the pride and ornament of Israel's survivors.

3 Those who are left in Zion and remain in Jerusalem will be called holy, all those in Jerusalem noted down to live.

4 When the Lord has washed away the filth of Zion's daughters and with the wind of judgement and the wind of burning cleansed Jerusalem of the blood shed in her,

5 Yahweh will create, over every house on Mount Zion and over those who assemble there, a cloud by day, and by night smoke with the brightness of a flaring fire. For over all will be the Glory as canopy

6 and tent to give shade by day from the heat, refuge and shelter from the storm and the rain.

Gospel, Mt 8:5-11

5 When he went into Capernaum a centurion came up and pleaded with him.

6 'Sir,' he said, 'my servant is lying at home paralysed and in great pain.'

7 Jesus said to him, 'I will come myself and cure him.'

8 The centurion replied, 'Sir, I am not worthy to have you under my roof; just give the word and my servant will be cured.

9 For I am under authority myself and have soldiers under me; and I say to one man, "Go," and he goes; to another, "Come here," and he comes; to my servant, "Do this," and he does it.'

10 When Jesus heard this he was astonished and said to those following him, 'In truth I tell you, in no one in Israel have I found faith as great as this.

11 And I tell you that many will come from east and west and sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob at the feast in the kingdom of Heaven;

Daily Readings for Friday November 26, 2010

Reading 1, Rv 20:1-4, 11—21:2

1 Then I saw an angel come down from heaven with the key of the Abyss in his hand and an enormous chain.

2 He overpowered the dragon, that primeval serpent which is the devil and Satan, and chained him up for a thousand years.

3 He hurled him into the Abyss and shut the entrance and sealed it over him, to make sure he would not lead the nations astray again until the thousand years had passed. At the end of that time he must be released, but only for a short while.

4 Then I saw thrones, where they took their seats, and on them was conferred the power to give judgement. I saw the souls of all who had been beheaded for having witnessed for Jesus and for having preached God's word, and those who refused to worship the beast or his statue and would not accept the brandmark on their foreheads or hands; they came to life, and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.

11 Then I saw a great white throne and the One who was sitting on it. In his presence, earth and sky vanished, leaving no trace.

12 I saw the dead, great and small alike, standing in front of his throne while the books lay open. And another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged from what was written in the books, as their deeds deserved.

13 The sea gave up all the dead who were in it;

14 Death and Hades were emptied of the dead that were in them; and every one was judged as his deeds deserved. Then Death and Hades were hurled into the burning lake. This burning lake is the second death;

15 and anybody whose name could not be found written in the book of life was hurled into the burning lake.

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; the first heaven and the first earth had disappeared now, and there was no longer any sea.

2 I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride dressed for her husband.

Gospel, Lk 21:29-33

29 And he told them a parable, 'Look at the fig tree and indeed every tree.

30 As soon as you see them bud, you can see for yourselves that summer is now near.

31 So with you when you see these things happening: know that the kingdom of God is near.

32 In truth I tell you, before this generation has passed away all will have taken place.

33 Sky and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Daily Readings for Thursday November 25, 2010

Reading 1, Rv 18:1-2, 21-23

1 After this, I saw another angel come down from heaven, with great authority given to him; the earth shone with his glory.

2 At the top of his voice he shouted, 'Babylon has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen, and has become the haunt of devils and a lodging for every foul spirit and dirty, loathsome bird.

21 Then a powerful angel picked up a boulder like a great millstone, and as he hurled it into the sea, he said, 'That is how the great city of Babylon is going to be hurled down, never to be seen again.

22 Never again in you will be heard the song of harpists and minstrels, the music of flute and trumpet; never again will craftsmen of every skill be found in you or the sound of the handmill be heard;

23 never again will shine the light of the lamp in you, never again will be heard in you the voices of bridegroom and bride. Your traders were the princes of the earth, all the nations were led astray by your sorcery.

1 After this I heard what seemed to be the great sound of a huge crowd in heaven, singing, 'Alleluia! Salvation and glory and power to our God!

2 He judges fairly, he punishes justly, and he has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her prostitution; he has avenged the blood of his servants which she shed.'

3 And again they sang, 'Alleluia! The smoke of her will rise for ever and ever.'

9 The angel said, 'Write this, "Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb," ' and he added, 'These words of God are true.'

Gospel, Lk 21:20-28

20 'When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you must realise that it will soon be laid desolate.

21 Then those in Judaea must escape to the mountains, those inside the city must leave it, and those in country districts must not take refuge in it.

