DR Squared: Friday Of The First Week Of Lent

First Reading:  Ezekiel 18:21-28

But if the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my commandments, and do judgment, and justice, living he shall live, and shall not die. I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done: in his justice which he hath wrought, he shall live. Is it my will that a sinner should die, saith the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways, and live? But if the just man turn himself away from his justice, and do iniquity according to all the abominations which the wicked man useth to work, shall he live? all his justices which he hath done, shall not be remembered: in the prevarication, by which he hath prevaricated, and in his sin, which he hath committed, in them he shall die. And you have said: The way of the Lord is not right. Hear ye, therefore, O house of Israel: Is it my way that is not right, and are not rather your ways perverse? For when the just turneth himself away from his justice, and committeth iniquity, he shall die therein: in the injustice that he hath wrought he shall die. And when the wicked turneth himself away from his wickedness, which he hath wrought, and doeth judgment, and justice: he shall save his soul alive. Because he considereth and turneth away himself from all his iniquities which he hath wrought, he shall surely live, and not die.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 130 (129):3; V. 1-2, 3-4, 5-7a, 7bc-8

R. If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it.

V. Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord:

     Lord, hear my voice. Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

V. If thou, O Lord, wilt mark iniquities: Lord, who shall stand it.

    For with thee there is merciful forgiveness: and by reason of thy law, I have waited for        thee, O Lord. 

V. My soul hath relied on his word:  My soul hath hoped in the Lord.

     From the morning watch even until night, let Israel hope in the Lord.

V. Because with the Lord there is mercy: and with him plentiful redemption.

     And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 5:20-26

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. 

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Thursday Of The First Week In Lent

First Reading:  Esther C:12, 14-16, 23-25 (D-R--14:1, 3-5, 13-15)

Queen Esther also, fearing the danger that was at hand, had recourse to the Lord. And she prayed to the Lord the God of Israel, saying: O my Lord, who alone art our king, help me a desolate woman, and who have no other helper but thee. My danger is in my hands. I have heard of my father that thou, O Lord, didst take Israel from among all nations, and our fathers from all their predecessors, to possess them as an everlasting inheritance, and thou hast done to them as thou hast promised. Give me a well ordered speech in my mouth in the presence of the lion, and turn his heart to the hatred of our enemy, that both he himself may perish, and the rest that consent to him. But deliver us by thy hand, and help me, who have no other helper, but thee, O Lord, who hast the knowledge of all things. And thou knowest that I hate the glory of the wicked, and abhor the bed of the uncircumcised, and of every stranger.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 138 (137):3a; V. 1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8

R. In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me:

V. I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart: for thou hast heard the words of my            mouth.

    I will sing praise to thee in the sight of the angels:

    I will worship towards thy holy temple, and I will give glory to thy name.

V. For thy mercy, and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy holy name above all.

     In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me: thou shall multiply strength in my           soul.

V. (A)nd thy right hand hath saved me.

     The Lord will repay for me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever:

     O despise not the work of thy hands.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 7:7-12

Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall find: knock, and it shall be opened to you. For every one that asketh, receiveth: and he that seeketh, findeth: and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened. Or what man is there among you, of whom if his son shall ask bread, will he reach him a stone? Or if he shall ask him a fish, will he reach him a serpent? If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more will your Father who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him? All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Wednesday Of The First Week In Lent

First Reading:  Jonah 3:1-10

And the word of the Lord came to Jonas the second time, saying:  Arise, and go to Ninive the great city: and preach in it the preaching that I bid thee. And Jonas arose, and went to Ninive, according to the word of the Lord: now Ninive was a great city of three days' journey. And Jonas began to enter into the city one day's journey: and he cried, and said: Yet forty days, and Ninive shall be destroyed. And the men of Ninive believed in God: and they proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least. And the word came to the king of Ninive; and he rose up out of his throne, and cast away his robe from him, and was clothed with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published in Ninive from the mouth of the king and of his princes, saying: Let neither men nor beasts, oxen nor sheep, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water. And let men and beasts be covered with sackcloth, and cry to the Lord with all their strength, and let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the iniquity that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn, and forgive: and will turn away from his fierce anger, and we shall not perish? And God saw their works, that they were turned from their evil way: and God had mercy with regard to the evil which he had said that he would do to them, and he did it not.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 51 (50):3-4, 12-13, 18-19

R. (A) contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

V. Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.

     And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

     Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

V. Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

     Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

V. For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it:

     with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

     A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit:

     a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. 

Gospel Reading:  Luke 11:29-32

And the multitudes running together, he began to say: This generation is a wicked generation: it asketh a sign, and a sign shall not be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign to the Ninivites; so shall the Son of man also be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise in the judgment with the men of this generation, and shall condemn them: because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold more than Solomon here. The men of Ninive shall rise in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; because they did penance at the preaching of Jonas; and behold more than Jonas here.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Tuesday Of The First Week Of Lent

First Reading:  Isaiah 55:10-11

And as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return no more thither, but soak the earth, and water it, and make it to spring, and give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:  So shall my word be, which shall go forth from my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall do whatsoever I please, and shall prosper in the things for which I sent it.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 34:18b; V. 4-5, 6-7, 16-17, 18-19

R. (A)nd the Lord heard them: and delivered them out of all their troubles.

V. O magnify the Lord with me; and let us extol his name together.

     I sought the Lord, and he heard me; and he delivered me from all my troubles.

V. Come ye to him and be enlightened: and your faces shall not be confounded.

     This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him: and saved him out of all his troubles.

V. The eyes of the Lord are upon the just: and his ears unto their prayers.

     But the countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil things: to cut off the                     remembrance of them from the earth.

V. The just cried, and the Lord heard them: and delivered them out of all their troubles.

     The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will save the humble of             spirit.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 6:7-15

And when you are praying, speak not much, as the heathens. For they think that in their much speaking they may be heard. Be not you therefore like to them, for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before you ask him. Thus therefore shall you pray: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our supersubstantial bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. Amen. For if you will forgive men their offences, your heavenly Father will forgive you also your offences. But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your offences.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

In Memory Of...

Helen Marie (Sheely) Rolling

Born: March 1, 1939

Died: March 8, 2020

Requiescat In Pace.

**********

Originally posted 3/8/2021.

Re-posted 3/8/2022.

Re-posted 3/8/2023.

Re-posted 3/8/2024.

DR Squared: Monday Of The First Week Of Lent

First Reading:  Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:  Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and thou shalt say to them: Be ye holy, because I the Lord your God am holy. You shall not steal. You shall not lie, neither shall any man deceive his neighbour. Thou shalt not swear falsely by my name, nor profane the name of thy God. I am the Lord. Thou shalt not calumniate thy neighbour, nor oppress him by violence. The wages of him that hath been hired by thee shall not abide with thee until the morning. Thou shalt not speak evil of the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind: but thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, because I am the Lord. Thou shalt not do that which is unjust, nor judge unjustly. Respect not the person of the poor, nor honour the countenance of the mighty. But judge thy neighbour according to justice. Thou shalt not be a detractor nor a whisperer among the people. Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbour. I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart, but reprove him openly, lest thou incur sin through him. Seek not revenge, nor be mindful of the injury of thy citizens. Thou shalt love thy friend as thyself. I am the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: cf. John 6:64b; V. Psalm 19 (18):8, 9, 10, 15

R. The words that I have spoken to you, are spirit and life.

V. The law of the Lord is unspotted, converting souls:

     the testimony of the Lord is faithful, giving wisdom to little ones.

