Daily Bible Readings for Monday August 29, 2011

Reading 1, 1 Thes 4:13-18

13 We want you to be quite certain, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, to make sure that you do not grieve for them, as others do who have no hope.

14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again, and that in the same way God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

15 We can tell you this from the Lord's own teaching, that we who are still alive for the Lord's coming will not have any advantage over those who have fallen asleep.

16 At the signal given by the voice of the Archangel and the trumpet of God, the Lord himself will come down from heaven; those who have died in Christ will be the first to rise,

17 and only after that shall we who remain alive be taken up in the clouds, together with them, to meet the Lord in the air. This is the way we shall be with the Lord for ever.

18 With such thoughts as these, then, you should encourage one another.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17

1 In you, Yahweh, I take refuge, I shall never be put to shame.

2 In your saving justice rescue me, deliver me, listen to me and save me.

3 Be a sheltering rock for me, always accessible; you have determined to save me, for you are my rock, my fortress.

4 My God, rescue me from the clutches of the wicked, from the grasp of the rogue and the ruthless.

5 For you are my hope, Lord, my trust, Yahweh, since boyhood.

6 On you I have relied since my birth, since my mother's womb you have been my portion, the constant theme of my praise.

15 My lips shall proclaim your saving justice, your saving power all day long.

17 God, you have taught me from boyhood, and I am still proclaiming your marvels.

Gospel, Mk 6:17-29

17 Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife whom he had married.

18 For John had told Herod, 'It is against the law for you to have your brother's wife.'

19 As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him, but she was not able to do so,

20 because Herod was in awe of John, knowing him to be a good and upright man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.

21 An opportunity came on Herod's birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee.

22 When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, 'Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.'

23 And he swore her an oath, 'I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.'

24 She went out and said to her mother, 'What shall I ask for?' She replied, 'The head of John the Baptist.'

25 The girl at once rushed back to the king and made her request, 'I want you to give me John the Baptist's head, immediately, on a dish.'

26 The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her.

27 At once the king sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John's head.

28 The man went off and beheaded him in the prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.

29 When John's disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Daily Bible Readings for Friday August 26, 2011

Reading 1, 1 Thes 4:1-8

1 Finally, brothers, we urge you and appeal to you in the Lord Jesus; we instructed you how to live in the way that pleases God, and you are so living; but make more progress still.

2 You are well aware of the instructions we gave you on the authority of the Lord Jesus.

3 God wills you all to be holy. He wants you to keep away from sexual immorality,

4 and each one of you to know how to control his body in a way that is holy and honourable,

5 not giving way to selfish lust like the nations who do not acknowledge God.

6 He wants nobody at all ever to sin by taking advantage of a brother in these matters; the Lord always pays back sins of that sort, as we told you before emphatically.

7 God called us to be holy, not to be immoral;

8 in other words, anyone who rejects this is rejecting not human authority, but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 97:1, 2, 5-6, 10, 11-12

1 Yahweh is king! Let earth rejoice, the many isles be glad!

2 Cloud, black cloud enfolds him, saving justice and judgement the foundations of his throne.

5 The mountains melt like wax, before the Lord of all the earth.

6 The heavens proclaim his saving justice, all nations see his glory.

10 Yahweh loves those who hate evil, he keeps safe his faithful, rescues them from the clutches of the wicked.

11 Light dawns for the upright, and joy for honest hearts.

12 Rejoice in Yahweh, you who are upright, praise his unforgettable holiness.

Gospel, Mt 25:1-13

1 'Then the kingdom of Heaven will be like this: Ten wedding attendants took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.

2 Five of them were foolish and five were sensible:

3 the foolish ones, though they took their lamps, took no oil with them,

4 whereas the sensible ones took flasks of oil as well as their lamps.

