Friday, January 06, 2012 {St. Andre Bessette, Religious (Optional Memorial)}

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
In the royal galley of divine Love, there is no galley slave: all rowers are volunteers.
-- St. Francis De Sales

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 1 John 5:5-13
(The Witness about Jesus Christ/ Eternal Life)
5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.
7 For there are three who testify :
8 the Spirit, and the water, and the blood; and the three agree as one. 
9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is God’s testimony which he has testified concerning his Son.
10 He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who doesn’t believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son.
11 The testimony is this, that God gave to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He who has the Son has the life. He who doesn’t have God’s Son doesn’t have the life.
13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

Psalms: Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20
12 Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem! Praise your God, Zion!
13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates. He has blessed your children within you.
14 He makes peace in your borders. He fills you with the finest of the wheat.
15 He sends out his commandment to the earth. His word runs very swiftly.
19 He shows his word to Jacob; His statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
20 He has not done this for just any nation. They don’t know his ordinances. Praise Yah!

Gospel: Mark 1:7-11 or Luke 3:23-38 or Luke 3:23, 31-34, 36, 38

Mark 1:7-11
(The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus)
7 He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.
8 I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
9 It happened in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 Immediately coming up from the water, he saw the heavens parting, and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
11 A voice came out of the sky, “You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
OR
Luke 3:23-38
(The Ancestors of Jesus)
23 Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,
25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,
26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Joseph, the son of Judah,
27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,
28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmodam, the son of Er,
29 the son of Josa, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,
30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonan, the son of Eliakim,
31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Joram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
35 the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah
36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,
38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
OR
Luke 3:23, 31-34, 36, 38
(The Ancestors of Jesus)
23 Jesus himself, when he began to teach, was about thirty years old, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,
31 the son of Melea, the son of Menan, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,
32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,
33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Aram, the son of Joram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,
34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,
36 the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,
38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.