V. The justices of the Lord are right, rejoicing hearts:

     the commandment of the Lord is lightsome, enlightening the eyes.

V. The fear of the Lord is holy, enduring for ever and ever:

     the judgments of the Lord are true, justified in themselves.

V. And the words of my mouth shall be such as may please:

    and the meditation of my heart always in thy sight. O Lord, my helper, and my redeemer.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 25:31-46

And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats:  And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in:  Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee? And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me. Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me. And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: First Sunday Of Lent (Year C)

First Reading:  Deuteronomy 26:4-10

And the priest taking the basket at thy hand, shall set it before the altar of the Lord thy God:  And thou shalt speak thus in the sight of the Lord thy God: The Syrian pursued my father, who went down into Egypt, and sojourned there in a very small number, and grew into a nation great and strong and of an infinite multitude. And the Egyptians afflicted us, and persecuted us, laying on us most grievous burdens: And we cried to the Lord God of our fathers: who heard us, and looked down upon our affliction, and labour, and distress:  And brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand, and a stretched out arm, with great terror, with signs and wonders:  And brought us into this place, and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey.  And therefore now I offer the firstfruits of the land which the Lord hath given me. And thou shalt leave them in the sight of the Lord thy God, adoring the Lord thy God.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 91 (90):15b; V. 1-2, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15

R. I am with him in tribulation,

V. He that dwelleth in the aid of the most High, shall abide under the protection of the God       of Jacob. 

     He shall say to the Lord: Thou art my protector, and my refuge: my God, in him will I         trust.

V. There shall no evil come to thee: nor shall the scourge come near thy dwelling.

     For he hath given his angels charge over thee; to keep thee in all thy ways.

V. In their hands they shall bear thee up: lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 

    Thou shalt walk upon the asp and the basilisk:

    and thou shalt trample under foot the lion and the dragon.

V. Because he hoped in me I will deliver him: I will protect him because he hath known          my name.

    He shall cry to me, and I will hear him: I am with him in tribulation, I will deliver him,        and I will glorify him.

Second Reading:  Romans 10:8-13

But what saith the scripture? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart. This is the word of faith, which we preach. For if thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For, with the heart, we believe unto justice; but, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith: Whosoever believeth in him, shall not be confounded. For there is no distinction of the Jew and the Greek: for the same is Lord over all, rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 4:1-13

And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the desert, For the space of forty days; and was tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing in those days; and when they were ended, he was hungry. And the devil said to him: If thou be the Son of God, say to this stone that it be made bread. And Jesus answered him: It is written, that Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word of God. And the devil led him into a high mountain, and shewed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time; And he said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them. If thou therefore wilt adore before me, all shall be thine. And Jesus answering said to him: It is written: Thou shalt adore the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and he said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself from hence. For it is written, that He hath given his angels charge over thee, that they keep thee. And that in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering, said to him: It is said: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. And all the temptation being ended, the devil departed from him for a time.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Saturday After Ash Wednesday

First Reading:  Isaiah 58:9b-14

If thou wilt take away the chain out of the midst of thee, and cease to stretch out the finger, and to speak that which profiteth not. When thou shalt pour out thy soul to the hungry, and shalt satisfy the afflicted soul then shall thy light rise up in darkness, and thy darkness shall be as the noonday. And the Lord will give thee rest continually, and will fill thy soul with brightness, and deliver thy bones, and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a fountain of water whose waters shall not fail. And the places that have been desolate for ages shall be built in thee: thou shalt raise up the foundations of generation and generation: and thou shalt be called the repairer of the fences, turning the paths into rest. If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy own will in my holy day, and call the sabbath delightful, and the holy of the Lord glorious, and glorify him, while thou dost not thy own ways, and thy own will is not found: to speak a word:  Then shalt thou be delighted in the Lord, and I will lift thee up above the high places of the earth, and will feed thee with the inheritance of Jacob thy father. For the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 86 (85):11ab; V. 1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R. Conduct me, O Lord, in thy way, and I will walk in thy truth:

V. Incline thy ear, O Lord, and hear me: for I am needy and poor.

    Preserve my soul, for I am holy:

    save thy servant, O my God, that trusteth in thee.

V. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I have cried to thee all the day.

    Give joy to the soul of thy servant, for to thee, O Lord, I have lifted up my soul.

V. For thou, O Lord, art sweet and mild: and plenteous in mercy to all that call upon thee.

    Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer: and attend to the voice of my petition.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 5:27-32

And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom, and he said to him: Follow me. And leaving all things, he rose up and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his own house; and there was a great company of publicans, and of others, that were at table with them. But the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying to his disciples: Why do you eat and drink with publicans and sinners? And Jesus answering, said to them: They that are whole, need not the physician: but they that are sick. I came not to call the just, but sinners to penance.

The reading from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Friday After Ash Wednesday

First Reading:  Isaiah 58:1-9a

Cry, cease not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their wicked doings, and the house of Jacob their sins. For they seek me from day to day, and desire to know my ways, as a nation that hath done justice, and hath not forsaken the judgment of their God: they ask of me the judgments of justice: they are willing to approach to God. Why have we fasted, and thou hast not regarded: have we humbled our souls, and thou hast not taken notice? Behold in the day of your fast your own will is found, and you exact of all your debtors. Behold you fast for debates and strife, and strike with the fist wickedly. Do not fast as you have done until this day, to make your cry to be heard on high. Is this such a fast as I have chosen: for a man to afflict his soul for a day? is this it, to wind his head about like a circle, and to spread sackcloth and ashes? wilt thou call this a fast, and a day acceptable to the Lord? Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen? loose the bands of wickedness, undo the bundles that oppress, let them that are broken go free, and break asunder every burden. Deal thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy and the harbourless into thy house: when thou shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not thy own flesh. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thy health shall speedily arise, and thy justice shall go before thy face, and the glory of the Lord shall gather thee up. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear: thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 51 (50):19b; V. 3-4, 5-6ab, 18-19

R. (A) contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

V. Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.

     And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

    Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

V. For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.

    To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee:

V. For if thou hadst desired sacrifice, I would indeed have given it:

    with burnt offerings thou wilt not be delighted.

    A sacrifice to God is an afflicted spirit:

    a contrite and humbled heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.  