5 The bridegroom was late, and they all grew drowsy and fell asleep.

6 But at midnight there was a cry, "Look! The bridegroom! Go out and meet him."

7 Then all those wedding attendants woke up and trimmed their lamps,

8 and the foolish ones said to the sensible ones, "Give us some of your oil: our lamps are going out."

9 But they replied, "There may not be enough for us and for you; you had better go to those who sell it and buy some for yourselves."

10 They had gone off to buy it when the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding hall and the door was closed.

11 The other attendants arrived later. "Lord, Lord," they said, "open the door for us."

12 But he replied, "In truth I tell you, I do not know you."

13 So stay awake, because you do not know either the day or the hour.

Daily Bible Readings for Wednesday August 24, 2011

Reading 1, Rv 21:9b-14

9 One of the seven angels that had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came to speak to me and said, 'Come here and I will show you the bride that the Lamb has married.'

10 In the spirit, he carried me to the top of a very high mountain, and showed me Jerusalem, the holy city, coming down out of heaven from God.

11 It had all the glory of God and glittered like some precious jewel of crystal-clear diamond.

12 Its wall was of a great height and had twelve gates; at each of the twelve gates there was an angel, and over the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel;

13 on the east there were three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.

14 The city walls stood on twelve foundation stones, each one of which bore the name of one of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18

10 All your creatures shall thank you, Yahweh, and your faithful shall bless you.

11 They shall speak of the glory of your kingship and tell of your might,

12 making known your mighty deeds to the children of Adam, the glory and majesty of your kingship.

13 Your kingship is a kingship for ever, your reign lasts from age to age. Yahweh is trustworthy in all his words, and upright in all his deeds.

17 Upright in all that he does, Yahweh acts only in faithful love.

18 He is close to all who call upon him, all who call on him from the heart.

Gospel, Jn 1:45-51

45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 'We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph, from Nazareth.'

46 Nathanael said to him, 'From Nazareth? Can anything good come from that place?' Philip replied, 'Come and see.'

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael coming he said of him, 'There, truly, is an Israelite in whom there is no deception.'

48 Nathanael asked, 'How do you know me?' Jesus replied, 'Before Philip came to call you, I saw you under the fig tree.'

49 Nathanael answered, 'Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the king of Israel.'

50 Jesus replied, 'You believe that just because I said: I saw you under the fig tree. You are going to see greater things than that.'

51 And then he added, 'In all truth I tell you, you will see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending over the Son of man.'

Daily Bible Readings for Tuesday August 23, 2011

Reading 1, 1 Thes 2:1-8

1 You know yourselves, my brothers, that our visit to you has not been pointless.

2 Although, as you know, we had received rough treatment and insults at Philippi, God gave us the courage to speak his gospel to you fearlessly, in spite of great opposition.

3 Our encouragement to you does not come from any delusion or impure motives or trickery.

4 No, God has approved us to be entrusted with the gospel, and this is how we preach, seeking to please not human beings but God who tests our hearts.

5 Indeed, we have never acted with the thought of flattering anyone, as you know, nor as an excuse for greed, God is our witness;

6 nor have we ever looked for honour from human beings, either from you or anybody else,

7 when we could have imposed ourselves on you with full weight, as apostles of Christ. Instead, we lived unassumingly among you. Like a mother feeding and looking after her children,

8 we felt so devoted to you, that we would have been happy to share with you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, so dear had you become.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 139:1-3, 4-5

1 [For the choirmaster Of David Psalm] Yahweh, you examine me and know me,

2 you know when I sit, when I rise, you understand my thoughts from afar.

3 You watch when I walk or lie down, you know every detail of my conduct.

4 A word is not yet on my tongue before you, Yahweh, know all about it.

5 You fence me in, behind and in front, you have laid your hand upon me.

Gospel, Mt 23:23-26

23 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You pay your tithe of mint and dill and cummin and have neglected the weightier matters of the Law-justice, mercy, good faith! These you should have practised, those not neglected.

24 You blind guides, straining out gnats and swallowing camels!

25 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of cup and dish and leave the inside full of extortion and intemperance.

