Category: Daily Readings

Genesis 37: 3-4, 12-13, 17-28

37:3	Now Israel loved Joseph above all his sons, because he had conceived him in his old age. And he made him a tunic, woven of many colors.
37:4	Then his brothers, seeing that he was loved by his father more than all his other sons, hated him, and they were not able to say anything peacefully to him.

37:12	And while his brothers were lodging at Shechem, pasturing their father’s flocks,
37:13	Israel said to him: “Your brothers are pasturing the sheep at Shechem. Come, I will send you to them.” And when he answered,

37:17	And the man said to him: “They have withdrawn from this place. But I heard them saying, ‘Let us go to Dothan.’ ” Therefore, Joseph continued on after his brothers, and he found them at Dothan.
37:18	And, when they had seen him from afar, before he approached them, they decided to kill him.
37:19	And they said one to another: “Behold, the dreamer approaches.
37:20	Come, let us kill him and cast him into the old cistern. And let us say: ‘an evil wild beast has devoured him.’ And then it will become apparent what his dreams will do for him.”
37:21	But Reuben, on hearing this, strove to free him from their hands, and he said:
37:22	“Do not take away his life, nor shed blood. But throw him into this cistern, which is in the wilderness, and so keep your hands harmless.” But he said this, wanting to rescue him from their hands, so as to return him to his father.
37:23	And so, as soon as he came to his brothers, they very quickly stripped him of his tunic, which was ankle-length and woven of many colors,
37:24	and they cast him into an old cistern, which held no water.
37:25	And sitting down to eat bread, they saw some Ishmaelites, travelers coming from Gilead, with their camels, carrying spices, and resin, and oil of myrrh into Egypt.
37:26	Therefore, Judah said to his brothers: “What will it profit us, if we kill our brother and conceal his blood?
37:27	It is better that he be sold to the Ishmaelites, and then our hands will not be defiled. For he is our brother and our flesh.” His brothers agreed to his words.
37:28	And when the Midianite merchants were passing by, they drew him from the cistern, and they sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And these led him into Egypt.

Matthew 21: 33- 43, 45- 46

21:33	Listen to another parable. There was a man, the father of a family, who planted a vineyard, and surrounded it with a hedge, and dug a press in it, and built a tower. And he loaned it out to farmers, and he set out to sojourn abroad.
21:34	Then, when the time of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, so that they might receive its fruits.
21:35	And the farmers apprehended his servants; they struck one, and killed another, and stoned yet another.
21:36	Again, he sent other servants, more than before; and they treated them similarly.
21:37	Then, at the very end, he sent his son to them, saying: ‘They will revere my son.’
21:38	But the farmers, seeing the son, said among themselves: ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and then we will have his inheritance.’
21:39	And apprehending him, they cast him outside the vineyard, and they killed him.
21:40	Therefore, when the lord of the vineyard arrives, what will he do to those farmers?”
21:41	They said to him, “He will bring those evil men to an evil end, and he will loan out his vineyard to other farmers, who shall repay to him the fruit in its time.”
21:42	Jesus said to them: “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders have rejected has become the cornerstone. By the Lord has this been done, and it is wonderful in our eyes?’
21:43	Therefore, I say to you, that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and it shall be given to a people who shall produce its fruits.

21:45	And when the leaders of the priests, and the Pharisees had heard his parables, they knew that he was speaking about them.
21:46	And though they sought to take hold of him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet.

Jeremiah 17: 5- 10

17:5	Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is a man who trusts in man, and who establishes what is flesh as his right arm, and whose heart withdraws from the Lord.
17:6	For he will be like a saltcedar tree in the desert. And he will not perceive it, when what is good has arrived. Instead, he will live in dryness, in a desert, in a land of salt, which is uninhabitable.
17:7	Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, for the Lord will be his confidence.
17:8	And he will be like a tree planted beside waters, which sends out its roots to moist soil. And it will not fear when the heat arrives. And its leaves will be green. And in the time of drought, it will not be anxious, nor will it cease at any time to bear fruit.
17:9	The heart is depraved above all things, and it is unsearchable, who can know it?
17:10	I am the Lord, who examines the heart and tests the temperament, who gives to each one according to his way and according to the fruit of his own decisions.

Luke 16: 19- 31

16:19	A certain man was wealthy, and he was clothed in purple and in fine linen. And he feasted splendidly every day.
16:20	And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, covered with sores,
16:21	wanting to be filled with the crumbs which were falling from the wealthy man’s table. But no one gave it to him. And even the dogs came and licked his sores.
16:22	Then it happened that the beggar died, and he was carried by the Angels into the bosom of Abraham. Now the wealthy man also died, and he was entombed in Hell.
16:23	Then lifting up his eyes, while he was in torments, he saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom.
16:24	And crying out, he said: ‘Father Abraham, take pity on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to refresh my tongue. For I am tortured in this fire.’
16:25	And Abraham said to him: ‘Son, recall that you received good things in your life, and in comparison, Lazarus received bad things. But now he is consoled, and truly you are tormented.
16:26	And besides all this, between us and you a great chaos has been established, so that those who might want to cross from here to you are not able, nor can someone cross from there to here.’
16:27	And he said: ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers,
16:28	so that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torments.’
16:29	And Abraham said to him: ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’
16:30	So he said: ‘No, father Abraham. But if someone were to go to them from the dead, they would repent.’
16:31	But he said to him: ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe even if someone has resurrected from the dead.’ ”

Second Samuel 7: 4-5, 12-14, 16

7:4	But it happened in that night, behold, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, saying:
7:5	“Go, and say to my servant David: ‘Thus says the Lord: Should you build a house for me as a dwelling place?

7:12	And when your days will have been fulfilled, and you will sleep with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who will go forth from your loins, and I will make firm his kingdom.
7:13	He himself shall build a house to my name. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom, even forever.
7:14	I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. And if he will commit any iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and with the wounds of the sons of men.

7:16	And your house shall be faithful, and your kingdom shall be before your face, for eternity, and your throne shall be secure continuously.’ ”

Romans 4: 13, 16- 18, 22

4:13	For the Promise to Abraham, and to his posterity, that he would inherit the world, was not through the law, but through the justice of faith.

 

 

4:16	Because of this, it is from faith according to grace that the Promise is ensured for all posterity, not only for those who are of the law, but also for those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all before God,
4:17	in whom he believed, who revives the dead and who calls those things that do not exist into existence. For it is written: “I have established you as the father of many nations.”
4:18	And he believed, with a hope beyond hope, so that he might become the father of many nations, according to what was said to him: “Thus shall your posterity shall be.”

 

 

 

 

4:22	And for this reason, it was reputed to him unto justice.

 

 

 

Matthew 1: 16, 18- 21, 24

1:16	And Jacob conceived Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

1:18	Now the procreation of the Christ occurred in this way. After his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they lived together, she was found to have conceived in her womb by the Holy Spirit.
1:19	Then Joseph, her husband, since he was just and was not willing to hand her over, preferred to send her away secretly.
1:20	But while thinking over these things, behold, an Angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to accept Mary as your wife. For what has been formed in her is of the Holy Spirit.
1:21	And she shall give birth to a son. And you shall call his name JESUS. For he shall accomplish the salvation of his people from their sins.”

1:24	Then Joseph, arising from sleep, did just as the Angel of the Lord had instructed him, and he accepted her as his wife.

or, Luke 2: 41- 51

2:41	And his parents went every year to Jerusalem, at the time of the solemnity of Passover.
2:42	And when he had become twelve years old, they ascended to Jerusalem, according to the custom of the feast day.
2:43	And having completed the days, when they returned, the boy Jesus remained in Jerusalem. And his parents did not realize this.
2:44	But, supposing that he was in the company, they went a day’s journey, seeking him among their relatives and acquaintances.
2:45	And not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him.
2:46	And it happened that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, listening to them and questioning them.
2:47	But all who listened to him were astonished over his prudence and his responses.
2:48	And upon seeing him, they wondered. And his mother said to him: “Son, why have you acted this way toward us? Behold, your father and I were seeking you in sorrow.”
2:49	And he said to them: “How is it that you were seeking me? For did you not know that it is necessary for me to be in these things which are of my Father?”
2:50	And they did not understand the word that he spoke to them.
2:51	And he descended with them and went to Nazareth. And he was subordinate to them. And his mother kept all these words in her heart.

Daniel 9: 4- 10

9:1	In the first year of Darius, the son of Ahasuerus, of the offspring of the Medes, who ruled over the kingdom of the Chaldeans,
9:2	in year one of his reign, I, Daniel, understood in the books the number of the years, concerning the word of the Lord which came to Jeremiah, the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would be completed in seventy years.
9:3	And I set my face to the Lord, my God, to ask and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes.
9:4	And I prayed to the Lord, my God, and I confessed, and I said, “I beg you, O Lord God, great and terrible, preserving the covenant and mercy for those who love you and keep your commandments.
9:5	We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we acted impiously and have withdrawn, and we have turned aside from your commandments as well as your judgments.
9:6	We have not obeyed your servants, the prophets, who have spoken in your name to our kings, our leaders, our fathers, and all the people of the land.
9:7	To you, O Lord, is justice, but to us is confusion of face, just as it is on this day for the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, for those who are near and those who are far off, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of their iniquities by which they have sinned against you.
9:8	O Lord, to us belongs confusion of face: to our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, who have sinned.
9:9	But to you, the Lord our God, is mercy and atonement, for we have withdrawn from you,
9:10	and we have not listened to the voice of the Lord, our God, so as to walk in his law, which he established for us by his servants, the prophets.

Luke 6: 36- 38

6:36	Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is also merciful.
6:37	Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.
6:38	Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure, pressed down and shaken together and overflowing, they will place upon your lap. Certainly, the same measure that you use to measure out, will be used to measure back to you again.”

Genesis 15: 5- 12, 17-18

5:5	And all the time that passed while Adam lived was nine hundred and thirty years, and then he died.
5:6	Seth likewise lived for one hundred and five years, and then he conceived Enos.
5:7	And after he conceived Enos, Seth lived for eight hundred and seven years, and he conceived sons and daughters.
5:8	And all the days of Seth that passed were nine hundred and twelve years, and then he died.
5:9	In truth, Enos lived ninety years, and then he conceived Cainan.
5:10	After his birth, he lived eight hundred and fifteen years, and he conceived sons and daughters.
5:11	And all the days of Enos that passed were nine hundred and five years, and then he died.
5:12	Likewise, Cainan lived seventy years, and then he conceived Mahalalel.

5:17	And all the days of Mahalalel that passed were eight hundred and ninety-five years, and then he died.
5:18	And Jared lived for one hundred and sixty-two years, and then he conceived Enoch.

Deuteronomy 26: 16- 19

26:16	Today the Lord your God has instructed you to carry out these commandments and judgments, and to keep and fulfill them, with all your heart and with all your soul.
26:17	Today, you have chosen the Lord to be your God, so that you may walk in his ways, and keep his ceremonies and commandments and judgments, and obey his command.
26:18	Today, the Lord has chosen you, so that you may be his particular people, just as he has spoken to you, and so that you may keep all his precepts,
26:19	and so that he may cause you to be more exalted than all the nations which he has created, for the sake of his own praise and name and glory, in order that you may be a holy people for the Lord your God, just as he has spoken.”

Matthew 5: 43- 48

5:43	You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and you shall have hatred for your enemy.’
5:44	But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you.
5:45	In this way, you shall be sons of your Father, who is in heaven. He causes his sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and he causes it to rain upon the just and the unjust.
5:46	For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even tax collectors behave this way?
5:47	And if you greet only your brothers, what more have you done? Do not even the pagans behave this way?
5:48	Therefore, be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Ezekiel 18: 21- 28

18:21 But if the impious man does penance for all his sins which he has committed, and if he keeps all my precepts, and accomplishes judgment and justice, then he shall certainly live, and he shall not die.

18:22 I will not remember all his iniquities, which he has worked; by his justice, which he has worked, he shall live.

18:23 How could it be my will that an impious man should die, says the Lord God, and not that he should be converted from his ways and live?

18:24 But if a just man turns himself away from his justice, and does iniquity in accord with all the abominations that the impious man so often does, why should he live? All his justices, which he has accomplished, shall not be remembered. By the transgression, in which he has transgressed, and by his sin, in which he has sinned, by these he shall die.

18:25 And you have said, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair.’ Therefore, listen, O house of Israel. How could it be that my way is not fair? And is it not instead your ways that are perverse?

18:26 For when the just man turns himself away from his justice, and commits iniquity, he shall die by this; by the injustice that he has worked, he shall die.

18:27 And when the impious man turns himself away from his impiety, which he has done, and accomplishes judgment and justice, he shall cause his own soul to live.

18:28 For by considering and turning himself away from all his iniquities, which he has worked, he shall certainly live, and he shall not die.

Matthew 5: 20- 26

5:20 For I say to you, that unless your justice has surpassed that of the scribes and the Pharisees you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

5:21 You have heard that it was said to the ancients: ‘You shall not murder; whoever will have murdered shall be liable to judgment.’

5:22 But I say to you, that anyone who becomes angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment. But whoever will have called his brother, ‘Idiot,’ shall be liable to the council. Then, whoever will have called him, ‘Worthless,’ shall be liable to the fires of Hell.

5:23 Therefore, if you offer your gift at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has something against you,

5:24 leave your gift there, before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to your brother, and then you may approach and offer your gift.

5:25 Be reconciled with your adversary quickly, while you are still on the way with him, lest perhaps the adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you will be thrown in prison.

5:26 Amen I say to you, that you shall not go forth from there, until you have repaid the last quarter

Esther 8: 1- 5, 12- 13, 19

8:1 Queen Esther also, fearing the danger that was imminent, fled to the Lord.

8:2 And when she had put aside her royal apparel, she took up garments suitable for weeping and mourning, and instead of various ointments, she covered her head with ashes from burnt dung, and she humbled her body with fasting, and all the aspects of her beauty, she covered with her torn hair.

8:3 And she begged the Lord God of Israel, saying, “My Lord, who alone is our King, help me, a solitary woman, for there is no other helper but you.

8:4 My peril is close at hand.

8:5 I have heard from my father that you, Lord, chose Israel from among all nations and our fathers from among all their former ancestors, to possess them as an everlasting inheritance, and you have done for them just as you said.

8:12 Be mindful, Lord, and show yourself to us in the time of our tribulation, and give me faith, Lord, King of gods and of every power.

8:13 Grant fitting words to my mouth in the sight of the lion, and transform his heart to hate our enemy, so that both he, and the others who conspire with him, may perish.

8:19 O God, whose strength is above all things, heed the voice of those who have no other hope, and free us from the hand of the wicked, and rescue me from my fear.”

Matthew 7: 7- 12

7:7 Ask, and it shall be given to you. Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and it shall be opened to you.

7:8 For everyone who asks, receives; and whoever seeks, finds; and to anyone who knocks, it will be opened.

7:9 Or what man is there among you, who, if his son were to ask him for bread, would offer him a stone;

7:10 or if he were to ask him for a fish, would offer him a snake?

7:11 Therefore, if you, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your sons, how much more will your Father, who is in heaven, give good things to those who ask him?

7:12 Therefore, all things whatsoever that you wish that men would do to you, do so also to them. For this is the law and the prophets.

Jonah 3: 1- 10

3:1 And the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying:

3:2 Rise, and go to Nineveh, the great city. And preach in it the preaching that I say to you.

3:3 And Jonah rose, and he went to Nineveh in accordance with the word of the Lord. And Nineveh was a great city of three days’ journey.

3:4 And Jonah began to enter into the city one day’s journey. And he cried out and said, “Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed.”

3:5 And the men of Nineveh believed in God. And they proclaimed a fast, and they put on sackcloth, from the greatest all the way to the least.

3:6 And word reached the king of Nineveh. And he rose from his throne, and he threw off his robe from himself and was clothed in sackcloth, and he sat in ashes.

3:7 And he cried out and spoke: “In Nineveh, from the mouth of the king and of his princes, let it be said: Men and beasts and oxen and sheep may not taste anything. Neither shall they feed or drink water.

3:8 And let men and beasts be covered with sackcloth, and let them cry out to the Lord with strength, and may man be converted from his evil way, and from the iniquity that is in their hands.

3:9 Who knows if God may turn and forgive, and may turn away from his furious wrath, so that we might not perish?”

3:10 And God saw their works, that they had been converted from their evil way. And God took pity on them, concerning the harm that he had said he would do to them, and he did not do it.

Luke 11: 29- 32

11:29 Then, as the crowds were quickly gathering, he began to say: “This generation is a wicked generation: it seeks a sign. But no sign will be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

11:30 For just as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of man be to this generation.

11:31 The queen of the South will rise up, at the judgment, with the men of this generation, and she will condemn them. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, more than Solomon is here.

11:32 The men of Nineveh will rise up, at the judgment, with this generation, and they will condemn it. For at the preaching of Jonah, they repented. And behold, more than

Jonah is here.