DR Squared: Sixth Sunday In Ordinary Time (Year A)

First Reading:  Sirach 15:15-20  (DR--16-21)

If thou wilt keep the commandments and perform acceptable fidelity for ever, they shall preserve thee. He hath set water and fire before thee: stretch forth thy hand to which thou wilt. Before man is life and death, good and evil, that which he shall choose shall be given him:  For the wisdom of God is great, and he is strong in power, seeing all men without ceasing. The eyes of the Lord are towards them that fear him, and he knoweth all the work of man. He hath commanded no man to do wickedly, and he hath given no man license to sin:

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 119 (118):1; V. 1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34

R.  Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.

V.  Blessed are the undefiled in the way,

     who walk in the law of the Lord.

     Blessed are they who search his testimonies:

     that seek him with their whole heart.

V.  Thou hast commanded thy commandments

     to be kept most diligently.

     O! that my ways may be directed

     to keep thy justifications.

V. Give bountifully to thy servant, enliven me:

     and I shall keep thy words.

     Open thou my eyes:

     and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law.

V.  Set before me for a law the way of thy justifications, O Lord:

     and I will always seek after it.

     Give me understanding, and I will search thy law;

     and I will keep it with my whole heart.

Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 2:6-10

Howbeit we speak wisdom among the perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, neither of the princes of this world that come to nought; But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, a wisdom which is hidden, which God ordained before the world, unto our glory:  Which none of the princes of this world knew; for if they had known it, they would never have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written: That eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what things God hath prepared for them that love him. But to us God hath revealed them, by his Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 5:17-37

Do not think that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For amen I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot, or one tittle shall not pass of the law, till all be fulfilled. He therefore that shall break one of these least commandments, and shall so teach men, shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven. But he that shall do and teach, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou Fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee; Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift. Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart. And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell. And if thy right hand scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell. And it hath been said, whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce. But I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting for the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery. Again you have heard that it was said to them of old, Thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord. But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God:  Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king:  Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

God's Valentine's Day Card

"For God so loVed the world,

         that He gAve

             His onLy 

             begottEn

                   SoN,

                       That whosoever

        believeth In Him

           should Not perish,

        but have Everlasting life."

                John 3:16

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Originally published 2/14/2006.

Re-posted 2/14/2023.

THE Greatest Love Affair

An acquaintance sent this to me a few years ago. It gets to the heart of St. Augustine's statement that our restlessness is quieted only in God. It is a reminder of Who our First Love is and should be. It is the cornerstone of seeking the Kingdom of God by seeking the King. Edited for form; the content is everlasting:

Everyone longs to give himself completely to someone, to have a deep soul relationship with another, to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. 

But God, to the Christian, says, "No, not until you are satisfied with living for Me and being loved by Me alone and having an intensely personal and unique relationship with Me alone. 

"I love you my child; and until you discover that only in Me is your satisfaction, you will not be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. 

"I want you to stop planning and stop wanting, and allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan ever existing--one that you cannot even imagine. 

"I want you to have the best. Please allow Me to bring it to you--just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things--keep experiencing that satisfaction in Me, knowing that I AM--keep learning and listening to the things that I tell you. 

"You must wait. Do not be anxious. Do not worry. Do not look around at the things others have gained for themselves or that I have given them. Do not look at the things you want. Just keep looking at Me or you will miss what I want to show you. 

"And then, when you are ready, I will surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you would ever dream of. You see, until you are ready (and even at this minute I desire to have you both ready at the same time), until you are both satisfied with Me and the life that I have prepared for you, you will not be able to experience the love that exemplifies our relationship with Me--and this is perfect love. 

"And, dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your relationship with Me and to enjoy the everlasting union of beauty and love. 

"I AM GOD. Believe and be satisfied."

St. Anthony

Then, every day will be Valentine's Day.

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Originally posted 2/14/2007.

Re-posted 2/14/2023.