26 Blind Pharisee! Clean the inside of cup and dish first so that it and the outside are both clean.

Daily Bible Readings for Monday August 22, 2011

Reading 1, 1 Thes 1:1-5, 8b-10

1 Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, to the Church in Thessalonica which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace.

2 We always thank God for you all, mentioning you in our prayers continually.

3 We remember before our God and Father how active is the faith, how unsparing the love, how persevering the hope which you have from our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 We know, brothers loved by God, that you have been chosen,

5 because our gospel came to you not only in words, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with great effect. And you observed the sort of life we lived when we were with you, which was for your sake.

8 since it was from you that the word of the Lord rang out -- and not only throughout Macedonia and Achaia, for your faith in God has spread everywhere. We do not need to tell other people about it:

9 other people tell us how we started the work among you, how you broke with the worship of false gods when you were converted to God and became servants of the living and true God;

10 and how you are now waiting for Jesus, his Son, whom he raised from the dead, to come from heaven. It is he who saves us from the Retribution which is coming.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 9

1 Alleluia! Sing a new song to Yahweh: his praise in the assembly of the faithful!

2 Israel shall rejoice in its Maker, the children of Zion delight in their king;

3 they shall dance in praise of his name, play to him on tambourines and harp!

4 For Yahweh loves his people, he will crown the humble with salvation.

5 The faithful exult in glory, shout for joy as they worship him,

6 praising God to the heights with their voices, a two-edged sword in their hands,

9 to execute on them the judgement passed -- to the honour of all his faithful.

Gospel, Mt 23:13-22

13 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut up the kingdom of Heaven in people's faces, neither going in yourselves nor allowing others to go who want to.

14

15 'Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and anyone who becomes one you make twice as fit for hell as you are.

16 'Alas for you, blind guides! You say, "If anyone swears by the Temple, it has no force; but anyone who swears by the gold of the Temple is bound."

17 Fools and blind! For which is of greater value, the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred?

18 Again, "If anyone swears by the altar it has no force; but anyone who swears by the offering on the altar, is bound."

19 You blind men! For which is of greater worth, the offering or the altar that makes the offering sacred?

20 Therefore, someone who swears by the altar is swearing by that and by everything on it.

21 And someone who swears by the Temple is swearing by that and by the One who dwells in it.

22 And someone who swears by heaven is swearing by the throne of God and by the One who is seated there. 

Daily Bible Readings for Tuesday August 16, 2011

Reading 1, Jgs 6:11-24a

11 The Angel of Yahweh came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah which belonged to Joash of Abiezer. Gideon his son was threshing wheat inside the wine-press, to keep it hidden from Midian,

12 and the Angel of Yahweh appeared to him and said, 'Yahweh is with you, valiant warrior!'

13 Gideon replied, 'Excuse me, my lord, but if Yahweh is with us, why is all this happening to us? And where are all his miracles which our ancestors used to tell us about when they said, "Did not Yahweh bring us out of Egypt?" But now Yahweh has deserted us; he has abandoned us to Midian,'

14 At this, Yahweh turned to him and said, 'Go in this strength of yours, and you will rescue Israel from the power of Midian. Am I not sending you myself?'

15 Gideon replied, 'Forgive me, my lord, but how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh and I am the least important of my father's family.'

16 Yahweh replied, 'I shall be with you and you will crush Midian as though it were one man.'

17 Gideon said, 'If I have found favour in your sight, give me a sign that you are speaking to me.

18 Please do not go away from here until I come back to you, bringing you my offering and laying it before you.' And he replied, 'I shall stay until you come back.'

19 Gideon went away, he prepared a young goat and from an ephah of flour he made unleavened cakes. He put the meat into a basket and the broth into a pot, then brought it all to him under the terebinth. As he approached,

20 the Angel of Yahweh said to him, 'Take the meat and unleavened cakes, put them on this rock and pour the broth over them.' Gideon did so.

