Daily Reflections

Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity; Blessed Anne García

FIRST READING

Exodus 34:4b—6, 8—9

Early in the morning Moses went up Mount Sinai as the LORD had commanded him, taking along the two stone tablets. 

Having come down in a cloud, the LORD stood with Moses there and proclaimed his name, "LORD." Thus the LORD passed before him and cried out, "The LORD, the LORD, a merciful and gracious God, slow to anger and rich in kindness and fidelity." Moses at once bowed down to the ground in worship. Then he said, "If I find favor with you, O LORD, do come along in our company. This is indeed a stiff–necked people; yet pardon our wickedness and sins, and receive us as your own."

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, (52b)

R. Glory and praise for ever! 

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever; and blessed is your holy and glorious name, praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages. 

R. Glory and praise for ever! 

Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory, praiseworthy and glorious above all forever. 

R. Glory and praise for ever! 

Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. 

R. Glory and praise for ever! 

Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim, praiseworthy and exalted above all forever. 

R. Glory and praise for ever!

SECOND READING

2 Corinthians 13:11—13

Brothers and sisters, rejoice. Mend your ways, encourage one another, agree with one another, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the holy ones greet you. 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

ALLELUIA

see Revelation 1:8

R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; to God who is, who was, and who is to come. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL

John 3:16—18

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

The gospel of the Lord.

 Week 9; St. Norbert

FIRST READING

2nd Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy 4:1–8

Beloved:

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power: proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. But you, be self–possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry. 

For I am already being poured out like a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearance.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 71:8–9, 14–15ab, 16–17, 22

R. (see 15ab) I will sing of your salvation. 

My mouth shall be filled with your praise, with your glory day by day. Cast me not off in my old age; as my strength fails, forsake me not. 

R. I will sing of your salvation. 

But I will always hope and praise you ever more and more. My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation. 

R. I will sing of your salvation. 

I will treat of the mighty works of the Lord; O GOD, I will tell of your singular justice. O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds. 

R. I will sing of your salvation. 

So will I give you thanks with music on the lyre, for your faithfulness, O my God! I will sing your praises with the harp, O Holy One of Israel! 

R. I will sing of your salvation.

ALLELUIA

Matthew 5:3

R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL

Mark 12:38–44

In the course of his teaching Jesus said, "Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces, seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext, recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a very severe condemnation." 

He sat down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, "Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood."

The gospel of the Lord.

Week 9; St. Francis Caracciolo

FIRST READING

2nd Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy 2:8–15

Beloved:

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David: such is my Gospel, for which I am suffering, even to the point of chains, like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, together with eternal glory. This saying is trustworthy: 

If we have died with him we shall also live with him; if we persevere we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him he will deny us. If we are unfaithful he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself. 

Remind people of these things and charge them before God to stop disputing about words. This serves no useful purpose since it harms those who listen. Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God, a workman who causes no disgrace, imparting the word of truth without deviation.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 25:4–5ab, 8–9, 10 and 14

R. (4) Teach me your ways, O Lord. 

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths, Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. 

R. Teach me your ways, O Lord. 

Good and upright is the LORD; thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice, he teaches the humble his way. 

R. Teach me your ways, O Lord. 

All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees. The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him, and his covenant, for their instruction. 

R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.

ALLELUIA

See 2 Timothy 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL

Mark 12:28–34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, "Which is the first of all the commandments?" Jesus replied, "The first is this:

Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.

The second is this:

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

There is no other commandment greater than these." The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying,

He is One and there is no other than he. And to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

The gospel of the Lord.

 Week 9; St. Charles Lwanga and Companions

FIRST READING

2nd Letter of Saint Paul to Timothy 1:1–3, 6–12

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God for the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my dear child: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 

I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day. 

For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self–control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God. 

He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel, for which I was appointed preacher and Apostle and teacher. On this account I am suffering these things; but I am not ashamed, for I know him in whom I have believed and am confident that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Psalm 123:1b–2ab, 2cdef

R. (1b) To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes. 

To you I lift up my eyes who are enthroned in heaven. Behold, as the eyes of servants are on the hands of their masters. 

R. To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes. 

As the eyes of a maid are on the hands of her mistress, So are our eyes on the LORD, our God, till he have pity on us. 

R. To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.

ALLELUIA

John 11:25a, 26

R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord; whoever believes in me will never die. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GOSPEL

Mark 12:18–27

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us, 'If someone's brother dies, leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother.' Now there were seven brothers. The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants. So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants, and the third likewise. And the seven left no descendants. Last of all the woman also died. At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be? For all seven had been married to her." Jesus said to them, "Are you not misled because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but they are like the angels in heaven. As for the dead being raised, have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God told him,

I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not God of the dead but of the living. You are greatly misled."

The gospel of the Lord.