Daily Readings

I, John, saw another angel come up from the East, holding the seal of the living God. He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels who were given power to damage the land and the sea, "Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God." I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand marked from every tribe of the children of Israel. After this I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people, and tongue. They stood before the throne and before the Lamb, wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb." All the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They prostrated themselves before the throne, worshiped God, and exclaimed: "Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen." Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me, "Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?" I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows." He said to me, "These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress; they have washed their robes and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb."

R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. The LORD's are the earth and its fullness; the world and those who dwell in it. For he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD? or who may stand in his holy place? One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, a reward from God his savior. Such is the race that seeks him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob. R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,and I will give you rest, says the Lord.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."

Brothers and sisters:As long as in every way, whether in pretense or in truth,Christ is being proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

Indeed I shall continue to rejoice,for I know that this will result in deliverance for methrough your prayers and support from the Spirit of Jesus Christ.My eager expectation and hopeis that I shall not be put to shame in any way,but that with all boldness, now as always,Christ will be magnified in my body,whether by life or by death.For to me life is Christ, and death is gain.If I go on living in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me.And I do not know which I shall choose.I am caught between the two.I long to depart this life and be with Christ,for that is far better.Yet that I remain in the flesh is more necessary for your benefit.And this I know with confidence,that I shall remain and continue in the service of all of youfor your progress and joy in the faith,so that your boasting in Christ Jesus may abound on account of mewhen I come to you again. 

R. My soul is thirsting for the living God.As the hind longs for the running waters,so my soul longs for you, O God.R. My soul is thirsting for the living God.Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.When shall I go and behold the face of God?R. My soul is thirsting for the living God.I went with the throngand led them in procession to the house of God.Amid loud cries of joy and thanksgiving,with the multitude keeping festival.R. My soul is thirsting for the living God.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,for I am meek and humble of heart. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

On a sabbath Jesus went to dineat the home of one of the leading Pharisees,and the people there were observing him carefully.

He told a parable to those who had been invited,noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,do not recline at table in the place of honor.A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,‘Give your place to this man,’and then you would proceed with embarrassmentto take the lowest place.Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest placeso that when the host comes to you he may say,‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus,to all the holy ones in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi,with the bishops and deacons:grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God at every remembrance of you,praying always with joy in my every prayer for all of you,because of your partnership for the Gospelfrom the first day until now.I am confident of this,that the one who began a good work in youwill continue to complete ituntil the day of Christ Jesus.It is right that I should think this way about all of you,because I hold you in my heart,you who are all partners with me in grace,both in my imprisonmentand in the defense and confirmation of the Gospel.For God is my witness,how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.And this is my prayer:that your love may increase ever more and morein knowledge and every kind of perception,to discern what is of value,so that you may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,filled with the fruit of righteousnessthat comes through Jesus Christfor the glory and praise of God.

R. (2) How great are the works of the Lord!or:R. Alleluia.I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heartin the company and assembly of the just.Great are the works of the LORD,exquisite in all their delights.R. How great are the works of the Lord!or:R. Alleluia.Majesty and glory are his work,and his justice endures forever.He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;gracious and merciful is the LORD.R. How great are the works of the Lord!or:R. Alleluia.He has given food to those who fear him;he will forever be mindful of his covenant.He has made known to his people the power of his works,giving them the inheritance of the nations.R. How great are the works of the Lord!or:R. Alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;I know them, and they follow me.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

On a sabbath Jesus went to dineat the home of one of the leading Pharisees,and the people there were observing him carefully.In front of him there was a man suffering from dropsy.Jesus spoke to the scholars of the law and Pharisees in reply, asking,“Is it lawful to cure on the sabbath or not?”But they kept silent; so he took the man and,after he had healed him, dismissed him.Then he said to them   “Who among you, if your son or ox falls into a cistern,would not immediately pull him out on the sabbath day?”  But they were unable to answer his question.