Thursday, September 01, 2011 (Weekday)

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Colossians 1:9-14
9     And so, from the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
10     to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
11     May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy,
12     giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
13     He has delivered us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
14     in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Psalms: Psalm 98:2-6
2     The LORD has made known his victory, he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
3     He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
4     Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
5     Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody!
6     With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD!

Gospel: Luke 5:1-11
1     While the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennes'aret.
2     And he saw two boats by the lake; but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
3     Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
4     And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."
5     And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets."
6     And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking,
7     they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
8     But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."
9     For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken;
10     and so also were James and John, sons of Zeb'edee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men."
11     And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.


REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Present sorrow and suffering is the way to glory, the way to the kingdom.

-- St Bernard

Wednesday, August 31, 2011 (Weekday)

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Colossians 1:1-8
1    Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
2    To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ at Colos'sae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
3    We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,
4    because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love which you have for all the saints,
5    because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel
6    which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing -- so among yourselves, from the day you heard and understood the grace of God in truth,
7    as you learned it from Ep'aphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf
8    and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

Psalms: Psalm 52:10-11


Gospel: Luke 4:38-44
38    And he arose and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they besought him for her.
39    And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her; and immediately she rose and served them.
40    Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.
41    And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them, and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.
42    And when it was day he departed and went into a lonely place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them;
43    but he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose."
44    And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
I praise and thank You, heavenly Father, for giving to me praise and thank You, heavenly Father, for giving to me and to my dear spouse the grace and privilege of procreating and co-creating with You our precious offspring. After the presence of Your Divine Son in the Blessed Sacrament, our fruitful union just has to be the most tangible expression of Your love in this world. Our children's souls are a direct creation from Your hand, like the creation of the world at the beginning of time.
Teach us to raise our children as You would with loving firmness and tender care. Help me to respect and affirm my devoted wife with great affection, convinced that the greatest gift I can ever give to my children is true love for their mother. Let them know in what love they are bonded. Never let me do or say anything that would show them behavior unworthy of You. Give me the grace ever to show them Your way.
Make me a man of my word who will be loyal to You and the Church and faithful to the teachings of Jesus. May I assume the spiritual leadership of our family, the domestic Church, by encouraging prayer in our home at mealtime as well as in the morning and at night. Guide me in the decisions we make for our children so that it will be clear to them what they must do to reach heaven.
What an awesome responsibility for me! With Your support and inspiration I know I will be up to it, because I ask in the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.

-- Father Angelus Shaughnessy, O.F.M. Cap.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011 (Weekday)

READINGS FOR TODAY

First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, 9-11

1 But as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written to you.

2 For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

3 When people say, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape.

4 But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief.

5 For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness.

6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.

9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

10 who died for us so that whether we wake or sleep we might live with him.

11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Psalms: Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

4 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple.

13 I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!

14 Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; yea, wait for the LORD!

Gospel: Luke 4:31-37

31 And he went down to Caper'na-um, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the sabbath;

32 and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word was with authority.

33 And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon; and he cried out with a loud voice,

34 "Ah! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God."

35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.

36 And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out."

37 And reports of him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

REFLECTION FOR TODAY

We must pray without ceasing, in every occurrence and employment of our lives - that prayer which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him.

-- St Elizabeth Ann Seton

Monday, August 29, 2011 {The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist (Memorial)}

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Jeremiah 1:17-19
17 But you, gird up your loins; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them.
18 And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land.
19 They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you."


Psalms: Psalm 71:1-6, 15, 17
1 In thee, O LORD, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame!
2 In thy righteousness deliver me and rescue me; incline thy ear to me, and save me!
3 Be thou to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for thou art my rock and my fortress.
4 Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked, from the grasp of the unjust and cruel man.
5 For thou, O Lord, art my hope, my trust, O LORD, from my youth.
6 Upon thee I have leaned from my birth; thou art he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of thee.
15 My mouth will tell of thy righteous acts, of thy deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge.
17 O God, from my youth thou hast taught me, and I still proclaim thy wondrous deeds.


Gospel: Mark 6:17-29
7 For Herod had sent and seized John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Hero'di-as, his brother Philip's wife; because he had married her.
18 For John said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."
19 And Hero'di-as had a grudge against him, and wanted to kill him. But she could not,
20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. When he heard him, he was much perplexed; and yet he heard him gladly.
21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his courtiers and officers and the leading men of Galilee.
22 For when Hero'di-as' daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it."
23 And he vowed to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, even half of my kingdom."
24 And she went out, and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the baptizer."
25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king, and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter."
26 And the king was exceedingly sorry; but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her.
27 And immediately the king sent a soldier of the guard and gave orders to bring his head. He went and beheaded him in the prison,
28 and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.
29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body, and laid it in a tomb.