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 9:14-15

Then came to him the disciples of John, saying: Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but thy disciples do not fast? And Jesus said to them: Can the children of the bridegroom mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then they shall fast.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Thursday After Ash Wednesday

First Reading:  Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Consider that I have set before thee this day life and good, and on the other hand death and evil:  That thou mayst love the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways, and keep his commandments and ceremonies and judgments, and thou mayst live, and he may multiply thee, and bless thee in the land, which thou shalt go in to possess. But if thy heart be turned away, so that thou wilt not hear, and being deceived with error thou adore strange gods, and serve them:  I foretell thee this day that thou shalt perish, and shalt remain but a short time in the land, to which thou shalt pass over the Jordan, and shalt go in to possess it. I call heaven and earth to witness this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing. Choose therefore life, that both thou and thy seed may live:  And that thou mayst love the Lord thy God, and obey his voice, and adhere to him (for he is thy life, and the length of thy days,) that thou mayst dwell in the land, for which the Lord swore to thy fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that he would give it them.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 40 (39):5a; V. 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6

R. Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord;

V. Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the            way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence.

    But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.

V. And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring              forth its fruit, in due season.

    And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.

V. Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the          earth.

    For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 9:22-25

Saying: The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the ancients and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and the third day rise again. And he said to all: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; for he that shall lose his life for my sake, shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, and cast away himself?

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Ash Wednesday

First Reading:  Joel 2:12-18

Now therefore saith the Lord: Be converted to me with all your heart, in fasting, and in weeping, and in mourning. And rend your hearts, and not your garments, and turn to the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil. Who knoweth but he will return, and forgive, and leave a blessing behind him, sacrifice and libation to the Lord your God? Blow the trumpet in Sion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly, Gather together the people, sanctify the church, assemble the ancients, gather together the little ones, and them that suck at the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth from his bed, and the bride out of her bride chamber. Between the porch and the altar the priests the Lord's ministers shall weep, and shall say: Spare, O Lord, spare thy people: and give not thy inheritance to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them. Why should they say among the nations: Where is their God? The Lord hath been zealous for his land, and hath spared his people.

Responsorial Psalm:  Cf. Psalm 51 (50):3a; V. 3-4, 5-6ab, 12-13, 14 and 17

R. Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.

V. Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy.

     And according to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my iniquity.

    Wash me yet more from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

V. For I know my iniquity, and my sin is always before me.

    To thee only have I sinned, and have done evil before thee:

V. Create a clean heart in me, O God: and renew a right spirit within my bowels.

    Cast me not away from thy face; and take not thy holy spirit from me.

V. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation, and strengthen me with a perfect spirit.

    O Lord, thou wilt open my lips: and my mouth shall declare thy praise. 

Second Reading:  2 Corinthians 5:20—6:2

For Christ therefore we are ambassadors, God as it were exhorting by us. For Christ, we beseech you, be reconciled to God. Him, who knew no sin, he hath made sin for us, that we might be made the justice of God in him. And we helping do exhort you, that you receive not the grace of God in vain. For he saith: In an accepted time have I heard thee; and in the day of salvation have I helped thee. Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

Take heed that you do not your justice before men, to be seen by them: otherwise you shall not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven.  2 Therefore when thou dost an almsdeed, sound not a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honoured by men. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.  3 But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth.  4 That thy alms may be in secret, and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee.  5 And when ye pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, that love to stand and pray in the synagogues and corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou when thou shalt pray, enter into thy chamber, and having shut the door, pray to thy Father in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret will repay thee. And when you fast, be not as the hypocrites, sad. For they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Amen I say to you, they have received their reward. But thou, when thou fastest anoint thy head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not to men to fast, but to thy Father who is in secret: and thy Father who seeth in secret, will repay thee.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

Day One Of Forty

"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

This is one of the two sentences you may hear if you assist at Mass today. It is a familiar ritual to many not only in Catholicism, but also Christianity. The receiving of ashes, the remnant of burnt palm branches from the preceding Palm Sunday, serves as a reminder of our own mortality.

Thus begins Lent, with its focus on repentance and renewal. The Church's annual six-plus week retreat before Easter. The opportunity to examine our relationship with God. The chance to develop more as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

The Church again offers the ways of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving as a means to this end. The challenge, as always, is how intentional, more deliberate we are going to be. What tried and true methods will we use? What more can we incorporate into our spiritual life at this time so as to carry it beyond the Sacred Triduum? How can we become more holy, more perfect?

I offer these questions for your discernment.

Perhaps the best starting point can be found in the other sentence you may hear as you come forward.

"Repent and believe in the Gospel."

Today begins the acceptable time to find more answers to our universal call to holiness.

DR Squared: Tuesday Of The Eighth Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Sirach 35:1-12

He that keepeth the law, multiplieth offerings. It is a wholesome sacrifice to take heed to the commandments, and to depart from all iniquity. And to depart from injustice, is to offer a propitiatory sacrifice for injustices, and a begging of pardon for sins. He shall return thanks, that offereth fine flour: and he that doth mercy, offereth sacrifice. To depart from iniquity is that which pleaseth the Lord, and to depart from injustice, is an entreaty for sins. Thou shalt not appear empty in the sight of the Lord. For all these things are to be done because of the commandment of God. The oblation of the just maketh the altar fat, and is an odour of sweetness in the sight of the most High. The sacrifice of the just is acceptable, and the Lord will not forget the memorial thereof. Give glory to God with a good heart: and diminish not the firstfruits of thy hands. In every gift shew a cheerful countenance, and sanctify thy tithes with joy. Give to the most High according to what he hath given to thee, and with a good eye do according to the ability of thy hands:

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 50 (49):23b; V. 5-6, 7-8, 14, 23

R. (A)nd there is the way by which I will shew him the salvation of God.

V. Gather ye together his saints to him: who set his covenant before sacrifices.

     And the heavens shall declare his justice: for God is judge.

V. Hear, O my people, and I will speak: O Israel, and I will testify to thee: I am God, thy God.

     I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices: and thy burnt offerings are always in my sight.

V. Offer to God the sacrifice of praise: and pay thy vows to the most High.

    The sacrifice of praise shall glorify me: and there is the way by which I will shew him the        salvation of God.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 10:28-31

And Peter began to say unto him: Behold, we have left all things, and have followed thee. Jesus answering, said: Amen I say to you, there is no man who hath left house or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or children, or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, Who shall not receive an hundred times as much, now in this time; houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions: and in the world to come life everlasting. But many that are first, shall be last: and the last, first. 

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Monday Of The Eighth Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Sirach 17:20-24

But to the penitent he hath given the way of justice, and he hath strengthened them that were fainting in patience, and hath appointed to them the lot of truth. Turn to the Lord, and forsake thy sins:  Make thy prayer before the face of the Lord, and offend less. Return to the Lord, and turn away from thy injustice, and greatly hate abomination. And know the justices and judgments of God, and stand firm in the lot set before thee, and in prayer to the most high God.

Responsorial Psalm:  cf. Psalm 32 (31):11a; V. 1-2, 5, 6, 7

R. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye just,

V. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

    Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin, and in whose spirit there is        no guile.

V.  I have acknowledged my sin to thee, and my injustice I have not concealed.

     I said I will confess against myself my injustice to the Lord: and thou hast forgiven the       wickedness of my sin.