21 The Angel of Yahweh then stretched out the tip of the staff which he was carrying, and touched the meat and unleavened cakes. Fire sprang from the rock and consumed the meat and unleavened cakes, and the Angel of Yahweh vanished before his eyes.

22 Gideon then knew that this was the Angel of Yahweh, and he said, 'Alas, my Lord Yahweh! Now I have seen the Angel of Yahweh face to face!'

23 Yahweh answered, 'Peace be with you; have no fear; you will not die.'

24 Gideon built an altar there to Yahweh and called it Yahweh-Peace. This altar stands in our own day at Ophrah of Abiezer.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 85:9, 11-12, 13-14

9 His saving help is near for those who fear him, his glory will dwell in our land.

11 Loyalty will spring up from the earth, and Justice will lean down from heaven.

12 Yahweh will himself give prosperity, and our soil will yield its harvest.

13 Justice will walk before him, treading out a path.

Gospel, Mt 19:23-30

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'In truth I tell you, it is hard for someone rich to enter the kingdom of Heaven.

24 Yes, I tell you again, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for someone rich to enter the kingdom of Heaven.'

25 When the disciples heard this they were astonished. 'Who can be saved, then?' they said.

26 Jesus gazed at them. 'By human resources', he told them, 'this is impossible; for God everything is possible.'

27 Then Peter answered and said, 'Look, we have left everything and followed you. What are we to have, then?'

28 Jesus said to them, 'In truth I tell you, when everything is made new again and the Son of man is seated on his throne of glory, you yourselves will sit on twelve thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.

29 And everyone who has left houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother, children or land for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times as much, and also inherit eternal life.

30 'Many who are first will be last, and the last, first.'

From around the world, pilgrims arrive in Madrid, tired but excited

Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across the world descended on the Spanish capital Aug. 15 with an array of colorful T-shirts, bloodshot eyes and a combined spirit of excitement about World Youth Day.

On the eve of the festivities' official opening, pilgrims with their specially intended World Youth Day backpacks crowded the streets, Metro cars and cafes. Many were tired, having arrived only hours before.

Sona Mpofu of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, landed at Madrid's Barajas airport at 8 a.m. after a 10-hour bus ride, a night at a Catholic center in Johannesburg, and a succeeding 10-hour flight. Despite the lack of sleep on the plane and the intense, dry heat, she and 21 other pilgrims from southern African were delighted about being at World Youth Day.

"When you come here, you feel at home," said Mpofu, 27. "You don't need to give details of yourself. You are who you are. We understand each other."

"It's been an overwhelming experience when you see that everybody shares the same faith, despite color, race and upbringing and culture," said Fungai Mawada, 20. "We all have that one thing in common. To get here, it's like coming home to a bigger family."

For most of the group, it was not only their initial World Youth Day, but their first time coming to Europe and even their first time getting on an airplane or leaving Zimbabwe. This pilgrimage was particularly poignant for the Zimbabweans because their coordinator, Spanish Marianhill Father Ricardo Davila, died in June from injuries continued in a car accident. The family of the late priest stepped up, helping organize and host the pilgrims for their journey.

Daily Bible Readings for Monday August 15, 2011

Reading 1, 1 Chr 15:3-4, 15-16; 16:1-2

3 David then summoned all Israel to Jerusalem, to move the ark of Yahweh to the place which he had prepared for it.

4 David also called the sons of Aaron and the Levites together:

15 and the Levites carried the ark of God with the shafts on their shoulders, as Moses had ordered in accordance with the word of Yahweh.

16 David also told the heads of the Levites to appoint their kinsmen as singers with the accompaniment of musical instruments, lyres, harps, and cymbals to play joyfully.

1 They brought the ark of God in and put it inside the tent which David had erected for it, and brought burnt offerings and made communion sacrifices in God's presence.

