Daily Bible Readings for Tuesday December 20, 2011

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.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 24:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

1 [Psalm Of David] To Yahweh belong the earth and all it contains, the world and all who live there;

2 it is he who laid its foundations on the seas, on the flowing waters fixed it firm.

3 Who shall go up to the mountain of Yahweh? Who shall take a stand in his holy place?

4 The clean of hands and pure of heart, whose heart is not set on vanities, who does not swear an oath in order to deceive.

5 Such a one will receive blessing from Yahweh, saving justice from the God of his salvation.

6 Such is the people that seeks him, that seeks your presence, God of Jacob.Pause

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 Bible Readings for Monday December 19, 2011

Reading 1, Jgs 13:2-7, 24-25a

2 There was a man of Zorah of the tribe of Dan, called Manoah. His wife was barren; she had borne no children.

3 The Angel of Yahweh appeared to this woman and said to her, 'You are barren and have had no child, but you are going to conceive and give birth to a son.

4 From now on, take great care. Drink no wine or fermented liquor, and eat nothing unclean.

5 For you are going to conceive and give birth to a son. No razor is to touch his head, for the boy is to be God's nazirite from his mother's womb; and he will start rescuing Israel from the power of the Philistines.'

6 The woman then went and told her husband, 'A man of God has just come to me, who looked like the Angel of God, so majestic was he. I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name.

7 But he said to me, "You are going to conceive and will give birth to a son. From now on, drink no wine or fermented liquor, and eat nothing unclean. For the boy is to be God's nazirite from his mother's womb to his dying day." '

24 The woman gave birth to a son and called him Samson. The child grew, and Yahweh blessed him;

25 and the spirit of Yahweh began to stir him in the Camp of Dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 71:3-4, 5-6, 16-17

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.

16 I will come in the power of Yahweh to tell of your justice, yours alone.

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

Gospel, Lk 1:5-25

5 In the days of King Herod of Judaea there lived a priest called Zechariah who belonged to the Abijah section of the priesthood, and he had a wife, Elizabeth by name, who was a descendant of Aaron.

6 Both were upright in the sight of God and impeccably carried out all the commandments and observances of the Lord.

7 But they were childless: Elizabeth was barren and they were both advanced in years.

8 Now it happened that it was the turn of his section to serve, and he was exercising his priestly office before God

9 when it fell to him by lot, as the priestly custom was, to enter the Lord's sanctuary and burn incense there.

10 And at the hour of incense all the people were outside, praying.

11 Then there appeared to him the angel of the Lord, standing on the right of the altar of incense.

12 The sight disturbed Zechariah and he was overcome with fear.

13 But the angel said to him, 'Zechariah, do not be afraid, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth is to bear you a son and you shall name him John.

14 He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth,

15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord; he must drink no wine, no strong drink; even from his mother's womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit,

16 and he will bring back many of the Israelites to the Lord their God.

17 With the spirit and power of Elijah, he will go before him to reconcile fathers to their children and the disobedient to the good sense of the upright, preparing for the Lord a people fit for him.'

18 Zechariah said to the angel, 'How can I know this? I am an old man and my wife is getting on in years.'

19 The angel replied, 'I am Gabriel, who stand in God's presence, and I have been sent to speak to you and bring you this good news.

20 Look! Since you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time, you will be silenced and have no power of speech until this has happened.'

21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were surprised that he stayed in the sanctuary so long.

22 When he came out he could not speak to them, and they realised that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. But he could only make signs to them and remained dumb.

23 When his time of service came to an end he returned home.

24 Some time later his wife Elizabeth conceived and for five months she kept to herself, saying,

25 'The Lord has done this for me, now that it has pleased him to take away the humiliation I suffered in public.' 

Daily Bible Readings for Monday December 12, 2011

Reading 1, Zec 2:14-17

14 Sing, rejoice, daughter of Zion, for now I am coming to live among you -Yahweh declares!

15 And on that day many nations will be converted to Yahweh. Yes, they will become his people, and they will live among you. Then you will know that Yahweh Sabaoth has sent me to you!

16 Yahweh will take possession of Judah, his portion in the Holy Land, and again make Jerusalem his choice.

17 Let all people be silent before Yahweh, now that he is stirring from his holy Dwelling!

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

4 DIRECT me in your ways, Yahweh, and teach me your paths.

5 ENCOURAGE me to walk in your truth and teach me since you are the God who saves me. FOR my hope is in you all day long -- such is your generosity, Yahweh.

