Sunday, January 30, 2011 - Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading

Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13

 

Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth,

who have observed his law;

seek justice, seek humility;

perhaps you may be sheltered

on the day of the LORD's anger.

 

But I will leave as a remnant in your midst

a people humble and lowly,

who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD:

the remnant of Israel.

They shall do no wrong

and speak no lies;

nor shall there be found in their mouths

a deceitful tongue;

they shall pasture and couch their flocks

with none to disturb them.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 146:6-10

 

R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

 

The LORD keeps faith forever,

secures justice for the oppressed,

gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets captives free.

 

R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

 

The LORD gives sight to the blind;

the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.

The LORD loves the just;

the LORD protects strangers.

 

R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

 

The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains,

but the way of the wicked he thwarts.

The LORD shall reign forever;

your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.

 

R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

 

Second Reading

1 Corinthians 1:26-31

 

Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters.

Not many of you were wise by human standards,

not many were powerful,

not many were of noble birth.

Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,

and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,

and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,

those who count for nothing,

to reduce to nothing those who are something,

so that no human being might boast before God.

It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus,

who became for us wisdom from God,

as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,

so that, as it is written,

"Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord."

 

Gospel

Matthew 5:1-12

 

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,

and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.

He began to teach them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,

for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart,

for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you

and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

Rejoice and be glad,

for your reward will be great in heaven."

 

Readings taken from: Lectionary for Mass. National Conference of Catholic Bishop.

Sunday, January 16, 2011 - Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

The LORD said to me: You are my servant,

Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Now the LORD has spoken

who formed me as his servant from the womb,

that Jacob may be brought back to him

and Israel gathered to him;

and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,

and my God is now my strength!

It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant,

to raise up the tribes of Jacob,

and restore the survivors of Israel;

I will make you a light to the nations,

that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-10

 

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

 

I have waited, waited for the LORD,

and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.

And he put a new song into my mouth,

a hymn to our God.

 

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

 

Sacrifice or offering you wished not,

but ears open to obedience you gave me.

Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not;

then said I, "Behold I come."

 

R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

 

"In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,

to do your will, O my God, is my delight,

and your law is within my heart!"

 

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

 

I announced your justice in the vast assembly;

I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.

 

R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

 

Second Reading

1 Corinthians 1:1-3

 

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

and Sosthenes our brother,

to the church of God that is in Corinth,

to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy,

with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father

and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Gospel

John 1:29-34

 

John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said,

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.

He is the one of whom I said,

'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me

because he existed before me.'

I did not know him,

but the reason why I came baptizing with water

was that he might be made known to Israel."

John testified further, saying,

"I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven

and remain upon him.

I did not know him,

but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me,

'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain,

he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'

Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God."

 

Readings taken from: Lectionary for Mass. National Conference of Catholic Bishop.

Sunday, January 09, 2011 - The Baptism of the Lord

 First Reading

Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7

 

Thus says the LORD:

Here is my servant whom I uphold,

my chosen one with whom I am pleased,

upon whom I have put my spirit;

he shall bring forth justice to the nations,

not crying out, not shouting,

not making his voice heard in the street.

a bruised reed he shall not break,

and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,

until he establishes justice on the earth;

the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

 

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,

I have grasped you by the hand;

I formed you, and set you

as a covenant of the people,

a light for the nations,

to open the eyes of the blind,

to bring out prisoners from confinement,

and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 29:1-4, 3, 9-10

 

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

 

Give to the LORD, you sons of God,

give to the LORD glory and praise,

Give to the LORD the glory due his name;

adore the LORD in holy attire.

 

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

 

The voice of the LORD is over the waters,

the LORD, over vast waters.

The voice of the LORD is mighty;

the voice of the LORD is majestic.

 

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

 

The God of glory thunders,

and in his temple all say, "Glory!"

The LORD is enthroned above the flood;

the LORD is enthroned as king forever.

 

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

 

Second Reading

Acts 10: 34-38

 

Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered

in the house of Cornelius, saying:

"In truth, I see that God shows no partiality.

Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly

is acceptable to him.

You know the word that he sent to the Israelites

as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,

what has happened all over Judea,

beginning in Galilee after the baptism

that John preached,

how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth

with the Holy Spirit and power.

He went about doing good

and healing all those oppressed by the devil,

for God was with him."

 

Gospel

Matthew 3:13-17

 

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan

to be baptized by him.

John tried to prevent him, saying,

"I need to be baptized by you,

and yet you are coming to me?"

Jesus said to him in reply,

"Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us

to fulfill all righteousness."

Then he allowed him.

After Jesus was baptized,

he came up from the water and behold,

the heavens were opened for him,

and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove

and coming upon him.

And a voice came from the heavens, saying,

"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

 

Readings taken from: Lectionary for Mass. National Conference of Catholic Bishop.