2 And when David had finished making burnt offerings and communion sacrifices, he blessed the people in the name of Yahweh.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 45:10, 11, 12, 16

10 Listen, my daughter, attend to my words and hear; forget your own nation and your ancestral home,

11 then the king will fall in love with your beauty; he is your lord, bow down before him.

12 The daughter of Tyre will court your favour with gifts, and the richest of peoples

16 Instead of your ancestors you will have sons; you will make them rulers over the whole world.

Gospel, Lk 11:27-28

27 It happened that as he was speaking, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said, 'Blessed the womb that bore you and the breasts that fed you!'

28 But he replied, 'More blessed still are those who hear the word of God and keep it!'

Reading 2, 1 Cor 15:54b-57

54 And after this perishable nature has put on imperishability and this mortal nature has put on immortality, then will the words of scripture come true: Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin comes from the Law.

57 Thank God, then, for giving us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Daily Bible Readings for Thursday August 11, 2011

Reading 1, Jos 3:7-10a, 11, 13-17

7 Yahweh said to Joshua, 'This very day, I shall begin to make you great in the eyes of all Israel so that they will know that, as I was with Moses, so I shall be with you.

8 Now, give this order to the priests carrying the ark of the covenant, "When you have reached the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you must halt in the Jordan itself." '

9 To the Israelites, Joshua then said, 'Come closer and hear the words of Yahweh your God.'

10 Joshua said, 'By this, you are to know that the living God is with you and without a doubt will expel the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites before you.

11 Look, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth is about to move into the Jordan at your head.

13 As soon as the priests carrying the ark of Yahweh, Lord of the whole earth, have set the soles of their feet in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan will be cut off; the upper waters flowing down will stop as a single mass.'

14 Accordingly, when the people left their tents to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of the people.

15 As soon as the bearers of the ark reached the Jordan and the feet of the priests carrying the ark touched the waters -- the Jordan is in spate throughout the harvest season-

16 the upper waters stood still and formed a single mass over a great distance, at Adam, the town near Zarethan, while those flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely separated. The people crossed opposite Jericho.

17 The priests carrying the ark of the covenant of Yahweh stood firm on dry ground in mid-Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground, until the whole nation had completed its crossing of the Jordan.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 114:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

1 Alleluia! When Israel came out of Egypt, the House of Jacob from a people of foreign speech,

2 Judah became his sanctuary, and Israel his domain.

3 The sea fled at the sight, the Jordan turned back,

4 the mountains skipped like rams, the hills like sheep.

5 Sea, what makes you flee? Jordan, why turn back?

6 Why skip like rams, you mountains? Why like sheep, you hills?

Gospel, Mt 18:21-19:1

21 Then Peter went up to him and said, 'Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?'

22 Jesus answered, 'Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.

23 'And so the kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants.

24 When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents;

25 he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt.

26 At this, the servant threw himself down at his master's feet, with the words, "Be patient with me and I will pay the whole sum."

27 And the servant's master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt.

28 Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow-servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him, saying, "Pay what you owe me."

29 His fellow-servant fell at his feet and appealed to him, saying, "Be patient with me and I will pay you."

30 But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt.

31 His fellow-servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him.

32 Then the master sent for the man and said to him, "You wicked servant, I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me.

33 Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you?"

34 And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt.

35 And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.'

1 Jesus had now finished what he wanted to say, and he left Galilee and came into the territory of Judaea on the far side of the Jordan.

Daily Bible Readings for Wednesday August 10, 2011

Reading 1, 2 Cor 9:6-10

6 But remember: anyone who sows sparsely will reap sparsely as well -- and anyone who sows generously will reap generously as well.

7 Each one should give as much as he has decided on his own initiative, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

8 God is perfectly able to enrich you with every grace, so that you always have enough for every conceivable need, and your resources overflow in all kinds of good work.