DR Squared: Memorial Of Saints Cyril, Monk, And Methodius, Bishop

First Reading:  Acts 13:46-49

Then Paul and Barnabas said boldly: To you it behoved us first to speak the word of God: but because you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord hath commanded us: I have set thee to be the light of the Gentiles; that thou mayest be for salvation unto the utmost part of the earth. And the Gentiles hearing it, were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to life everlasting, believed. And the word of the Lord was published throughout the whole country.

Responsorial Psalm:  Mark 16:15; V. Psalm 117 (116):1bc, 2

R.  Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

V.  O praise the Lord, all ye nations:

     praise him, all ye people.

V.  For his mercy is confirmed upon us:

     and the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 10:1-9

And after these things the Lord appointed also other seventy-two: and he sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself was to come. And he said to them: The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send labourers into his harvest. Go: Behold I send you as lambs among wolves. Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes; and salute no man by the way. Into whatsoever house you enter, first say: Peace be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you. And in the same house, remain, eating and drinking such things as they have: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house. And into what city soever you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. And heal the sick that are therein, and say to them: The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 2/14/2025.

DR Squared: Saturday Of The Fifth Week In Ordinary Time (Year II)

First Reading:  1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34

And Jeroboam said in his heart: Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David, If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem: and the heart of this people will turn to their lord Roboam the king of Juda, and they will kill me, and return to him. And finding out a device he made two golden calves, and said to them: Go ye up no more to Jerusalem: Behold thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other in Dan:  And this thing became an occasion of sin: for the people went to adore the calf as far as Dan. And he made temples in the high places, and priests of the lowest of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi. And he appointed a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, after the manner of the feast that was celebrated in Juda. And going up to the altar, he did in like manner in Bethel, to sacrifice to the calves, which he had made: and he placed in Bethel priests of the high places, which he had made. After these words Jeroboam came not back from his wicked way: but on the contrary he made of the meanest of the people priests of the high places: whosoever would, he filled his hand, and he was made a priest of the high places. And for this cause did the house of Jeroboam sin, and was cut off and destroyed from the face of the earth.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 106 (105):4a; V. 6-7ab, 19-20, 21-22

R.  Remember us, O Lord, in the favour of thy people:

V.  We have sinned with our fathers:

     we have acted unjustly, we have wrought iniquity.

     Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt:

     they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies:

V.  They made also a calf in Horeb:

     and they adored the graven thing.

     And they changed their glory

     into the likeness of a calf that eateth grass.

V.  They forgot God, who saved them,

     who had done great things in Egypt,

     Wondrous works in the land of Cham:

     terrible things in the Red Sea.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 8:1-10

In those days again, when there was a great multitude, and had nothing to eat; calling his disciples together, he saith to them:  I have compassion on the multitude, for behold they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat. And if I shall send them away fasting to their home, they will faint in the way; for some of them came from afar off. And his disciples answered him: From whence can any one fill them here with bread in the wilderness? And he asked them: How many loaves have ye? Who said: Seven. And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, he broke, and gave to his disciples for to set before them; and they set them before the people. And they had a few little fishes; and he blessed them, and commanded them to be set before them. And they did eat and were filled; and they took up that which was left of the fragments, seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand; and he sent them away. And immediately going up into a ship with his disciples, he came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Friday Of The Fifth Week In Ordinary Time (Year II)

First Reading:  1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19

So it came to pass at that time, that Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahias the Silonite, clad with a new garment, found him in the way: and they two were alone in the field. And Ahias taking his new garment, wherewith he was clad, divided it into twelve parts:  And he said to Jeroboam: Take to thee ten pieces: for thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Behold I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give thee ten tribes. But one tribe shall remain to him for the sake of my servant David, and Jerusalem the city, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:  And Israel revolted from the house of David, unto this day.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 81 (80):11a and 9a; V. 10-11ab, 12-13, 14-15

R.  For I am the Lord thy God, (h)ear, O my people, and I will testify to thee:

V.  There shall be no new god in thee:

     neither shalt thou adore a strange god.

     For I am the Lord thy God,

     who brought thee out of the land of Egypt:

V.  But my people heard not my voice:

     and Israel hearkened not to me.

     So I let them go according to the desires of their heart:

     they shall walk in their own inventions.