V. For this shall every one that is holy pray to thee in a seasonable time.

    And yet in a flood of many waters, they shall not come nigh unto him.

V. Thou art my refuge from the trouble which hath encompassed me:

     my joy, deliver me from them that surround me.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 10:17-27

And when he was gone forth into the way, a certain man running up and kneeling before him, asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may receive life everlasting? And Jesus said to him, Why callest thou me good? None is good but one, that is God. Thou knowest the commandments: Do not commit adultery, do not kill, do not steal, bear not false witness, do no fraud, honour thy father and mother. But he answering, said to him: Master, all these things I have observed from my youth. And Jesus looking on him, loved him, and said to him: One thing is wanting unto thee: go, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. Who being struck sad at that saying, went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions. And Jesus looking round about, saith to his disciples: How hardly shall they that have riches, enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus again answering, saith to them: Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches, to enter into the kingdom of God? It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Who wondered the more, saying among themselves: Who then can be saved? And Jesus looking on them, saith: With men it is impossible; but not with God: for all things are possible with God.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Eighth Sunday In Ordinary Time (Year C)

First Reading:  Sirach 27:4-7 (D-R:  5-8)

As when one sifteth with a sieve, the dust will remain: so will the perplexity of a man in his thoughts. The furnace trieth the potter's vessels, and the trial of affliction just men. As the dressing of a tree sheweth the fruit thereof, so a word out of the thought of the heart of man. Praise not a man before he speaketh, for this is the trial of men.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 92 (91):2a; V. 2-3, 13-14, 15-16

R. It is good to give praise to the Lord:

V. It is good to give praise to the Lord: and to sing to thy name, O most High.

    To shew forth thy mercy in the morning, and thy truth in the night:

V. The just shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow up like the cedar of Libanus.

    They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of the house of          our God.

V. They shall still increase in a fruitful old age: and shall be well treated,

    That they may shew, That the Lord our God is righteous, and there is no iniquity in him.

Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 15:54-58

And when this mortal hath put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? Now the sting of death is sin: and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast and unmoveable; always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 6:39-45

And he spoke also to them a similitude: Can the blind lead the blind? do they not both fall into the ditch The disciple is not above his master: but every one shall be perfect, if he be as his master. And why seest thou the mote in thy brother's eye: but the beam that is in thy own eye thou considerest not? Or how canst thou say to thy brother: Brother, let me pull the mote out of thy eye, when thou thyself seest not the beam in thy own eye? Hypocrite, cast first the beam out of thy own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to take out the mote from thy brother's eye. For there is no good tree that bringeth forth evil fruit; nor an evil tree that bringeth forth good fruit. For every tree is known by its fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns; nor from a bramble bush do they gather the grape. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

March 2025 Morning Offering Prayer Intention

Here is the intention for this month when praying the Morning Offering:

For families in crisis. Let us pray that broken families might discover the cure for their wounds through forgiveness, rediscovering each other’s gifts, even in their differences.

(UPDATE: 3/6/2025) A reflection for this intention can be found here.

DR Squared: Saturday Of The Seventh Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Sirach 17:1-15

God created man of the earth, and made him after his own image. And he turned him into it again, and clothed him with strength according to himself. He gave him the number of his days and time, and gave him power over all things that are upon the earth. He put the fear of him upon all flesh, and he had dominion over beasts and fowls. He created of him a helpmate like to himself: he gave them counsel, and a tongue, and eyes, and ears, and a heart to devise: and he filled them with the knowledge of understanding. He created in them the science of the spirit, he filled their heart with wisdom, and shewed them both good and evil. He set his eye upon their hearts to shew them the greatness of his works:  That they might praise the name which he hath sanctified: and glory in his wondrous acts, that they might declare the glorious things of his works. Moreover he gave them instructions, and the law of life for an inheritance. He made an everlasting covenant with them, and he shewed them his justice and judgments. And their eye saw the majesty of his glory. and their ears heard his glorious voice, and he said to them: Beware of all iniquity. And he gave to every one of them commandment concerning his neighbour. Their ways are always before him, they are not hidden from his eyes. Over every nation he set a ruler. And Israel was made the manifest portion of God.

Responsorial Psalm:  cf. Psalm 103 (102):17a; V. 13-14, 15-16, 17-18

R. But the mercy of the Lord is from eternity and unto eternity upon them that fear him:

V. As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that        fear him:

    For he knoweth our frame. He remembereth that we are dust:

V. Man's days are as grass, as the flower of the field so shall he flourish.

     For the spirit shall pass in him, and he shall not be: and he shall know his place no               more.

V. But the mercy of the Lord is from eternity and unto eternity upon them that fear him:           And his justice unto children's children,

    To such as keep his covenant, And are mindful of his commandments to do them. 

Gospel Reading:  Mark 10:13-16

And they brought to him young children, that he might touch them. And the disciples rebuked them that brought them. Whom when Jesus saw, he was much displeased, and saith to them: Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God. Amen I say to you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, shall not enter into it. And embracing them, and laying his hands upon them, he blessed them.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Friday Of The Seventh Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Sirach 6:5-17

A sweet word multiplieth friends, and appeaseth enemies, and a gracious tongue in a good man aboundeth. Be in peace with many, but let one of a thousand be thy counsellor. If thou wouldst get a friend, try him before thou takest him, and do not credit him easily. For there is a friend for his own occasion, and he will not abide in the day of thy trouble. And there is a friend that turneth to enmity; and there is a friend that will disclose hatred and strife and reproaches. And there is a friend a companion at the table, and he will not abide in the day of distress. A friend if he continue steadfast, shall be to thee as thyself, and shall act with confidence among them of thy household. If he humble himself before thee, and hide himself from thy face, thou shalt have unanimous friendship for good. Separate thyself from thy enemies, and take heed of thy friends. A faithful friend is a strong defence: and he that hath found him, hath found a treasure. Nothing can be compared to a faithful friend, and no weight of gold and silver is able to countervail the goodness of his fidelity. A faithful friend is the medicine of life and immortality: and they that fear the Lord, shall find him. He that feareth God, shall likewise have good friendship: because according to him shall his friend be.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 119 (118):35a; V. 12, 16, 18, 27, 34, 35

R. Lead me into the path of thy commandments;

V. Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy justifications.