9 As scripture says: To the needy he gave without stint, his uprightness stands firm for ever.

10 The one who so freely provides seed for the sower and food to eat will provide you with ample store of seed for sowing and make the harvest of your uprightness a bigger one:

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 112:1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9

1 Alleluia! How blessed is anyone who fears Yahweh, who delights in his commandments!

2 His descendants shall be powerful on earth, the race of the honest shall receive blessings:

5 All goes well for one who lends generously, who is honest in all his dealing;

6 for all time to come he will not stumble, for all time to come the upright will be remembered.

7 Bad news holds no fears for him, firm is his heart, trusting in Yahweh.

8 His heart held steady, he has no fears, till he can gloat over his enemies.

9 To the needy he gives without stint, his uprightness stands firm for ever; his reputation is founded on strength.

Gospel, Jn 12:24-26

24 In all truth I tell you, unless a wheat grain falls into the earth and dies, it remains only a single grain; but if it dies it yields a rich harvest.

25 Anyone who loves his life loses it; anyone who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

26 Whoever serves me, must follow me, and my servant will be with me wherever I am. If anyone serves me, my Father will honour him. 

Daily Bible Readings for Tuesday August 09, 2011

Reading 1, Dt 31:1-8

1 Moses went and spoke to all Israel as follows,

2 'Today, I am one hundred and twenty years old, and can no longer act as leader. Yahweh has told me, "You shall not cross this Jordan."

3 Yahweh your God himself will lead you across, he himself will destroy and dispossess these nations confronting you; Joshua too will lead you across, as Yahweh has said.

4 Yahweh will treat them as he has treated Sihon and Og the Amorite kings and their country -- he destroyed them.

5 Yahweh will put them at your mercy, and you will deal with them exactly as prescribed by the commandments which I have laid down for you.

6 Be strong, stand firm, have no fear, do not be afraid of them, for Yahweh your God is going with you; he will not fail you or desert you.'

7 Moses then summoned Joshua and, in the presence of all Israel, said to him, 'Be strong, stand firm; you will be the one to go with this people into the country which Yahweh has sworn to their ancestors that he would give them; you are to be the one who puts them into possession of it.

8 Yahweh himself will lead you; he will be with you; he will not fail you or desert you. Have no fear, do not be alarmed.'

Responsorial Psalm, Deuteronomy 32:3-4, 7, 8, 9, 12

3 For I shall proclaim the name of Yahweh. Oh, tell the greatness of our God!

4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are equitable. A trustworthy God who does no wrong, he is the Honest, the Upright One!

7 Think back on the days of old, think over the years, down the ages. Question your father, let him explain to you, your elders, and let them tell you!

8 When the Most High gave the nations each their heritage, when he partitioned out the human race, he assigned the boundaries of nations according to the number of the children of God,

9 but Yahweh's portion was his people, Jacob was to be the measure of his inheritance.

12 Yahweh alone is his guide; no alien god for him!

Gospel, Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

1 At this time the disciples came to Jesus and said, 'Who is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven?'

2 So he called a little child to him whom he set among them.

3 Then he said, 'In truth I tell you, unless you change and become like little children you will never enter the kingdom of Heaven.

4 And so, the one who makes himself as little as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of Heaven.

5 'Anyone who welcomes one little child like this in my name welcomes me.

10 'See that you never despise any of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually in the presence of my Father in heaven.

12 'Tell me. Suppose a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays; will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hillside and go in search of the stray?

13 In truth I tell you, if he finds it, it gives him more joy than do the ninety-nine that did not stray at all.

14 Similarly, it is never the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost.

Daily Bible Readings for Friday August 05, 2011

Reading 1, Dt 4:32-40

32 'Put this question, then, to the ages that are past, that have gone before you, from when God created the human race on earth: Was there ever a word so majestic, from one end of heaven to the other? Was anything like it ever heard?

33 Did ever a people hear the voice of the living God speaking from the heart of the fire, as you have heard it, and remain alive?