V.  If my people had heard me:

     if Israel had walked in my ways:

     I should soon have humbled their enemies,

     and laid my hand on them that troubled them.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 7:31-37

And again going out of the coasts of Tyre, he came by Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis. And they bring to him one deaf and dumb; and they besought him that he would lay his hand upon him. And taking him from the multitude apart, he put his fingers into his ears, and spitting, he touched his tongue:  And looking up to heaven, he groaned, and said to him: Ephpheta, which is, Be thou opened. And immediately his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke right. And he charged them that they should tell no man. But the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal did they publish it. And so much the more did they wonder, saying: He hath done all things well; he hath made both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Thursday Of The Fifth Week In Ordinary Time (Year II)

First Reading:  1 Kings 11:4-13

And when he was now old, his heart was turned away by women to follow strange gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. But Solomon worshipped Astarthe the goddess of the Sidonians, and Moloch the idol of the ammonites. And Solomon did that which was not pleasing before the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as David his father. Then Solomon built a temple for Chamos the idol of Moab, on the hill that is over against Jerusalem, and for Moloch the idol of the children of Ammon. And he did in this manner for all his wives that were strangers, who burnt incense, and offered sacrifice to their gods. And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his mind was turned away from the Lord the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not follow strange gods: but he kept not the things which the Lord commanded him. The Lord therefore said to Solomon: Because thou hast done this, and hast not kept my covenant, and my precepts, which I have commanded thee, I will divide and rend thy kingdom, and will give it to thy servant. Nevertheless in thy days I will not do it, for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. Neither will I take away the whole kingdom, but I will give one tribe to thy son for the sake of David my servant, and Jerusalem which I have chosen.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 106 (105):4a; V. 3-4, 35-36, 37 and 40

R.  Remember us, O Lord, in the favour of thy people:

V.  Blessed are they that keep judgment,

     and do justice at all times.

     Remember us, O Lord, in the favour of thy people:

     visit us with thy salvation.

V.  And they were mingled among the heathens,

     and learned their works:

     And served their idols,

     and it became a stumblingblock to them.

V.  And they sacrificed their sons,

     and their daughters to devils.

     And the Lord was exceedingly angry with his people:

     and he abhorred his inheritance.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 7:24-30

And rising from thence he went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon: and entering into a house, he would that no man should know it, and he could not be hid. For a woman as soon as she heard of him, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, came in and fell down at his feet. For the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophenician born. And she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. Who said to her: Suffer first the children to be filled: for it is not good to take the bread of the children, and cast it to the dogs. But she answered and said to him: Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat under the table of the crumbs of the children. And he said to her: For this saying go thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And when she was come into her house, she found the girl lying upon the bed, and that the devil was gone out.

The readings from the USCCB can be found 

DR Squared: Optional Memorial Of Our Lady Of Lourdes

First Reading:  Isaiah 66:10-14c

Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all you that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all you that mourn for her. That you may suck, and be filled with the breasts of her consolations: that you may milk out, and flow with delights, from the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord: Behold I will bring upon her as it were a river of peace, and as an overflowing torrent the glory of the Gentiles, which you shall suck; you shall be carried at the breasts, and upon the knees they shall caress you. As one whom the mother caresseth, so will I comfort you, and you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see and your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb, and the hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants,

Responsorial Psalm:  Judith 15:10c; V. 13:23, 25bc

R.  (T)hou art the honour of our people:

V.  Blessed art thou, O daughter,

     by the Lord the most high God,

     above all women upon the earth.

V.  (T)hy praise shall not depart out of the mouth of men

     who shall be mindful of the power of the Lord for ever,

Gospel Reading:  John 2:1-11

And the third day, there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee: and the mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus also was invited, and his disciples, to the marriage. And the wine failing, the mother of Jesus saith to him: They have no wine. And Jesus saith to her: Woman, what is that to me and to thee? my hour is not yet come. His mother saith to the waiters: Whatsoever he shall say to you, do ye. Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three measures apiece. Jesus saith to them: Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And Jesus saith to them: Draw out now, and carry to the chief steward of the feast. And they carried it. And when the chief steward had tasted the water made wine, and knew not whence it was, but the waiters knew who had drawn the water; the chief steward calleth the bridegroom, And saith to him: Every man at first setteth forth good wine, and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse. But thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee; and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him. 