V. I will think of thy justifications: I will not forget thy words.

V. Open thou my eyes: and I will consider the wondrous things of thy law.

V. Make me to understand the way of thy justifications: and I shall be exercised in thy              wondrous works.

V. Give me understanding, and I will search thy law; and I will keep it with my whole               heart.

V. Lead me into the path of thy commandments; for this same I have desired.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 10:1-12

And rising up from thence, he cometh into the coasts of Judea beyond the Jordan: and the multitudes flock to him again. And as he was accustomed, he taught them again. And the Pharisees coming to him asked him: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. But he answering, saith to them: What did Moses command you? Who said: Moses permitted to write a bill of divorce, and to put her away. To whom Jesus answering, said: Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you that precept. But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother; and shall cleave to his wife. And they two shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. And in the house again his disciples asked him concerning the same thing. And he saith to them: Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if the wife shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Optional Memorial Of Saint Gregory Of Narek, Abbot And Doctor Of The Church

First Reading:  Wisdom 7:7-10, 15-16

Wherefore I wished, and understanding was given me: and I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came upon me:  And I preferred her before kingdoms and thrones, and esteemed riches nothing in comparison of her. Neither did I compare unto her any precious stone: for all gold in comparison of her, is as a little sand, and silver in respect to her shall be counted as clay. I loved her above health and beauty, and chose to have her instead of light: for her light cannot be put out. And God hath given to me to speak as I would, and to conceive thoughts worthy of those things that are given me: because he is the guide of wisdom, and the director of the wise:  For in his hand are both we, and our words, and all wisdom, and the knowledge and skill of works.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 37:30a; V. 3-4, 5-6, 30-31

R. The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom:

V. Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed with its riches.

     Delight in the Lord, and he will give thee the requests of thy heart.

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. 

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 7:21-29

Not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doth the will of my Father who is in heaven, he shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Many will say to me in that day: Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name, and cast out devils in thy name, and done many miracles in thy name? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity. Every one therefore that heareth these my words, and doth them, shall be likened to a wise man that built his house upon a rock, And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell not, for it was founded on a rock. And every one that heareth these my words, and doth them not, shall be like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand, And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and they beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof. And it came to pass when Jesus had fully ended these words, the people were in admiration at his doctrine. For he was teaching them as one having power, and not as the scribes and Pharisees.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Thursday Of The Seventh Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Sirach 5:1-8

Set not thy heart upon unjust possessions, and say not: I have enough to live on: for it shall be of no service in the time of vengeance and darkness. Follow not in thy strength the desires of thy heart:  And say not: How mighty am I? and who shall bring me under for my deeds? for God will surely take revenge. Say not: I have sinned, and what harm hath befallen me? for the most High is a patient rewarder. Be not without fear about sin forgiven, and add not sin upon sin:  And say not: The mercy of the Lord is great, he will have mercy on the multitude of my sins. For mercy and wrath quickly come from him, and his wrath looketh upon sinners. Delay not to be converted to the Lord, and defer it not from day to day. 

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 40 (39):5a; V. 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6

R. Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord;

V. Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly,

     nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence.

     But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.

V. And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring          forth its fruit, in due season.

     And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.

V. Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the       earth.

     For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 9:41-50 (D-R:40-49)

For whosoever shall give you to drink a cup of water in my name, because you belong to Christ: amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward. And whosoever shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me; it were better for him that a millstone were hanged around his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand scandalize thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life, maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into unquenchable fire:  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished. And if thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off. It is better for thee to enter lame into life everlasting, than having two feet, to be cast into the hell of unquenchable fire:  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished. And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out. It is better for thee with one eye to enter into the kingdom of God, than having two eyes to be cast into the hell of fire:  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not extinguished.  For every one shall be salted with fire: and every victim shall be salted with salt. Salt is good. But if the salt became unsavoury; wherewith will you season it? Have salt in you, and have peace among you.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here. 

DR Squared: Wednesday Of The Seventh Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Sirach 4:11-19

And thou shalt be as the obedient son of the most High, and he will have mercy on thee more than a mother. Wisdom inspireth life into her children, and protecteth them that seek after her, and will go before them in the way of justice. And he that loveth her, loveth life: and they that watch for her, shall embrace her sweetness. They that hold her fast, shall inherit life: and whithersoever she entereth, God will give a blessing. They that serve her, shall be servants to the holy one: and God loveth them that love her. He that hearkeneth to her, shall judge nations: and he that looketh upon her, shall remain secure. If he trust to her, he shall inherit her, and his generation shall be in assurance. For she walketh with him in temptation, and at the first she chooseth him. She will bring upon him fear and dread and trial: and she will scourge him with the affliction of her discipline, till she try him by her laws, and trust his soul.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 119 (118):165a; V. 165, 168, 171, 172, 174, 175

R. Much peace have they that love thy law,

V. Much peace have they that love thy law, and to them there is no stumbling block.

V. I have kept thy commandments and thy testimonies: because all my ways are in thy sight.

V. My lips shall utter a hymn, when thou shalt teach me thy justifications.

V. My tongue shall pronounce thy word: because all thy commandments are justice.

V. I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord; and thy law is my meditation.

V. My soul shall live and shall praise thee: and thy judgments shall help me.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 9:38-40 (DR:  37-39)

John answered him, saying: Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, who followeth not us, and we forbade him. But Jesus said: Do not forbid him. For there is no man that doth a miracle in my name, and can soon speak ill of me. For he that is not against you, is for you. 

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Tuesday Of The Seventh Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Sirach 2:1-11

Son, when thou comest to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation. Humble thy heart, and endure: incline thy ear, and receive the words of understanding: and make not haste in the time of clouds. Wait on God with patience: join thyself to God, and endure, that thy life may be increased in the latter end. Take all that shall be brought upon thee: and in thy sorrow endure, and in thy humiliation keep patience. For gold and silver are tried in the fire, but acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation. Believe God, and he will recover thee: and direct thy way, and trust in him. Keep his fear, and grow old therein. Ye that fear the Lord, wait for his mercy: and go not aside from him, lest ye fall. Ye that fear the Lord, believe him: and your reward shall not be made void. Ye that fear the Lord, hope in him: and mercy shall come to you for your delight. Ye that fear the Lord, love him, and your hearts shall be enlightened. My children behold the generations of men: and know ye that no one hath hoped in the Lord, and hath been confounded.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 37 (36):5; V. 3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40

R. Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust in him, and he will do it.

V. Trust in the Lord, and do good, and dwell in the land, and thou shalt be fed with its               riches.

     Delight in the Lord, and he will give thee the requests of thy heart.

V. The Lord knoweth the days of undefiled; and their inheritance shall be for ever.

     They shall not be confounded in the evil time; and in the days of famine they shall be           filled:

V. Decline from evil and do good, and dwell for ever and ever.

     For the Lord loveth judgment, and will not forsake his saints: they shall be preserved           for ever.

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 9:30-37 (DR:  29-26)

And departing from thence, they passed through Galilee, and he would not that any man should know it. And he taught his disciples, and said to them: The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise again the third day. But they understood not the word, and they were afraid to ask him. And they came to Capharnaum. And when they were in the house, he asked them: What did you treat of in the way? But they held their peace, for in the way they had disputed among themselves, which of them should be the greatest. And sitting down, he called the twelve, and saith to them: If any man desire to be first, he shall be the last of all, and the minister of all. And taking a child, he set him in the midst of them. Whom when he had embraced, he saith to them:  Whosoever shall receive one such child as this in my name, receiveth me. And whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Monday Of The Seventh Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Sirach 1:1-10

All wisdom is from the Lord God, and hath been always with him, and is before all time. Who hath numbered the sand of the sea, and the drops of rain, and the days of the world? Who hath measured the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, and the depth of the abyss? Who hath searched out the wisdom of God that goeth before all things? Wisdom hath been created before all things, and the understanding of prudence from everlasting. The word of God on high is the fountain of wisdom, and her ways are everlasting commandments. To whom hath the root of wisdom been revealed, and who hath known her wise counsels? To whom hath the discipline of wisdom been revealed and made manifest? and who hath understood the multiplicity of her steps? There is one most high Creator Almighty, and a powerful king, and greatly to be feared, who sitteth upon his throne, and is the God of dominion. He created her in the Holy Ghost, and saw her, and numbered her, and measured her. And he poured her out upon all his works, and upon all flesh according to his gift, and hath given her to them that love him. 