34 Has it ever been known before that any god took action himself to bring one nation out of another one, by ordeals, signs, wonders, war with mighty hand and outstretched arm, by fearsome terrors -- all of which things Yahweh your God has done for you before your eyes in Egypt?

35 'This he showed you, so that you might know that Yahweh is the true God and that there is no other.

36 To instruct you, he made you hear his voice from heaven, and on earth he let you see his great fire, and from the heart of the fire you heard his words.

37 Because he loved your ancestors and, after them, chose their descendants, he has brought you out of Egypt, displaying his presence and mighty power,

38 dispossessing for you nations who were larger and stronger than you, to make way for you and to give you their country as your heritage, as it still is today.

39 'Hence, grasp this today and meditate on it carefully: Yahweh is the true God, in heaven above as on earth beneath, he and no other.

40 Keep his laws and commandments as I give them to you today, so that you and your children after you may prosper and live long in the country that Yahweh your God is giving you for ever.'

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 77:12-13, 14-15, 16, 21

12 I reflect on all that you did, I ponder all your great deeds.

13 God, your ways are holy! What god is as great as our God?

14 You are the God who does marvellous deeds, brought nations to acknowledge your power,

15 with your own arm redeeming your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.Pause

16 When the waters saw you, God, when the waters saw you they writhed in anguish, the very depths shook with fear.

Gospel, Mt 16:24-28

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me.

25 Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.

26 What, then, will anyone gain by winning the whole world and forfeiting his life? Or what can anyone offer in exchange for his life?

27 'For the Son of man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each one according to his behaviour.

28 In truth I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming with his kingdom.'

Daily Bible Readings for Thursday August 04, 2011

Reading 1, Nm 20:1-13

1 The Israelites, the whole community, arrived in the first month at the desert of Zin. The people settled at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.

2 There was no water for the community, so they banded together against Moses and Aaron.

3 The people laid the blame on Moses. 'We would rather have died', they said, 'as our brothers died before Yahweh!

4 Why have you brought Yahweh's community into this desert, for us and our livestock to die here?

5 Why did you lead us out of Egypt, only to bring us to this wretched place? It is a place unfit for sowing, it has no figs, no vines, no pomegranates, and there is not even water to drink!'

6 Leaving the assembly, Moses and Aaron went to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting. They threw themselves on their faces, and the glory of Yahweh appeared to them.

7 Yahweh then spoke to Moses and said,

8 'Take the branch and call the community together, you and your brother Aaron. Then, in full view of them, order this rock to release its water. You will release water from the rock for them and provide drink for the community and their livestock.'

9 Moses took up the branch from before Yahweh, as he had directed him.

10 Moses and Aaron then called the assembly together in front of the rock. He then said to them, 'Listen now, you rebels. Shall we make water gush from this rock for you?'

11 Moses then raised his hand and struck the rock twice with the branch; water gushed out in abundance, and the community and their livestock drank.

12 Yahweh then said to Moses and Aaron, 'Because you did not believe that I could assert my holiness before the Israelites' eyes, you will not lead this assembly into the country which I am giving them.'

13 These were the Waters of Meribah, where the Israelites laid the blame on Yahweh and where, by their means, he asserted his holiness.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

1 Come, let us cry out with joy to Yahweh, acclaim the rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving, acclaim him with music.

6 Come, let us bow low and do reverence; kneel before Yahweh who made us!

7 For he is our God, and we the people of his sheepfold, the flock of his hand. If only you would listen to him today!

8 Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as at the time of Massah in the desert,

9 when your ancestors challenged me, put me to the test, and saw what I could do!

Gospel, Mt 16:13-23

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi he put this question to his disciples, 'Who do people say the Son of man is?'

14 And they said, 'Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.'

15 'But you,' he said, 'who do you say I am?'

16 Then Simon Peter spoke up and said, 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.'

17 Jesus replied, 'Simon son of Jonah, you are a blessed man! Because it was no human agency that revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.

18 So I now say to you: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my community. And the gates of the underworld can never overpower it.