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 2/11/2025.

DR Squared: Wednesday Of The Fifth Week In Ordinary Time (Year II)

First Reading:  1 Kings 10:1-10

And the queen of Saba, having; heard of the fame of Solomon in the name of the Lord, came to try him with hard questions. And entering into Jerusalem with a great train, and riches, and camels that carried spices, and an immense quantity of gold, and precious stones, she came to king Solomon, and spoke to him all that she had in her heart. And Solomon informed her of all the things she proposed to him: there was not any word the king was ignorant of, and which he could not answer her. And when the queen of Saba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house which he had built, And the meat of his table, and the apartments of his servants, and the order of his ministers, and their apparel, and the cupbearers, and the holocausts, which he offered in the house of the Lord: she had no longer any spirit in her, And she said to the king: The report is true, which I heard in my own country, Concerning thy words, and concerning thy wisdom. And I did not believe them that told me, till I came myself, and saw with my own eyes, and have found that the half hath not been told me: thy wisdom and thy works, exceed the fame which I heard. Blessed are thy men, and blessed are thy servants, who stand before thee always, and hear thy wisdom. Blessed be the Lord thy God, whom thou hast pleased, and who hath set thee upon the throne of Israel, because the Lord hath loved Israel for ever, and hath appointed thee king, to do judgment and justice. And she gave the king a hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices a very great store, and precious stones: there was brought no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Saba gave to king Solomon.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 37 (36):30a; V. 5-6, 30-31, 39-40

R.  The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom:

V.  Commit thy way to the Lord,

     and trust in him, and he will do it.

     And he will bring forth thy justice as the light,

     and thy judgment as the noonday.

V.  The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom:

     and his tongue shall speak judgment.

     The law of his God is in his heart,

     and his steps shall not be supplanted.

V.  But the salvation of the just is from the Lord,

     and he is their protector in the time of trouble.

     And the Lord will help them and deliver them:

     and he will rescue them from the wicked, and save them,

     because they have hoped in him.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 7:14-23

And calling again the multitude unto him, he said to them: Hear ye me all, and understand. There is nothing from without a man that entering into him, can defile him. But the things which come from a man, those are they that defile a man. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And when he was come into the house from the multitude, his disciples asked him the parable. And he saith to them: So are you also without knowledge? understand you not that every thing from without, entering into a man cannot defile him:  Because it entereth not into his heart, but goeth into the belly, and goeth out into the privy, purging all meats? But he said that the things which come out from a man, they defile a man. For from within out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and defile a man.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Memorial Of Saint Scholastica, Virgin

First Reading:  Song of Songs 8:6-7

Put me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm, for love is strong as death, jealousy as hard as hell, the lamps thereof are fire and flames. Many waters cannot quench charity, neither can the floods drown it: if a man should give all the substance of his house for love, he shall despise it as nothing.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 148:12; V. 1bc-2, 11-13a, 13c-14

R.  Young men and maidens: let the old with the younger, praise the name of the Lord:

V.  Praise ye the Lord from the heavens:

     praise ye him in the high places.

     Praise ye him, all his angels:

     praise ye him, all his hosts.

V.  Kings of the earth and all people:

     princes and all judges of the earth:

     Young men and maidens:

     let the old with the younger,

     praise the name of the Lord:

     For his name alone is exalted.

V.  The praise of him is above heaven and earth:

      and he hath exalted the horn of his people.

      A hymn to all his saints: to the children of Israel,

      a people approaching to him. Alleluia.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 10:38-42

Now it came to pass as they went, that he entered into a certain town: and a certain woman named Martha, received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sitting also at the Lord's feet, heard his word. But Martha was busy about much serving. Who stood and said: Lord, hast thou no care that my sister hath left me alone to serve? speak to her therefore, that she help me. And the Lord answering, said to her: Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and art troubled about many things:  But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which shall not be taken away from her.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 2/7/2025.