7th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Date: February 23, 2014

First Reading (Leviticus 19: 1–2 and 17–18)
A reading from the book of Leviticus.
The Lord spoke to Moses and stated, "Speak to the entire assembly of the people of Israel and state to them: 'By holy for I, the Lord, your God, am holy. Do not hate your brother or sister in your heart; rebuke your neighbor frankly so as not to share in his guilt. Do not seek revenge or nurture a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.'"

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 3: 16–23)
A reading from the first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.
Brothers and sisters: Do you not know that you are God's temple, and that God's Spirit abides within you? If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him. God's temple is holy, and you are this temple. Do not deceive yourselves. If anyone of you considers himself wise in the ways of the world, let him become a fool, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's eyes. To this, Scripture states: God catches the wise in their own wisdom. It also states: The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is useless.Because of this, let no one become an admirer of humans, for everything belongs to you, Paul, Apollos, Cephas — life, death, the present and the future. Everything is yours, and you, you belong to Christ, and Christ is of God.

Gospel (Matthew 5: 38–48)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Jesus continued to teach the crowd while his disciples gathered around him. Jesus stated: "You have heard that it was stated: An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you this: do not oppose evil with evil; if someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn and offer the other. If someone sues you in court for your shirt, give your coat as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give when asked and do not turn your back on anyone who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was stated: Love your neighbor and do not do good to your enemy. But this I tell you: Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in Heaven. For he makes his sun rise on both the wicked and the good, and he gives rain to both the just and the unjust. If you love those who love you, what is special about that? Do not even tax collectors do as much? And if you are friendly only to your friends, what is so exceptional about that? Do not even the pagans do as much? For your part you shall be righteous and perfect in the way your heavenly Father is righteous and perfect."

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Date: February 16, 2014

First Reading (Sirach 15: 15–20)
A reading from the book of Sirach.
If you wish, you can keep the commandments and it is in your power to remain faithful. He has set fire and water before you; you stretch out your hand to whichever you prefer. Life and death are set before man: whichever a man prefers will be given him. How magnificent is the wisdom of the Lord! He is powerful and all-seeing. His eyes are on those who fear him. He knows all the works of man. He has commanded no one to be godless and has given no one permission to sin.

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 2: 6–10)
A reading from the first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.
Brothers and sisters: We do speak of wisdom to the mature in faith, although it is not a wisdom of his world or of its rulers, who, by the way, come to nothing. We teach the mystery and secret plan of divine wisdom, which God destined from the beginning to bring us to Glory. No ruler of this world ever knew this; otherwise they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. But as Scripture states: Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it dawned on the mind what God has prepared for those who love him. God has revealed it to us, through his Spirit, because the Spirit probes everything, even the depth of God.

Gospel (Matthew 5: 17–37)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Jesus continued to teach the crowd while his disciples gathered around him. Jesus stated: "Do not think that I have come to remove the Law and the Prophets. I have not come to remove but to fulfill them. I tell you this: as long as heaven and earth last, not the smallest letter or stroke of the Law will change until all is fulfilled. So then, whoever breaks the least important of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be the least in the kingdom of heaven. On the other hand, whoever obeys them and teaches other to do the same will be great in the kingdom of heaven. I tell you, then, that if you are not righteous in a much broader way than the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was stated to our people in the past: Do not commit murder; anyone who does kill will have to face trial. But now I tell you: whoever gets angry with a brother or sister will have to face trial. Whoever insults a brother or sister deserves to be brought before the council; whoever humiliates a brother or sister deserves to be thrown into the fire of hell. So, if you are about to offer your gift at the altar and you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with him, and then come back and offer your gift to God. Do not forget this: be reconciled with your opponent quickly when you are together on the way to court. Otherwise, he will turn you over to the judge, who will hand you over to the police, who will put you in jail. There you will stay, until you have paid the last penny. You have heard that it was stated: Do not commit adultery. But I tell you this: anyone who looks at a woman to satisfy his lust has in fact already committed adultery with her in his heart. So, if your right eye causes you to sin, pull it out and throw it away! It is much better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away! It is better for you to lose a part of your body than to have your whole body thrown into hell. It was also stated: anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce. But what I tell you is this: If a man divorces his wife except in the case of unlawful union, he causes her to commit adultery. And the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. You have also heard that people were told in the past: Do not break your oath; an oath sworn to the Lord must be kept. But I tell you this: do not take oaths. Do not swear by the heavens, for they are God's throne, nor by the earth, because it is his footstool, nor be Jerusalem because it is the city of the great king. Do not even swear by your head, because you cannot make a single hair white or black. Say yes when you mean yes and say no when you mean no. Anything else you say comes from the devil."