19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.'

20 Then he gave the disciples strict orders not to say to anyone that he was the Christ.

21 From then onwards Jesus began to make it clear to his disciples that he was destined to go to Jerusalem and suffer grievously at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death and to be raised up on the third day.

22 Then, taking him aside, Peter started to rebuke him. 'Heaven preserve you, Lord,' he said, 'this must not happen to you.'

23 But he turned and said to Peter, 'Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle in my path, because you are thinking not as God thinks but as human beings do.'

Daily Bible Readings for Wednesday August 03, 2011

Reading 1, Nm 13:1-2, 25-14:1, 26-29a, 34-35

1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said,

2 'Send out men, one from each tribe, to reconnoitre the land of Canaan which I am giving the Israelites. Each of them is to be a leading man of the tribe.'

25 After forty days they returned from reconnoitring the country.

26 Making their way to Moses, Aaron and the whole community of Israel, in the desert of Paran, at Kadesh, they made their report to them and the whole community, and displayed the country's produce.

27 This was the report they gave: 'We made our way into the country where you sent us. It does indeed flow with milk and honey; here is what it produces.

28 At the same time, its inhabitants are a powerful people; the towns are fortified and very big; yes, and we saw the Anakim there.

29 The Amalekites occupy the Negeb area, the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites the highlands, and the Canaanites the sea coast and the banks of the Jordan.'

30 Caleb called the people round Moses to silence and then said, 'We must march in immediately and take it; we are certainly able to conquer it.'

31 But the men who had been with him said, 'We cannot attack these people; they are stronger than we are.'

32 And they began disparaging to the Israelites the country they had reconnoitred, saying, 'The country we have been to reconnoitre is a country that devours its inhabitants. All the people we saw there were of enormous size.

33 We saw giants there too (the Anakim, descended from the Giants). We felt like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.'

1 The whole community then cried out in dismay, and the people wept all that night.

26 Yahweh then spoke to Moses and Aaron and said:

27 'How much longer am I to endure this perverse community muttering against me? I have heard what the Israelites mutter against me.

28 Say to them, "As I live, Yahweh declares, I shall do to you what I have heard you saying.

29 In this desert your dead bodies will fall, all you who were counted in the census, from the age of twenty years and over who have muttered against me.

34 For forty days you reconnoitred the country. Each day will count as a year: for forty years you will bear the consequences of your guilt and learn what it means to reject me."

35 I, Yahweh, have spoken: this is how I swear to treat this entire perverse community united against me. In this desert, to the last man, they shall die.'

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 106:6-7, 13-14, 21-22, 23

6 Like our ancestors, we have sinned, we have acted wickedly, guiltily;

7 our ancestors in Egypt never grasped the meaning of your wonders. They did not bear in mind your countless acts of love, at the Sea of Reeds they defied the Most High;

13 But they soon forgot his achievements, they did not even wait for his plans;

14 they were overwhelmed with greed in the wastelands, in the solitary wastes they challenged God.

21 They forgot the God who was saving them, who had done great deeds in Egypt,

22 such wonders in the land of Ham, such awesome deeds at the Sea of Reeds.

23 He thought of putting an end to them, had not Moses, his chosen one, taken a stand in the breach and confronted him, to turn his anger away from destroying them.

Gospel, Mt 15:21-28

21 Jesus left that place and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And suddenly out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting, 'Lord, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.'

23 But he said not a word in answer to her. And his disciples went and pleaded with him, saying, 'Give her what she wants, because she keeps shouting after us.'

24 He said in reply, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.'

25 But the woman had come up and was bowing low before him. 'Lord,' she said, 'help me.'

26 He replied, 'It is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to little dogs.'

27 She retorted, 'Ah yes, Lord; but even little dogs eat the scraps that fall from their masters' table.'

28 Then Jesus answered her, 'Woman, you have great faith. Let your desire be granted.' And from that moment her daughter was well again.