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 93 (92):1a; V. 1ab, 1cd-2, 5

R. The Lord hath reigned, he is clothed with beauty:

V. The Lord hath reigned, he is clothed with beauty:

     the Lord is clothed with strength, and hath girded himself.

V. For he hath established the world which shall not be moved.

    Thy throne is prepared from of old: thou art from everlasting.

V. Thy testimonies are become exceedingly credible:

     holiness becometh thy house, O Lord, unto length of days.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 9:14-29

And presently all the people seeing Jesus, were astonished and struck with fear; and running to him, they saluted him. And he asked them: What do you question about among you? And one of the multitude, answering, said: Master, I have brought my son to thee, having a dumb spirit. Who, wheresoever he taketh him, dasheth him, and he foameth, and gnasheth with the teeth, and pineth away; and I spoke to thy disciples to cast him out, and they could not. Who answering them, said: O incredulous generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me. And they brought him. And when he had seen him, immediately the spirit troubled him; and being thrown down upon the ground, he rolled about foaming. And he asked his father: How long time is it since this hath happened unto him? But he said: From his infancy:  And oftentimes hath he cast him into the fire and into waters to destroy him. But if thou canst do any thing, help us, having compassion on us. And Jesus saith to him: If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. And immediately the father of the boy crying out, with tears said: I do believe, Lord: help my unbelief. And when Jesus saw the multitude running together, he threatened the unclean spirit, saying to him: Deaf and dumb spirit, I command thee, go out of him; and enter not any more into him. And crying out, and greatly tearing him, he went out of him, and he became as dead, so that many said: He is dead. But Jesus taking him by the hand, lifted him up; and he arose. And when he was come into the house, his disciples secretly asked him: Why could not we cast him out?  And he said to them: This kind can go out by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. And departing from thence, they passed through Galilee, and he would not that any man should know it. 

The reading from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Seventh Sunday In Ordinary Time (Year C)

First Reading:  1 Samuel 26:2, 7-9, 12-13, 22-23

And Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having with him three thousand chosen men of Israel, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph. So David and Abisai came to the people by night, and found Saul lying and sleeping in the tent, and his spear fixed in the ground at his head: and Abner and the people sleeping round about him. And Abisai said to David: God hath shut up thy enemy this day into thy hands: now then I will run him through with my spear even to the earth at once, and there shall be no need of a second time. And David said to Abisai: Kill him not: for who shall put forth his hand against the Lord's anointed, and shall be guiltless? So David took the spear, and the cup of water which was at Saul's head, and they went away: and no man saw it, or knew it, or awaked, but they were all asleep, for a deep sleep from the Lord was fallen upon them. And when David was gone over to the other side. and stood on the top of the hill afar off, and a good space was between them, And David answering, said: Behold the king's spear: let one of the king's servants come over and fetch it. And the Lord will reward every one according to his justice, and his faithfulness: for the Lord hath delivered thee this day into my hand, and I would not put forth my hand against the Lord's anointed.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 103 (102):8a; V. 1-2, 3-4, 8, 10, 12-13

R. The Lord is compassionate and merciful:

V. Bless the Lord, O my soul: and let all that is within me bless his holy name.

    Bless the Lord, O my soul, and never forget all he hath done for thee.

V. Who forgiveth all thy iniquities: who healeth all thy diseases.

    Who redeemeth thy life from destruction: who crowneth thee with mercy and                      compassion.

V. The Lord is compassionate and merciful: longsuffering and plenteous in mercy.

    He hath not dealt with us according to our sins: nor rewarded us according to our                  iniquities.

V. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our iniquities from us.

    As a father hath compassion on his children, so hath the Lord compassion on them that        fear him:

Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 15:45-49

The first man Adam was made into a living soul; the last Adam into a quickening spirit. Yet that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; afterwards that which is spiritual. The first man was of the earth, earthly: the second man, from heaven, heavenly. Such as is the earthly, such also are the earthly: and such as is the heavenly, such also are they that are heavenly. Therefore as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of the heavenly.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 6:27-38

But I say to you that hear: Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that calumniate you. And to him that striketh thee on the one cheek, offer also the other. And him that taketh away from thee thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every one that asketh thee, and of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again. And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them in like manner. And if you love them that love you, what thanks are to you? for sinners also love those that love them. And if you do good to them who do good to you, what thanks are to you? for sinners also do this. And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thanks are to you? for sinners also lend to sinners, for to receive as much. But love ye your enemies: do good, and lend, hoping for nothing thereby: and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of the Highest; for he is kind to the unthankful, and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down and shaken together and running over shall they give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you shall mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Feast Of The Chair Of Saint Peter, Apostle

First Reading:  1 Peter 5:1-4

The ancients therefore that are among you, I beseech, who am myself also an ancient, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ: as also a partaker of that glory which is to be revealed in time to come:  Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking care of it, not by constraint, but willingly, according to God: not for filthy lucre's sake, but voluntarily:  Neither as lording it over the clergy, but being made a pattern of the flock from the heart. And when the prince of pastors shall appear, you shall receive a never fading crown of glory.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 23 (22):1; V. 1-3a, 4, 5, 6

R. The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing.

V. The Lord ruleth me: and I shall want nothing.

     He hath set me in a place of pasture.

     He hath brought me up, on the water of refreshment:

     He hath converted my soul.

V. For though I should walk in the midst of the shadow of death, I will fear no evils,

    for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they have comforted me.

V. Thou hast prepared a table before me against them that afflict me.

    Thou hast anointed my head with oil; and my chalice which inebriateth me, how goodly      is it!

V. And thy mercy will follow me all the days of my life.

    And that I may dwell in the house of the Lord unto length of days.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 16:13-19

And Jesus came into the quarters of Caesarea Philippi: and he asked his disciples, saying: Whom do men say that the Son of man is? But they said: Some John the Baptist, and other some Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven. And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatsoever thou shalt bind upon earth, it shall be bound also in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth, it shall be loosed also in heaven.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Optional Memorial Of Saint Peter Damian, Bishop And Doctor Of The Church

First Reading:  2 Timothy 4:1-5

I charge thee, before God and Jesus Christ, who shall judge the living and the dead, by his coming, and his kingdom:  Preach the word: be instant in season, out of season: reprove, entreat, rebuke in all patience and doctrine. For there shall be a time, when they will not endure sound doctrine; but, according to their own desires, they will heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears:  And will indeed turn away their hearing from the truth, but will be turned unto fables. But be thou vigilant, labour in all things, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill thy ministry. Be sober.