REFLECTION FOR TODAY
True charity means returning good for evil - always.


-- St Mary Mazzarello

Sunday, August 28, 2011 (Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time)

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Jeremiah 20:7-9
7 O LORD, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived; thou art stronger than I, and thou hast prevailed. I have become a laughingstock all the day; every one mocks me.
8 For whenever I speak, I cry out, I shout, "Violence and destruction!" For the word of the LORD has become for me a reproach and derision all day long.
9 If I say, "I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name," there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.

Psalms: Psalm 63:2-6, 8-9
2 So I have looked upon thee in the sanctuary, beholding thy power and glory.
3 Because thy steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise thee.
4 So I will bless thee as long as I live; I will lift up my hands and call on thy name.
5 My soul is feasted as with marrow and fat, and my mouth praises thee with joyful lips,
6 when I think of thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the watches of the night;
8 My soul clings to thee; thy right hand upholds me.
9 But those who seek to destroy my life shall go down into the depths of the earth;
Second Reading: Romans 12:1-2
1 I appeal to you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
2 Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Gospel: Matthew 16:21-27
21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.
22 And Peter took him and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you."
23 But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men."
24 Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
26 For what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?
27 For the Son of man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done.
REFLECTION FOR TODAY
The saints are like the stars. In his providence Christ conceals them in a hidden place that they may not shine before others when they might wish to do so. Yet they are always ready to exchange the quiet of contemplation for the works of mercy as soon as they perceive in their heart the invitation of Christ.

-- St Anthony of Padua

Saturday, August 27, 2011 {St. Monica (Memorial)}

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-11
9 But concerning love of the brethren you have no need to have any one write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another;
10 and indeed you do love all the brethren throughout Macedo'nia. But we exhort you, brethren, to do so more and more,
11 to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you;

Psalms: Psalm 98:1, 7-9
1 O sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things! His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory.
7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it!
8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together
9 before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30
14 "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property;
15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more.
17 So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more.
18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, `Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.'
21 His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.'
22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, `Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.'
23 His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.'
24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, `Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow;
25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'
26 But his master answered him, `You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed?
27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.
28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.
29 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.'
REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Labour without stopping; do all the good works you can while you still have the time.

-- St John of God

Friday, August 26, 2011 (Weekday)

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
1 Finally, brethren, we beseech and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you learned from us how you ought to live and to please God, just as you are doing, you do so more and more.
2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from unchastity;
4 that each one of you know how to take a wife for himself in holiness and honor,
5 not in the passion of lust like heathen who do not know God;
6 that no man transgress, and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we solemnly forewarned you.
7 For God has not called us for uncleanness, but in holiness.
8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

Psalms: Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 10-12
1 The LORD reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!
2 Clouds and thick darkness are round about him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory.
10 The LORD loves those who hate evil; he preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!

Gospel: Matthew 25:1-13
1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;
4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
6 But at midnight there was a cry, `Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.'
7 Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said to the wise, `Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.'
9 But the wise replied, `Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.'
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.
11 Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, `Lord, lord, open to us.'
12 But he replied, `Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
REFLECTION FOR TODAY
No sacrifice is more acceptable to God than zeal for souls.

-- St Gregory the Great

Thursday, August 25, 2011 {St. Louis IX of France, King, Patron of the Third Order (Memorial)}

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3:7-13
7 for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith;
8 for now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.
9 For what thanksgiving can we render to God for you, for all the joy which we feel for your sake before our God,
10 praying earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you;
12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all men, as we do to you,
13 so that he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.


Psalms: Psalm 90:3-5, 12-14, 17
3 Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, "Turn back, O children of men!"
4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.
5 Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream, like grass which is renewed in the morning:
12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on thy servants!
14 Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it. 


Gospel: Matthew 24:42-51
42 Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
43 But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into.
44 Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?
46 Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing.
47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.
48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, `My master is delayed,'
49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken,
50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know,
51 and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.


REFLECTION FOR TODAY
The more we have denied ourselves during the day, the nearer are we each evening to the Heart of our Lord.