22 For this is the time of retribution when all that scripture says must be fulfilled.

23 Alas for those with child, or with babies at the breast, when those days come!

24 'For great misery will descend on the land and retribution on this people. They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive to every gentile country; and Jerusalem will be trampled down by the gentiles until their time is complete.

25 'There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the turmoil of the ocean and its waves;

26 men fainting away with terror and fear at what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken.

27 And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.'

Daily Readings for Wednesday November 24, 2010

Reading 1, Rv 15:1-4

1 And I saw in heaven another sign, great and wonderful: seven angels were bringing the seven plagues that are the last of all, because they exhaust the anger of God.

2 I seemed to be looking at a sea of crystal suffused with fire, and standing by the lake of glass, those who had fought against the beast and won, and against his statue and the number which is his name. They all had harps from God,

3 and they were singing the hymn of Moses, the servant of God, and the hymn of the Lamb: How great and wonderful are all your works, Lord God Almighty; upright and true are all your ways, King of nations.

4 Who does not revere and glorify your name, O Lord? For you alone are holy, and all nations will come and adore you for the many acts of saving justice you have shown.

Gospel, Lk 21:12-19

12 'But before all this happens, you will be seized and persecuted; you will be handed over to the synagogues and to imprisonment, and brought before kings and governors for the sake of my name

13 -and that will be your opportunity to bear witness.

14 Make up your minds not to prepare your defence,

15 because I myself shall give you an eloquence and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to resist or contradict.

16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relations and friends; and some of you will be put to death.

17 You will be hated universally on account of my name,

18 but not a hair of your head will be lost.

19 Your perseverance will win you your lives.

Daily Catholic Bible Readings for Tuesday November 23, 2010

Reading 1, Rv 14:14-19

14 Now in my vision I saw a white cloud and, sitting on it, one like a son of man with a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

15 Then another angel came out of the sanctuary and shouted at the top of his voice to the one sitting on the cloud, 'Ply your sickle and reap: harvest time has come and the harvest of the earth is ripe.'

16 Then the one sitting on the cloud set his sickle to work on the earth, and the harvest of earth was reaped.

17 Another angel, who also carried a sharp sickle, came out of the temple in heaven,

18 and the angel in charge of the fire left the altar and shouted at the top of his voice to the one with the sharp sickle, 'Put your sickle in, and harvest the bunches from the vine of the earth; all its grapes are ripe.'

19 So the angel set his sickle to work on the earth and harvested the whole vintage of the earth and put it into a huge winepress, the winepress of God's anger,

Gospel, Lk 21:5-11

5 When some were talking about the Temple, remarking how it was adorned with fine stonework and votive offerings, he said,

6 'All these things you are staring at now -- the time will come when not a single stone will be left on another; everything will be destroyed.'

7 And they put to him this question, 'Master,' they said, 'when will this happen, then, and what sign will there be that it is about to take place?'

8 But he said, 'Take care not to be deceived, because many will come using my name and saying, "I am the one" and "The time is near at hand." Refuse to join them.

9 And when you hear of wars and revolutions, do not be terrified, for this is something that must happen first, but the end will not come at once.'

10 Then he said to them, 'Nation will fight against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

11 There will be great earthquakes and plagues and famines in various places; there will be terrifying events and great signs from heaven.

Daily Catholic Bible Readings for Monday November 22, 2010

Reading 1, Rv 14:1-3, 4b-5

1 Next in my vision I saw Mount Zion, and standing on it the Lamb who had with him a hundred and forty-four thousand people, all with his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads.

2 I heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of the ocean or the roar of thunder; it was like the sound of harpists playing their harps.

3 There before the throne they were singing a new hymn in the presence of the four living creatures and the elders, a hymn that could be learnt only by the hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the world.

4 These are the sons who have kept their virginity and not been defiled with women; they follow the Lamb wherever he goes; they, out of all people, have been redeemed to be the first-fruits for God and for the Lamb.

5 No lie was found in their mouths and no fault can be found in them.

Gospel, Lk 21:1-4

1 Looking up, he saw rich people putting their offerings into the treasury;

2 and he noticed a poverty-stricken widow putting in two small coins,

3 and he said, 'I tell you truly, this poor widow has put in more than any of them;

4 for these have all put in money they could spare, but she in her poverty has put in all she had to live on.'

Daily Readings for Thursday November 18, 2010

Reading 1, Rv 5:1-10

1 I saw that in the right hand of the One sitting on the throne there was a scroll that was written on back and front and was sealed with seven seals.