Responsorial Psalm:  cf. Psalm 16 (15):5a; V. 1-2, 5, 7-8, 11

R. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup:

V. Preserve me, O Lord, for I have put my trust in thee.

    I have said to the Lord, thou art my God, for thou hast no need of my goods.

    The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup: it is thou that wilt restore my            inheritance to me.

V. I will bless the Lord, who hath given me understanding: moreover my reins also have              corrected me even till night.

    I set the Lord always in my sight: for he is at my right hand, that I be not moved.

V. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life, thou shalt fill me with joy with thy                     countenance:

     at thy right hand are delights even to the end.

Gospel Reading:  John 15:1-8

I am the true vine; and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me, that beareth not fruit, he will take away: and every one that beareth fruit, he will purge it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean by reason of the word, which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine: you the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask whatever you will, and it shall be done unto you. In this is my Father glorified; that you bring forth very much fruit, and become my disciples. 

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Friday Of The Sixth Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Genesis 11:1-9

And the earth was of one tongue, and of the same speech. And when they removed from the east, they found a plain in the land of Sennaar, and dwelt in it. And each one said to his neighbour: Come, let us make brick, and bake them with fire. And they had brick instead of stones, and slime instead of mortar. And they said: Come, let us make a city and a tower, the top whereof may reach to heaven: and let us make our name famous before we be scattered abroad into all lands. And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of Adam were building. And he said: Behold, it is one people, and all have one tongue: and they have begun to do this, neither will they leave off from their designs, till they accomplish them in deed. Come ye, therefore, let us go down, and there confound their tongue, that they may not understand one another's speech. And so the Lord scattered them from that place into all lands, and they ceased to build the city. And therefore the name thereof was called Babel, because there the language of the whole earth was confounded: and from thence the Lord scattered them abroad upon the face of all countries.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 33 (32):12; V. 10-11, 12-13, 14-15

R. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom he hath chosen for his           inheritance.

V. The Lord bringeth to naught the counsels of nations; and he rejecteth the devices of             people, and casteth away the counsels of princes.

     But the counsel of the Lord standeth for ever: the thoughts of his heart to all                         generations.

V. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: the people whom he hath chosen for his          inheritance.

    The Lord hath looked from heaven: he hath beheld all the sons of men.

V. From his habitation which he hath prepared, he hath looked upon all that dwell on the          earth.

    He who hath made the hearts of every one of them: who understandeth all their works.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 8:34-39

And calling the multitude together with his disciples, he said to them: If any man will follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it: and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel, shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, and suffer the loss of his soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?  For he that shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation: the Son of man also will be ashamed of him, when he shall come in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. And he said to them: Amen I say to you, that there are some of them that stand here, who shall not taste death, till they see the kingdom of God coming in power.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Thursday Of The Sixth Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Genesis 9:1-13

And God blessed Noe and his sons. And he said to them: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth. And let the fear and dread of you be upon all the beasts of the earth, and upon all the fowls of the air, and all that move upon the earth: all the fishes of the sea are delivered into your hand. And every thing that moveth and liveth shall be meat for you: even as the green herbs have I delivered them all to you: Saving that flesh with blood you shall not eat. For I will require the blood of your lives at the hand of every beast, and at the hand of man, at the hand of every man, and of his brother, will I require the life of man. Whosoever shall shed man's blood, his blood shall be shed: for man was made to the image of God. But increase you and multiply, and go upon the earth, and fill it. Thus also said God to Noe, and to his sons with him, Behold I will establish my covenant with you, and with your seed after you:  And with every living soul that is with you, as well in all birds as in cattle and beasts of the earth, that are come forth out of the ark, and in all the beasts of the earth. I will establish my covenant with you, and all flesh shall be no more destroyed with the waters of a flood, neither shall there be from henceforth a flood to waste the earth. And God said: This is the sign of the covenant which I give between me and you, and to every living soul that is with you, for perpetual generations. I will set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be the sign of a covenant between me, and between the earth.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 102 (101):20b; V. 16-18, 19-21, 29 and 22-23

R. (F)rom heaven the Lord hath looked upon the earth.

V. And the Gentiles shall fear thy name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.

    For the Lord hath built up Sion: and he shall be seen in his glory.

    He hath had regard to the prayer of the humble: and he hath not despised their petition.

V. Let these things be written unto another generation: and the people that shall be created       shall praise the Lord:

     Because he hath looked forth from his high sanctuary: from heaven the Lord hath                 looked upon the earth.

     That he might hear the groans of them that are in fetters: that he might release the                 children of the slain:

V. The children of thy servants shall continue: and their seed shall be directed for ever.

    That they may declare the name of the Lord in Sion: and his praise in Jerusalem;

    When the people assemble together, and kings, to serve the Lord.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 8:27-33

And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi. And in the way, he asked his disciples, saying to them: Whom do men say that I am? Who answered him, saying: John the Baptist; but some Elias, and others as one of the prophets. Then he saith to them: But whom do you say that I am? Peter answering said to him: Thou art the Christ. And he strictly charged them that they should not tell any man of him. And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the ancients and by the high priests, and the scribes, and be killed: and after three days rise again. And he spoke the word openly. And Peter taking him, began to rebuke him. Who turning about and seeing his disciples, threatened Peter, saying: Go behind me, Satan, because thou savorest not the things that are of God, but that are of men.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Wednesday Of The Sixth Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Genesis 8:6-13, 20-22

And after that forty days were passed, Noe, opening the window of the ark which he had made, sent forth a raven:  Which went forth and did not return, till the waters were dried up upon the earth. He sent forth also a dove after him, to see if the waters had now ceased upon the face of the earth. But she, not finding where her foot might rest, returned to him into the ark: for the waters were upon the whole earth: and he put forth his hand, and caught her, and brought her into the ark. And having waited yet seven other days, he again sent forth the dove out of the ark. And she came to him in the evening, carrying a bough of an olive tree, with green leaves, in her mouth. Noe therefore understood that the waters were ceased upon the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days: and he sent forth the dove, which returned not any more unto him. Therefore in the six hundredth and first year, the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were lessened upon the earth, and Noe opening the covering of the ark, looked, and saw that the face of the earth was dried. And Noe built an altar unto the Lord: and taking of all cattle and fowls that were clean, offered holocausts upon the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour, and said: I will no more curse the earth for the sake of man: for the imagination and thought of man's heart are prone to evil from his youth: therefore I will no more destroy every living soul as I have done. All the days of the earth, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, night and day, shall not cease.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 116 (115):17a; V. 12-13, 14-15, 18-19

R. I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise,

V. What shall I render to the Lord, for all the things he hath rendered unto me?

     I will take the chalice of salvation; and I will call upon the name of the Lord.