-- St Madeline Sophie Barat

Wednesday, August 24, 2011 {St. Bartholomew, Apostle (Feast)}

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Revelation 21:9-14
9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and spoke to me, saying, "Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb."
10 And in the Spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God,
11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed;
13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 


Psalms: Psalm 145:10-13, 17-18
10 All thy works shall give thanks to thee, O LORD, and all thy saints shall bless thee!
11 They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and tell of thy power,
12 to make known to the sons of men thy mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of thy kingdom.
13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations. The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.
17 The LORD is just in all his ways, and kind in all his doings.
18 The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. 


Gospel: John 1:45-51
45 Philip found Nathan'a-el, and said to him, "We have found him of whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
46 Nathan'a-el said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."
47 Jesus saw Nathan'a-el coming to him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!"
48 Nathan'a-el said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you."
49 Nathan'a-el answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"
50 Jesus answered him, "Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You shall see greater things than these."
51 And he said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."


REFLECTION FOR TODAY
A man who governs his passions is master of the world. We must either command them, or be enslaved by them. It is better to be a hammer than an anvil.


-- St Dominic

Tuesday, August 23, 2011 (Weekday)

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8
1 For you yourselves know, brethren, that our visit to you was not in vain;
2 but though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philip'pi, as you know, we had courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the face of great opposition.
3 For our appeal does not spring from error or uncleanness, nor is it made with guile;
4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please men, but to please God who tests our hearts.
5 For we never used either words of flattery, as you know, or a cloak for greed, as God is witness;
6 nor did we seek glory from men, whether from you or from others, though we might have made demands as apostles of Christ.
7 But we were gentle among you, like a nurse taking care of her children.
8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. 


Psalms: Psalm 139:1-3, 4-6
1 O LORD, thou hast searched me and known me!
2 Thou knowest when I sit down and when I rise up; thou discernest my thoughts from afar.
3 Thou searchest out my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before a word is on my tongue, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou dost beset me behind and before, and layest thy hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it. 


Gospel: Matthew 23:23-26
23 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!
25 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity.
26 You blind Pharisee! first cleanse the inside of the cup and of the plate, that the outside also may be clean. 


REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Love consumes us only in the measure of our self-surrender.


-- St Therese of Lisieux

Monday, August 22, 2011 {The Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Memorial)}

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-6
1 But there will be no gloom for her that was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zeb'ulun and the land of Naph'tali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.
3 Thou hast multiplied the nation, thou hast increased its joy; they rejoice before thee as with joy at the harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
4 For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, thou hast broken as on the day of Mid'ian.
5 For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder, and his name will be called "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." 


Psalms: Psalm 113:1-8
1 Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD!
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the LORD is to be praised!
4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down upon the heavens and the earth?
7 He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
8 to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. 


Gospel: Luke 1:26-38
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.
28 And he came to her and said, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!"
29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.
30 And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,
33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end."
34 And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?"
35 And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.
36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.
37 For with God nothing will be impossible."
38 And Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her. 


REFLECTION FOR TODAY
God does not ask of us the perfection of tomorrow, nor even of tonight, but only of the present moment.


-- St Madeline Sophie Barat

Sunday, August 21, 2011 {Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time}

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Isaiah 22:19-23
19     I will thrust you from your office, and you will be cast down from your station.
20     In that day I will call my servant Eli'akim the son of Hilki'ah,
21     and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your girdle on him, and will commit your authority to his hand; and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
22     And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
23     And I will fasten him like a peg in a sure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his father's house.

Psalms: Psalm 138:1-3, 6, 8
1     I give thee thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing thy praise;
2     I bow down toward thy holy temple and give thanks to thy name for thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness; for thou hast exalted above everything thy name and thy word.
3     On the day I called, thou didst answer me, my strength of soul thou didst increase.
6     For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he knows from afar.
8     The LORD will fulfil his purpose for me; thy steadfast love, O LORD, endures for ever. Do not forsake the work of thy hands.

Second Reading: Romans 11:33-36
33     O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34     "For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?"
35     "Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?"
36     For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory for ever. Amen.

Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20
13     Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesare'a Philip'pi, he asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?"
14     And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Eli'jah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15     He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"
16     Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
17     And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
18     And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.
19     I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
20     Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
One should never deny the body what is due to it, that the body itself may not hinder what is due the soul.

-- St Peter of Alcantara

Saturday, August 20, 2011 {St. Bernard, Abbot, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)}

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Ruth 2:1-3, 8-11; 4:13-17
1    Now Na'omi had a kinsman of her husband's, a man of wealth, of the family of Elim'elech, whose name was Bo'az.
2    And Ruth the Moabitess said to Na'omi, "Let me go to the field, and glean among the ears of grain after him in whose sight I shall find favor." And she said to her, "Go, my daughter."
3    So she set forth and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she happened to come to the part of the field belonging to Bo'az, who was of the family of Elim'elech.
8    Then Bo'az said to Ruth, "Now, listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my maidens.
9    Let your eyes be upon the field which they are reaping, and go after them. Have I not charged the young men not to molest you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink what the young men have drawn."
10    Then she fell on her face, bowing to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?"
11    But Bo'az answered her, "All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before.
4:13-17
13    So Bo'az took Ruth and she became his wife; and he went in to her, and the LORD gave her conception, and she bore a son.
14    Then the women said to Na'omi, "Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without next of kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel!
15    He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him."
16    Then Na'omi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse.
17    And the women of the neighborhood gave him a name, saying, "A son has been born to Na'omi." They named him Obed; he was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Psalms: Psalm 128:1-5
1    Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!
2    You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.
3    Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4    Lo, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.
5    The LORD bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!

Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12
1    Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples,
2    "The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat;
3    so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice.
4    They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger.
5    They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,
6    and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues,
7    and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men.
8    But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brethren.
9    And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.
10    Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ.
11    He who is greatest among you shall be your servant;
12    whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
You ought to make every effort to free yourselves even from venial sin, and to do what is most perfect.

-- St Theresa of Avila

Friday, August 19, 2011 {St. Louis, Bishop (Optional Memorial)}

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Ruth 1:1, 3-6, 14-16, 22
1    In the days when the judges ruled there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he and his wife and his two sons.
3    But Elim'elech, the husband of Na'omi, died, and she was left with her two sons.
4    These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. They lived there about ten years;
5    and both Mahlon and Chil'ion died, so that the woman was bereft of her two sons and her husband.
6    Then she started with her daughters-in-law to return from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had visited his people and given them food.
14    Then they lifted up their voices and wept again; and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
15    And she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law."
16    But Ruth said, "Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God;
22    So Na'omi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess her daughter-in-law with her, who returned from the country of Moab. And they came to Bethlehem at the beginning of barley harvest.

Psalms: Psalm 146:5-10
5    Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6    who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith for ever;
7    who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;
8    the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.
9    The LORD watches over the sojourners, he upholds the widow and the fatherless; but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
10    The LORD will reign for ever, thy God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

Gospel: Matthew 22:34-40
34    But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sad'ducees, they came together.
35    And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him.
36    "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?"
37    And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.
38    This is the great and first commandment.
39    And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40    On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets."

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
As by the Word of God, Jesus our Savior was made Flesh and had both Flesh and Blood for our salvation, so also the food which has been blessed by the word of prayer instituted by Him is both the Flesh and Blood of Jesus Incarnate.

-- St Justin Martyr

Thursday, August 18, 2011 (Weekday)

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Judges 11:29-39
29 Then the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. He went through Gilead and Manasseh and returned to Mizpah in Gilead and went on to Ammon. 
30 Jephthah promised the Lord: “If you will give me victory over the Ammonites, 
31 I will burn as an offering the first person that comes out of my house to meet me, when I come back from the victory. I will offer that person to you as a sacrifice.”
32 So Jephthah crossed the river to fight the Ammonites, and the Lord gave him victory. 
33 He struck at them from Aroer to the area around Minnith, twenty cities in all, and as far as Abel Keramim. There was a great slaughter, and the Ammonites were defeated by Israel.
34 When Jephthah went back home to Mizpah, there was his daughter coming out to meet him, dancing and playing the tambourine. She was his only child.   
35 When he saw her, he tore his clothes in sorrow and said, “Oh, my daughter! You are breaking my heart! Why must it be you that causes me pain? I have made a solemn promise to the Lord, and I cannot take it back!”
36 She told him, “If you have made a promise to the Lord, do what you said you would do to me, since the Lord has given you revenge on your enemies, the Ammonites.” 
37 But she asked her father, “Do this one thing for me. Leave me alone for two months, so that I can go with my friends to wander in the mountains and grieve that I must die a virgin.” 
38 He told her to go and sent her away for two months. She and her friends went up into the mountains and grieved because she was going to die unmarried and childless. 
39 After two months she came back to her father. He did what he had promised the Lord, and she died still a virgin. This was the origin of the custom in Israel


Psalms: Psalm 40:5, 7-10
5 You have done many things for us, O Lord our God; there is no one like you! You have made many wonderful plans for us. I could never speak of them all— their number is so great!
6 You do not want sacrifices and offerings; you do not ask for animals burned whole on the altar or for sacrifices to take away sins. Instead, you have given me ears to hear you,
7 and so I answered, “Here I am; your instructions for me are in the book of the Law.
8 How I love to do your will, my God! I keep your teaching in my heart.”
9 In the assembly of all your people, Lord, I told the good news that you save us. You know that I will never stop telling it.
10 I have not kept the news of salvation to myself; I have always spoken of your faithfulness and help. In the assembly of all your people I have not been silent about your loyalty and constant love.


Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14
1 Jesus again used parables in talking to the people. 
2 “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a king who prepared a wedding feast for his son. 
3 He sent his servants to tell the invited guests to come to the feast, but they did not want to come. 
4 So he sent other servants with this message for the guests: ‘My feast is ready now; my steers and prize calves have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast!’ 
5 But the invited guests paid no attention and went about their business: one went to his farm, another to his store, 
6 while others grabbed the servants, beat them, and killed them. 
7 The king was very angry; so he sent his soldiers, who killed those murderers and burned down their city. 
8 Then he called his servants and said to them, ‘My wedding feast is ready, but the people I invited did not deserve it. 
9 Now go to the main streets and invite to the feast as many people as you find.’ 
10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, good and bad alike; and the wedding hall was filled with people.
11 “The king went in to look at the guests and saw a man who was not wearing wedding clothes. 
12 ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ the king asked him. But the man said nothing.
13 Then the king told the servants, ‘Tie him up hand and foot, and throw him outside in the dark. There he will cry and gnash his teeth.’”
14 And Jesus concluded, “Many are invited, but few are chosen.”


REFLECTION FOR TODAY
"Mary gave to the world the Life that renews all things and she was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role. It is no wonder, then, that the usage prevailed among the Holy Fathers whereby they called the mother of God entirely holy and free from all stain of sin, fashioned by the Holy Spirit into a kind of new substance and new creature. Adorned from the first instant of her conception with the splendors of an entirely unique holiness, the Virgin of Nazareth is, on God's command, greeted by an angel messenger as ""full of grace"". To the heavenly messenger she replies: ""Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to thy word.


-- Constitution on the Church, (56)

Wednesday, August 17, 2011 (Weekday)

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Judges 9:6-15
6 Then all the men of Shechem and Bethmillo got together and went to the sacred oak tree at Shechem, where they made Abimelech king.
7 When Jotham heard about this, he went and stood on top of Mount Gerizim and shouted out to them, “Listen to me, you men of Shechem, and God may listen to you! 
8 Once upon a time the trees went out to choose a king for themselves. They said to the olive tree, ‘Be our king.’ 
9 The olive tree answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my oil, which is used to honor gods and human beings.’ 
10 Then the trees said to the fig tree, ‘You come and be our king.’ 
11 But the fig tree answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my good sweet fruit.’ 
12 So the trees then said to the grapevine, ‘You come and be our king.’ 
13 But the vine answered, ‘In order to govern you, I would have to stop producing my wine, that makes gods and human beings happy.’ 
14 So then all the trees said to the thorn bush, ‘You come and be our king.’ 
15 The thorn bush answered, ‘If you really want to make me your king, then come and take shelter in my shade. If you don't, fire will blaze out of my thorny branches and burn up the cedars of Lebanon.’


Psalms: Psalm 21:2-7
2 You have given him his heart's desire; you have answered his request.
3 You came to him with great blessings and set a crown of gold on his head.
4 He asked for life, and you gave it, a long and lasting life.
5 His glory is great because of your help; you have given him fame and majesty.
6 Your blessings are with him forever, and your presence fills him with joy.
7 The king trusts in the Lord Almighty; and because of the Lord's constant love he will always be secure.


