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.

Daily catholic bible Readings for Saturday November 13, 2010

Reading 1, 3 Jn 5-8

5 My dear friend, you have done loyal work in helping these brothers, even though they were strangers to you.

6 They are a proof to the whole Church of your love and it would be a kindness if you could help them on their journey as God would approve.

7 It was entirely for the sake of the name that they set out, without depending on the non-believers for anything:

8 it is our duty to welcome people of this sort and contribute our share to their work for the truth.

Gospel, Lk 18:1-8

1 Then he told them a parable about the need to pray continually and never lose heart.

2 'There was a judge in a certain town,' he said, 'who had neither fear of God nor respect for anyone.

3 In the same town there was also a widow who kept on coming to him and saying, "I want justice from you against my enemy!"

4 For a long time he refused, but at last he said to himself, "Even though I have neither fear of God nor respect for any human person,

5 I must give this widow her just rights since she keeps pestering me, or she will come and slap me in the face." '

6 And the Lord said, 'You notice what the unjust judge has to say?

7 Now, will not God see justice done to his elect if they keep calling to him day and night even though he still delays to help them?

8 I promise you, he will see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of man comes, will he find any faith on earth?'