2 Then I saw a powerful angel who called with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?'

3 But there was no one, in heaven or on the earth or under the earth, who was able to open the scroll and read it.

4 I wept bitterly because nobody could be found to open the scroll and read it,

5 but one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep. Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed, and so he will open the scroll and its seven seals.'

6 Then I saw, in the middle of the throne with its four living creatures and the circle of the elders, a Lamb standing that seemed to have been sacrificed; it had seven horns, and it had seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits that God has sent out over the whole world.

7 The Lamb came forward to take the scroll from the right hand of the One sitting on the throne,

8 and when he took it, the four living creatures prostrated themselves before him and with them the twenty-four elders; each one of them was holding a harp and had a golden bowl full of incense which are the prayers of the saints.

9 They sang a new hymn: You are worthy to take the scroll and to break its seals, because you were sacrificed, and with your blood you bought people for God of every race, language, people and nation

10 and made them a line of kings and priests for God, to rule the world.

Gospel, Lk 19:41-44

41 As he drew near and came in sight of the city he shed tears over it

42 and said, 'If you too had only recognised on this day the way to peace! But in fact it is hidden from your eyes!

43 Yes, a time is coming when your enemies will raise fortifications all round you, when they will encircle you and hem you in on every side;

44 they will dash you and the children inside your walls to the ground; they will leave not one stone standing on another within you, because you did not recognise the moment of your visitation.'

Minn. Catholic school deletes student editorials

Editorials in a Catholic prep school's student newspaper about the same-sex marriage and gay teenagers are sparking the debate about free speech in the Minnesota.

Student-written opinion pieces in the newspaper at the Benilde-St. Margaret in suburban St. Louis defended gay teenagers and criticized a DVD by Minnesota's Catholic bishops that denounced same-sex marriage.

The editorials and the nearly 100 comments they generated were deleted from the newspaper's website over the weekend. The principal says they created the confusion about church teaching and an intensity that made an unsafe environment for students.

Some comments praised a gay student's courage for writing about his experience. Others said the editorials shouldn't have been published at a Catholic school.

Daily Catholic bible Readings for Wednesday November 17, 2010

Reading 1, Rv 4:1-11

1 Then, in my vision, I saw a door open in heaven and heard the same voice speaking to me, the voice like a trumpet, saying, 'Come up here: I will show you what is to take place in the future.'

2 With that, I fell into ecstasy and I saw a throne standing in heaven, and the One who was sitting on the throne,

3 and the One sitting there looked like a diamond and a ruby. There was a rainbow encircling the throne, and this looked like an emerald.

4 Round the throne in a circle were twenty-four thrones, and on them twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white robes with golden crowns on their heads.

5 Flashes of lightning were coming from the throne, and the sound of peals of thunder, and in front of the throne there were seven flaming lamps burning, the seven Spirits of God.

6 In front of the throne was a sea as transparent as crystal. In the middle of the throne and around it, were four living creatures all studded with eyes, in front and behind.

7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second like a bull, the third living creature had a human face, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle.

8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was studded with eyes all the way round as well as inside; and day and night they never stopped singing: Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, the Almighty; who was, and is and is to come.'

9 Every time the living creatures glorified and honoured and gave thanks to the One sitting on the throne, who lives for ever and ever,

10 the twenty-four elders prostrated themselves before him to worship the One who lives for ever and ever, and threw down their crowns in front of the throne, saying:

11 You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you made the whole universe; by your will, when it did not exist, it was created.

Gospel, Lk 19:11-28

11 While the people were listening to this he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to show itself then and there.

12 Accordingly he said, 'A man of noble birth went to a distant country to be appointed king and then return.

13 He summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds, telling them, "Trade with these, until I get back."

14 But his compatriots detested him and sent a delegation to follow him with this message, "We do not want this man to be our king."

15 'Now it happened that on his return, having received his appointment as king, he sent for those servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what profit each had made by trading.

16 The first came in, "Sir," he said, "your one pound has brought in ten."

17 He replied, "Well done, my good servant! Since you have proved yourself trustworthy in a very small thing, you shall have the government of ten cities."

18 Then came the second, "Sir," he said, "your one pound has made five."

19 To this one also he said, "And you shall be in charge of five cities."

20 Next came the other, "Sir," he said, "here is your pound. I put it away safely wrapped up in a cloth

21 because I was afraid of you; for you are an exacting man: you gather in what you have not laid out and reap what you have not sown."