Gospel: Matthew 20:1-16
1 “The Kingdom of heaven is like this. Once there was a man who went out early in the morning to hire some men to work in his vineyard. 
2 He agreed to pay them the regular wage, a silver coin a day, and sent them to work in his vineyard. 
3 He went out again to the marketplace at nine o'clock and saw some men standing there doing nothing, 
4 so he told them, ‘You also go and work in the vineyard, and I will pay you a fair wage.’ 
5 So they went. Then at twelve o'clock and again at three o'clock he did the same thing. 
6 It was nearly five o'clock when he went to the marketplace and saw some other men still standing there. ‘Why are you wasting the whole day here doing nothing?’ he asked them. 
7 ‘No one hired us,’ they answered. ‘Well, then, you go and work in the vineyard,’ he told them.
8“When evening came, the owner told his foreman, ‘Call the workers and pay them their wages, starting with those who were hired last and ending with those who were hired first.’ 
9 The men who had begun to work at five o'clock were paid a silver coin each. 
10 So when the men who were the first to be hired came to be paid, they thought they would get more; but they too were given a silver coin each. 
11 They took their money and started grumbling against the employer. 
12 ‘These men who were hired last worked only one hour,’ they said, ‘while we put up with a whole day's work in the hot sun—yet you paid them the same as you paid us!’ 
13 ‘Listen, friend,’ the owner answered one of them, ‘I have not cheated you. After all, you agreed to do a day's work for one silver coin. 
14 Now take your pay and go home. I want to give this man who was hired last as much as I gave you. 
15 Don't I have the right to do as I wish with my own money? Or are you jealous because I am generous?’”
16 And Jesus concluded, “So those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last.”


REFLECTION FOR TODAY
If you are wise, then, know that you have been created for the glory of God and your own eternal salvation. This is your goal; this is the center of your life; this is the treasure of your heart. May you consider truly good whatever leads you to your goal and truly evil whatever makes you fall away from it.


-- St Robert Bellarmine

Tuesday, August 16, 2011 (Weekday)

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Judges 6:11-24
11 Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Jo'ash the Abiez'rite, as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Mid'ianites.
12 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, "The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor."
13 And Gideon said to him, "Pray, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this befallen us? And where are all his wonderful deeds which our fathers recounted to us, saying, `Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has cast us off, and given us into the hand of Mid'ian."
14 And the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Mid'ian; do not I send you?"
15 And he said to him, "Pray, Lord, how can I deliver Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manas'seh, and I am the least in my family."
16 And the LORD said to him, "But I will be with you, and you shall smite the Mid'ianites as one man."
17 And he said to him, "If now I have found favor with thee, then show me a sign that it is thou who speakest with me.
18 Do not depart from here, I pray thee, until I come to thee, and bring out my present, and set it before thee." And he said, "I will stay till you return."
19 So Gideon went into his house and prepared a kid, and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour; the meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the oak and presented them.
20 And the angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them." And he did so.
21 Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and there sprang up fire from the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.
22 Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD; and Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face."
23 But the LORD said to him, "Peace be to you; do not fear, you shall not die."
24 Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it, The LORD is peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiez'rites.


Psalms: Psalm 85:9, 11-14
9 Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
11 Faithfulness will spring up from the ground, and righteousness will look down from the sky.
12 Yea, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.
13 Righteousness will go before him, and make his footsteps a way.


Gospel: Matthew 19:23-30
23 And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, it will be hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.
24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
25 When the disciples heard this they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"
26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
27 Then Peter said in reply, "Lo, we have left everything and followed you. What then shall we have?"
28 Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
29 And every one who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.
30 But many that are first will be last, and the last first.


REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Good example is the most efficacious apostolate. You must be as lighted lanterns and shine like brilliant chandeliers among men. By your good example and your words, animate others to know and love God.
-- St Mary Joseph Rossello

Monday, August 15, 2011 {The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Solemnity)}

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Revelation 11:19; 12:1-6, 10
19 Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.
12:1-6, 10
1 And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;
2 she was with child and she cried out in her pangs of birth, in anguish for delivery.
3 And another portent appeared in heaven; behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems upon his heads.
4 His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven, and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth;
5 she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne,
6 and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which to be nourished for one thousand two hundred and sixty days.
10 And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

Psalms: Psalm 45:10-12, 16
10 Hear, O daughter, consider, and incline your ear; forget your people and your father's house;
11 and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him;
12 the people of Tyre will sue your favor with gifts, the richest of the people
16 Instead of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth.

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:20-27
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
27 "For God has put all things in subjection under his feet." But when it says, "All things are put in subjection under him," it is plain that he is excepted who put all things under him.

Gospel: Luke 1:39-56
39 In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a city of Judah,
40 and she entered the house of Zechari'ah and greeted Elizabeth.
41 And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit
42 and she exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 And why is this granted me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the babe in my womb leaped for joy.
45 And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her from the Lord."
46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has regarded the low estate of his handmaiden. For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on those who fear him from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm, he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts,
52 he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away.
54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,
55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity for ever."
56 And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her home.

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Fight all error, but do it with good humor, patience, kindness, and love. Harshness will damage your own soul and spoil the best cause.
-- St John of Kanty