V. I will pay my vows to the Lord before all his people:

    Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

V. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the sight of all his people:

     In the courts of the house of the Lord, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 8:22-26

And they came to Bethsaida; and they bring to him a blind man, and they besought him that he would touch him. And taking the blind man by the hand, he led him out of the town; and spitting upon his eyes, laying his hands on him, he asked him if he saw any thing. And looking up, he said: I see men as it were trees, walking. After that again he laid his hands upon his eyes, and he began to see, and was restored, so that he saw all things clearly. And he sent him into his house, saying: Go into thy house, and if thou enter into the town, tell nobody.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Tuesday Of The Sixth Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10

And God seeing that the wickedness of men was great on the earth, and that all the thought of their heart was bent upon evil at all times, It repented him that he had made man on the earth. And being touched inwardly with sorrow of heart, He said: I will destroy man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth, from man even to beasts, from the creeping thing even to the fowls of the air, for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noe found grace before the Lord. And the Lord said to him: Go in thou and all thy house into the ark: for thee I have seen just before me in this generation. Of all clean beasts take seven and seven, the male and the female. But of the beasts that are unclean two and two, the male and the female. Of the fowls also of the air seven and seven, the male and the female: that seed may be saved upon the face of the whole earth. For yet a while, and after seven days, I will rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and I will destroy every substance that I have made, from the face of the earth. And Noe did all things which the Lord had commanded him. And after the seven days were passed, the waters of the flood overflowed the earth. 

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 29 (28):11b; V. 1a, 2, 3ac-4, 3b & 9c-10

R. (T)he Lord will bless his people with peace.

V. Bring to the Lord, O ye children of God: bring to the Lord the offspring of rams.

     Bring to the Lord glory and honour: bring to the Lord glory to his name:

     adore ye the Lord in his holy court.

V. The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; The Lord is upon many waters.

     The voice of the Lord is in power; the voice of the Lord in magnificence.

V. (T)he God of majesty hath thundered, and in his temple all shall speak his glory.

     The Lord maketh the flood to dwell: and the Lord shall sit king for ever.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 8:14-21

And they forgot to take bread; and they had but one loaf with them in the ship. And he charged them, saying: Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying: Because we have no bread. Which Jesus knowing, saith to them: Why do you reason, because you have no bread? do you not yet know nor understand? have you still your heart blinded? Having eyes, see you not? and having ears, hear you not? neither do you remember. When I broke the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took you up? They say to him, Twelve. When also the seven loaves among four thousand, how many baskets of fragments took you up? And they say to him, Seven. And he said to them: How do you not yet understand?

The reading from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Monday Of The Sixth Week In Ordinary Time (Year I)

First Reading:  Genesis 4:1-15, 25

And Adam knew Eve his wife: who conceived and brought forth Cain, saying: I have gotten a man through God. And again she brought forth his brother Abel. And Abel was a shepherd, and Cain a husbandman. And it came to pass after many days, that Cain offered, of the fruits of the earth, gifts to the Lord.  Abel also offered of the firstlings of his flock, and of their fat: and the Lord had respect to Abel, and to his offerings. But to Cain and his offerings he had no respect: and Cain was exceedingly angry, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said to him: Why art thou angry? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou do well, shalt thou not receive? but if ill, shall not sin forthwith be present at the door? but the lust thereof shall be under thee, and thou shalt have dominion over it. And Cain said to Abel his brother: Let us go forth abroad. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and slew him. And the Lord said to Cain: Where is thy brother Abel? And he answered, I know not: am I my brother's keeper? And he said to him: What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth to me from the earth. Now, therefore, cursed shalt thou be upon the earth, which hath opened her mouth and received the blood of thy brother at thy hand. When thou shalt till it, it shall not yield to thee its fruit: a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be upon the earth. And Cain said to the Lord: My iniquity is greater than that I may deserve pardon. Behold thou dost cast me out this day from the face of the earth, and I shall be hidden from thy face, and I shall be a vagabond and a fugitive on the earth: every one, therefore, that findeth me, shall kill me. And the Lord said to him: No, it shall not be so: but whosoever shall kill Cain, shall be punished sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, that whosoever found him should not kill him. Adam also knew his wife again: and she brought forth a son, and called his name Seth, saying: God hath given me another seed, for Abel whom Cain slew.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 50 (49):14a; V. 1,8, 16bc-17, 20-21

R. Offer to God the sacrifice of praise:

V. The God of gods, the Lord hath spoken: and he hath called the earth. From the rising of       the sun, to the going down thereof:

     I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices: and thy burnt offerings are always in my sight.

V. Why dost thou declare my justices, and take my covenant in thy mouth? 

     Seeing thou hast hated discipline: and hast cast my words behind thee.

V. Sitting thou didst speak against thy brother, and didst lay a scandal against thy mother's       son:

     These things hast thou done, and I was silent.

     Thou thoughtest unjustly that I should be like to thee: but I will reprove thee, and set           before thy face. 

Gospel Reading:  Mark 8:11-13

And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, asking him a sign from heaven, tempting him. And sighing deeply in spirit, he saith: Why doth this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, a sign shall not be given to this generation. And leaving them, he went up again into the ship, and passed to the other side of the water. 

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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

Frist Reading:  Jeremiah 17:5-8

Thus saith the Lord: Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like tamaric in the desert, and he shall not see when good shall come: but he shall dwell in dryness in the desert in a salt land, and not inhabited. Blessed be the man that trusteth in the Lord, and the Lord shall be his confidence. And he shall be as a tree that is planted by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots towards moisture: and it shall not fear when the heat cometh. And the leaf thereof shall be green, and in the time of drought it shall not be solicitous, neither shall it cease at any time to bring forth fruit. 

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 40 (39):5a; V. Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4 & 6

R. Blessed is the man whose trust is in the name of the Lord;

V. Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the         way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence.

     But his will is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he shall meditate day and night.

V. And he shall be like a tree which is planted near the running waters, which shall bring          forth its fruit, in due season.

     And his leaf shall not fall off: and all whatsoever he shall do shall prosper.

V. Not so the wicked, not so: but like the dust, which the wind driveth from the face of the      earth.

    For the Lord knoweth the way of the just: and the way of the wicked shall perish.

Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 15:12, 16-20

Now if Christ be preached, that he arose again from the dead, how do some among you say, that there is no resurrection of the dead? For if the dead rise not again, neither is Christ risen again. And if Christ be not risen again, your faith is vain, for you are yet in your sins. Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ, are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, the firstfruits of them that sleep: 

Gospel Reading:  Luke 6:17, 20-26

And coming down with them, he stood in a plain place, and the company of his disciples, and a very great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast both of Tyre and Sidon, And he, lifting up his eyes on his disciples, said: Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for you shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for you shall laugh. Blessed shall you be when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Be glad in that day and rejoice; for behold, your reward is great in heaven. For according to these things did their fathers to the prophets. But woe to you that are rich: for you have your consolation. Woe to you that are filled: for you shall hunger. Woe to you that now laugh: for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when men shall bless you: for according to these things did their fathers to the false prophets.

The reading from the USCCB can be found here.