22 He said to him, "You wicked servant! Out of your own mouth I condemn you. So you knew that I was an exacting man, gathering in what I have not laid out and reaping what I have not sown?

23 Then why did you not put my money in the bank? On my return I could have drawn it out with interest."

24 And he said to those standing by, "Take the pound from him and give it to the man who has ten pounds."

25 And they said to him, "But, sir, he has ten pounds . . ."

26 "I tell you, to everyone who has will be given more; but anyone who has not will be deprived even of what he has.

27 "As for my enemies who did not want me for their king, bring them here and execute them in my presence." '

28 When he had said this he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

Daily catholic bible Readings for Tuesday November 16, 2010

Reading 1, Rv 3:1-6, 14-22

1 'Write to the angel of the church in Sardis and say, "Here is the message of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars: I know about your behaviour: how you are reputed to be alive and yet are dead.

2 Wake up; put some resolve into what little vigour you have left: it is dying fast. So far I have failed to notice anything in your behaviour that my God could possibly call perfect;

3 remember how you first heard the message. Hold on to that. Repent! If you do not wake up, I shall come to you like a thief, and you will have no idea at what hour I shall come upon you.

4 There are a few in Sardis, it is true, who have kept their robes unstained, and they are fit to come with me, dressed in white.

5 Anyone who proves victorious will be dressed, like these, in white robes; I shall not blot that name out of the book of life, but acknowledge it in the presence of my Father and his angels.

6 Let anyone who can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches."

14 'Write to the angel of the church in Laodicea and say, "Here is the message of the Amen, the trustworthy, the true witness, the Principle of God's creation:

15 I know about your activities: how you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were one or the other,

16 but since you are neither hot nor cold, but only lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.

17 You say to yourself: I am rich, I have made a fortune and have everything I want, never realising that you are wretchedly and pitiably poor, and blind and naked too.

18 I warn you, buy from me the gold that has been tested in the fire to make you truly rich, and white robes to clothe you and hide your shameful nakedness, and ointment to put on your eyes to enable you to see.

19 I reprove and train those whom I love: so repent in real earnest.

20 Look, I am standing at the door, knocking. If one of you hears me calling and opens the door, I will come in to share a meal at that person's side.

21 Anyone who proves victorious I will allow to share my throne, just as I have myself overcome and have taken my seat with my Father on his throne.

22 Let anyone who can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches." '

Gospel, Lk 19:1-10

1 He entered Jericho and was going through the town

2 and suddenly a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance; he was one of the senior tax collectors and a wealthy man.

3 He kept trying to see which Jesus was, but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd;

4 so he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus who was to pass that way.

5 When Jesus reached the spot he looked up and spoke to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down. Hurry, because I am to stay at your house today.'

6 And he hurried down and welcomed him joyfully.

7 They all complained when they saw what was happening. 'He has gone to stay at a sinner's house,' they said.

8 But Zacchaeus stood his ground and said to the Lord, 'Look, sir, I am going to give half my property to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody I will pay him back four times the amount.'

9 And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, because this man too is a son of Abraham;

10 for the Son of man has come to seek out and save what was lost.'

Daily Catholic bible Readings for Monday November 15, 2010

Reading 1, Rv 1:1-4; 2:1-5

1 A revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him so that he could tell his servants what is now to take place very soon; he sent his angel to make it known to his servant John,

2 and John has borne witness to the Word of God and to the witness of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw.

3 Blessed is anyone who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed those who hear them, if they treasure the content, because the Time is near.

4 John, to the seven churches of Asia: grace and peace to you from him who is, who was, and who is to come, from the seven spirits who are before his throne,

1 'Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus and say, "Here is the message of the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who lives among the seven golden lamp-stands:

2 I know your activities, your hard work and your perseverance. I know you cannot stand wicked people, and how you put to the test those who were self-styled apostles, and found them false.

3 I know too that you have perseverance, and have suffered for my name without growing tired.

4 Nevertheless, I have this complaint to make: you have less love now than formerly.

5 Think where you were before you fell; repent, and behave as you did at first, or else, if you will not repent, I shall come to you and take your lamp-stand from its place.

Gospel, Lk 18:35-43

35 Now it happened that as he drew near to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the road begging.

36 When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about,

37 and they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by.

38 So he called out, 'Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.'

39 The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, 'Son of David, have pity on me.'

40 Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him,

41 'What do you want me to do for you?' 'Sir,' he replied, 'let me see again.'

42 Jesus said to him, 'Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.'

43 And instantly his sight returned and he followed him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God.