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Date: February 9, 2014

First Reading (Isaiah 58: 7–10)
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Fast by sharing your food with the hungry, bring to your house the homeless, clothe the one you see naked and do not turn away from your own kin. Then will your light will break forth as the dawn and your healing come in a flash. Your righteousness will be your vanguard, the Glory of the Lord you rearguard. Then you will call and the Lord will answer, you will cry and he will say, 'I am here.' If you removed from your midst the yoke, the clenched fist and the wicked word, if you share your food with the hungry and give relief to the oppressed, then your light will rise in the dark, your night will be like noon.

Second Reading (1 Corinthians 2: 1–5)
A reading from the first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.
Brothers and sisters: When I came to reveal to you the mystery of God's plan I did not count on eloquence or on a show of learning. I was determined not to know anything among you but Jesus, the Messiah, and a crucified Messiah. I myself came weak, fearful and trembling; my words and preaching were not brilliant or clever to win listeners. It was, rather, a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might be a matter, not of human wisdom, but of God's power.

Gospel (Matthew 5: 13–16)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew.
Jesus continued to teach the crowd while his disciples gathered around him. Jesus stated: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt has lost its strength, how can it be made salty again? It has become useless. It can only be thrown away and people will trample on it. You are the light of the world. A city built on a mountain cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and covers it; instead it is put on a lampstand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine before others, so that they may see the good you do and praise your Father in heaven."

Celebration of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Date: February 2, 2013

First Reading (Malachi 3: 1–4)
A reading from the book of the prophet Malachi.
Now I am sending my messenger ahead of me to clear the way; then suddenly the Lord for whom you long will enter the sanctuary. The envoy of the covenant which you so greatly desire already comes, says the Lord of hosts. Who can bear the day of this coming and remain standing when he appears? For he will be like fire in the foundry and like the lye used for bleaching. He will be as a refiner or a fuller. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. So the Lord will have priests who will present the offering of Judah and Jerusalem, as in former days.

Second Reading (Hebrews 2: 14–18)
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Hebrews.
Because all those children share one same nature of flesh and blood, Jesus likewise had to share this nature. This is why his death destroyed the one holding the power of death, that is the devil, and freed those who remained in bondage all their lifetime because of the fear of death. Jesus came to take by the hand not the angels but the human race. So he had to be like his brothers and sisters in every respect, in order to be the High Priest faithful to God and merciful to them, a priest able to ask pardon and atone for their sins. Having been tested through suffering, he is able to help those who are tested.

Gospel (Luke 2: 22–40)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, they brought the baby up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice as ordered in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law. Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God, stating, "Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace, for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation, which you display for all the people to see. here is the light you will reveal to the nations and the glory of your people Israel." His father and mother wondered at what was stated about the child. Simeon blessed them and stated to Mary, his mother, "See him; he will be for the rise or fall of the multitudes of Israel. He shall stand as a sign of contradiction, while a sword will pierce your own soul. Then the secret thoughts of many may be brought to light." There was also a prophetess named Anna, daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. After leaving her father's home, she had been seven years with her husband, and since then she had been continually about the Temple, serving God as a widow night and day in fasting and prayer. She was now eighty-four. Coming up at that time, she gave praise to God and spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem. When the parents had fulfilled all that was required by the law of the Lord, they returned to their town, Nazareth in Galilee. There the child grew in stature and strength and was filled with wisdom: the grace of God was upon him.