6 GOODNESS and faithful love have been yours for ever, Yahweh, do not forget them.

7 HOLD not my youthful sins against me, but remember me as your faithful love dictates.

Reading 1, Zec 2:14-17

14 Sing, rejoice, daughter of Zion, for now I am coming to live among you -Yahweh declares!

15 And on that day many nations will be converted to Yahweh. Yes, they will become his people, and they will live among you. Then you will know that Yahweh Sabaoth has sent me to you!

16 Yahweh will take possession of Judah, his portion in the Holy Land, and again make Jerusalem his choice.

17 Let all people be silent before Yahweh, now that he is stirring from his holy Dwelling!

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9

4 DIRECT me in your ways, Yahweh, and teach me your paths.

5 ENCOURAGE me to walk in your truth and teach me since you are the God who saves me. FOR my hope is in you all day long -- such is your generosity, Yahweh.

6 GOODNESS and faithful love have been yours for ever, Yahweh, do not forget them.

7 HOLD not my youthful sins against me, but remember me as your faithful love dictates.

8 INTEGRITY and generosity are marks of Yahweh for he brings sinners back to the path.

9 JUDICIOUSLY he guides the humble, instructing the poor in his way.

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 Friday December 09, 2011

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.

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

1 How blessed is anyone who rejects the advice of the wicked and does not take a stand in the path that sinners tread, nor a seat in company with cynics,

2 but who delights in the law of Yahweh and murmurs his law day and night.

3 Such a one is like a tree planted near streams; it bears fruit in season and its leaves never wither, and every project succeeds.

4 How different the wicked, how different! Just like chaff blown around by the wind

6 For Yahweh watches over the path of the upright, but the path of the wicked is doomed.

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.' 

Daily Bible Readings for Thursday December 08, 2011

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.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4

1 [Psalm] Sing a new song to Yahweh, for he has performed wonders, his saving power is in his right hand and his holy arm.

2 Yahweh has made known his saving power, revealed his saving justice for the nations to see,

3 mindful of his faithful love and his constancy to the House of Israel. The whole wide world has seen the saving power of our God.

4 Acclaim Yahweh, all the earth, burst into shouts of joy!

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. 

Daily Bible Readings for Wednesday December 07, 2011

Reading 1, Is 40:25-31

25 'To whom can you compare me, or who is my equal?' says the Holy One.

26 Lift your eyes and look: he who created these things leads out their army in order, summoning each of them by name. So mighty is his power, so great his strength, that not one fails to answer.

27 How can you say, Jacob, how can you repeat, Israel, 'My way is hidden from Yahweh, my rights are ignored by my God'?

28 Did you not know? Had you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, he created the remotest parts of the earth. He does not grow tired or weary, his understanding is beyond fathoming.

29 He gives strength to the weary, he strengthens the powerless.

30 Youths grow tired and weary, the young stumble and fall,

31 but those who hope in Yahweh will regain their strength, they will sprout wings like eagles, though they run they will not grow weary, though they walk they will never tire.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 103:1-2, 3-4, 8, 10

1 [Of David] Bless Yahweh, my soul, from the depths of my being, his holy name;

2 bless Yahweh, my soul, never forget all his acts of kindness.

3 He forgives all your offences, cures all your diseases,

4 he redeems your life from the abyss, crowns you with faithful love and tenderness;

8 Yahweh is tenderness and pity, slow to anger and rich in faithful love;

10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve, nor repay us as befits our offences.

Gospel, Mt 11:28-30

28 'Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest.

29 Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

30 Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.'

Daily Bible Readings for Monday December 05, 2011

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.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14

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

10 Faithful Love and Loyalty join together, Saving Justice and Peace embrace.

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, 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 Bible Readings for Monday December 05, 2011

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.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14

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

10 Faithful Love and Loyalty join together, Saving Justice and Peace embrace.

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, 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 Bible Readings for Thursday December 01, 2011

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.'

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 118:1, 8-9, 19-21, 25-27

1 Alleluia! Give thanks to Yahweh for he is good, for his faithful love endures for ever.

8 It is better to take refuge in Yahweh than to rely on human beings;

9 better to take refuge in Yahweh than to rely on princes.

19 Open for me the gates of saving justice, I shall go in and thank Yahweh.

20 This is the gate of Yahweh, where the upright go in.

21 I thank you for hearing me, and making yourself my Saviour.

25 We beg you, Yahweh, save us, we beg you, Yahweh, give us victory!

26 Blessed in the name of Yahweh is he who is coming! We bless you from the house of Yahweh.

27 Yahweh is God, he gives us light. Link your processions, branches in hand, up to the horns of the altar.

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!'