Immaculate Heart of Mary (Cycle C, Year I)

June 8, 2013

MEMORIAL OF THE IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY

First Reading: Tb 12:1, 5-15, 20

A Reading from the Book of Tobit.

Tobit called his son Tobiah and said to him,

“Son, see to it that you give what is due to the man who made the journey with you; give him a bonus too.” So he called Raphael and said, “Take as your wages half of all that you have brought back, and go in peace.”

Raphael called the two men aside privately and said to them:

“Thank God! Give him the praise and the glory. 

Before all the living, acknowledge the many good things he has done for you, by blessing and extolling his name in song. Honor and proclaim God’s deeds, and do not be slack in praising him. A king’s secret it is prudent to keep, but the works of God are to be declared and made known. Praise them with due honor. Do good, and evil will not find its way to you. Prayer and fasting are good, but better than either is almsgiving accompanied by righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than abundance with wickedness. It is better to give alms than to store up gold; for almsgiving saves one from death and expiates every sin. Those who regularly give alms shall enjoy a full life; but those habitually guilty of sin are their own worst enemies.

“I will now tell you the whole truth; I will conceal nothing at all from you. I have already said to you, ‘A king’s secret it is prudent to keep, but the works of God are to be made known with due honor.’ I can now tell you that when you, Tobit, and Sarah prayed,  it was I who presented and read the record of your prayer before the Glory of the Lord; and I did the same thing when you used to bury the dead. When you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner in order to go and bury the dead, I was sent to put you to the test. At the same time, however, God commissioned me to heal you and your daughter-in-law Sarah. I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who enter and serve before the Glory of the Lord.”

“So now get up from the ground and praise God. Behold, I am about to ascend to him who sent me; write down all these things that have happened to you.”

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: Tb. 13:2, 6EFGH, 7, 8

R. (1b) Blessed be God, who lives for ever.

V. He scourges and then has mercy;

     he casts down to the depths of the nether world,

     and he brings up from the great abyss.

     No one can escape his hand. (R)

V. So now consider what he has done for you,

     and praise him with full voice.

     Bless the Lord of righteousness,

     and exalt the King of ages. (R)

V. In the land of my exile I praise him

     and show his power and majesty to a sinful nation. (R)

V. Bless the Lord, all you his chosen ones,

     and may all of you praise his majesty.

     Celebrate days of gladness, and give him praise.

Gospel: Lk. 2:41-51

The Gospel of the Lord according to St. Luke

Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers.

When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

The Gospel of the Lord.

FEATURED SONG FOR THE DAY:

Feast of Visitation (Cycle C, Year I)

May 31, 2013

FEAST OF THE VISITATION - WHITE

First Reading: Zep. 3:14-18A

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Zephaniah.

Give praise, daughter of Zion. Shout joyfully Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem. The LORD has taken away your judgment; he has turned aside your foes. The king of Israel, the LORD is in your midst; you shall no longer fear evil. In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, "Do not be afraid," and to Zion, "Do not let your hands be weakened." The LORD your God is the strength in your midst; he will save. He will rejoice over you with gladness. In love, he will be silent. He will exult over you with praise. The triflers who withdrew from the law, I will gather together, because they were from you, so that you may no longer suffer disgrace over them.

The Word of the Lord.

or: Rom. 12:9-16

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans.

Brothers and sisters:

Let love be without falseness: hating evil, clinging to what is good, loving one another with fraternal charity, surpassing one another in honor: in solicitude, not lazy; in spirit, fervent; serving the LORD; in hope, rejoicing; in tribulation, enduring; in prayer, ever-willing; in the difficulties of the saints, sharing; in hospitality, attentive. Bless those who are persecuting you: bless, and do not curse. Rejoice with those who are rejoicing. Weep with those who are weeping. Be of the same mind toward one another: not savoring what is exalted, but consenting in humility. Do not choose to seem wise to yourself.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: Is. 12:2-3, 4BCD, 5-6

R. (6) Among you is the great and Holy One of Israel.

V. God indeed is my savior;
     I am confident and unafraid.
     My strength and my courage is the LORD,
     and he has been my savior.
     With joy you will draw water
     at the fountain of salvation. (R)

V. Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
     among the nations make known his deeds,
     proclaim how exalted is his name. (R)

V. Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
     let this be known throughout all the earth.
     Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
     for great in your midst
      is the Holy One of Israel! (R)

Gospel: Lk. 1:39-56

The Gospel of the Lord according to St. Luke

In those days, Mary, rising up, traveled quickly into the hill country, to a city of Judah. And she entered into the house of Zechariah, and she greeted Elizabeth. And it happened that, as Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she cried out with a loud voice and said: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this concern me, so that the mother of my LORD would come to me? For behold, as the voice of your greeting came to my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed are you who believed, for the things that were spoken to you by the LORD shall be accomplished."

And Mary said: "My soul magnifies the LORD. And my spirit leaps for joy in God my Saviour. For he has looked with favor on the humility of his handmaid. For behold, from this time, all generations shall call me blessed. For he who is great has done great things for me, and holy is his name.

"And his mercy is from generation to generations for those who fear him. He has accomplished powerful deeds with his arm. He has scattered the arrogant in the intentions of their heart. He has deposed the powerful from their seat, and he has exalted the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has taken up his servant Israel, mindful of his mercy, just as he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and his offspring forever." Then Mary stayed with her for about three months. And she returned to her own house.

The Gospel of the Lord.

FEATURED SONG FOR THE DAY: