Daily Readings for September 12, 2017

1ST READING

Paul uses an image for baptism that embraces the Jewish practice of circumcision. He tells us that we must circumcise our hearts of sin — that is, cut off the sin that clings to our lives. He is right. Too often we forget the fact that we are baptized. We have received victory over sin. Let us live as worthy members of the Body of Christ.

Colossians 2:6-15

6 Brothers and sisters: As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, 7 rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one captivate you with an empty, seductive philosophy according to the tradition of men, according to the elemental powers of the world and not according to Christ. 9 For in him dwells the whole fullness of the deity bodily, 10 and you share in this fullness in him, who is the head of every principality and power. 11 In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not administered by hand, by stripping off the carnal body, with the circumcision of Christ. 12 You were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And even when you were dead in transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he brought you to life along with him, having forgiven us all our transgressions; 14 obliterating the bond against us, with its legal claims, which was opposed to us, he also removed it from our midst, nailing it to the cross; 15 despoiling the principalities and the powers, he made a public spectacle of them, leading them away in triumph by it.

P S A L M

Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11

R: The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.

1 I will extol you, O my God and King, and I will bless your name forever and ever. 2 Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. (R) 8 The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. 9 The Lord is good to all and  compassionate toward all his works. (R) 10 Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might. (R)

GOSPEL

In the Bible, when someone climbs a mountain, we know that it is for the purpose of praying and that something big is about to happen. This time, it is the calling of the 12 Apostles. These men are the foundation stones of the Church. Very early on in the life of the Church, we see bishops tracing their lineage back to one of the Apostles. This is part of our understanding of the tradition of the Church, where they are the protectors of the deposit of faith passed on from one generation to the next.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I chose you from the world, that you may go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.

Luke 6:12-19

12 Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. 13 When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, 15 Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. 17 And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon 18 came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. 19 Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all.