Daily Readings for June 17, 2015

1ST READING

Understanding the principle of sowing unlocks the dam of God’s grace waiting to be poured upon us. It is a natural principle that applies to all areas of life. If we accept this truth, then we will see an abundance of miracles because God’s grace will flow freely through us. Let us become channels of His grace as best as we can.

2 Corinthians 9:6-11

6 Brothers and sisters: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. 10 The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You are being enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God.

P S A L M

Psalm 112:1-2, 3-4, 9

R: Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

1 Blessed the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commands. 2 His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed. (R) 3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house; his generosity shall endure forever. 4 Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious and merciful and just. (R) 9 Lavishly he gives to the poor; his generosity shall endure forever; his horn shall be exalted in glory. (R)

GOSPEL

Does it matter what other people think of our good works? Yes, in terms of the witness of our lives. No, in the sense that their blindness or refusal to accept the good in our lives is not our problem. What matters is that God sees all that we do to be His disciple. That should be enough for us. We do not need the approval of others to receive the gift of salvation.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

1 Jesus said to his disciples: “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. 2 When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the  synagogues and in the streets to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, 4 so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 5 “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. 16 “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”

Credits to: www.kerygmafamily.com

Daily Readings for June 16, 2015

1ST READING

Materialism is a powerful force in the world today. We may not know it but materialism affects our lives in many ways. Let us reflect on what we truly need, not what we want. If we are honest with ourselves, we can simplify our lives immensely. We will free up resources and time, and we will be able to devote ourselves to the things that really matter – our relationships and the work for the Kingdom of God.

2 Corinthians 8:1-9

1 We want you to know, brothers and sisters, of the grace of God that has been given to the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their profound poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For according to their means, I can testify, and beyond their means, spontaneously, 4 they begged us insistently for the favor of taking part in the service to the holy ones, 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us through the will of God, 6 so that we urged Titus that, as he had already begun, he should also complete for you this gracious act also. 7 Now as you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also. 8 I say this not by way of command, but to test the genuineness of your love by your concern for others. 9 For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.

P S A L M

Psalm 146:2, 5-6, 6-7, 8-9

R: Praise the Lord, my soul!

2 Praise the Lord, my soul! I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God while I live. (R) 5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord, his God, 6 who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them. (R)  Who keeps faith forever, 7 secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free. (R) 8 The Lord gives sight to the blind. The Lord raises up those who were bowed down; the Lord loves the just. 9 The Lord protects strangers. (R)

GOSPEL ALM

Jesus always speaks the truth. He tells us to aim for perfection, as this is the ultimate goal of heaven. After we die and are judged, we will be purified of our sins and faults. By God’s grace, we can grow in holiness every day.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I give you a new commandment: love one another as I have loved you.

Matthew 5:43-48

43 Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? 48 So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Credits to: www.kerygmafamily.com

Daily Readings for June 15, 2015

1ST READING

St. John of the Cross knew well the final words in today’s reading – having nothing but possessing everything. Is there any idea more mysterious than this? When we realize that we have nothing to offer God that He has not given us in the first place, then we discover the grace of salvation. Salvation is God’s gift that transforms the sinner’s life into a new creation.

2 Corinthians 6:1-10

1 Brothers and sisters: As your fellow workers, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says: In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We cause no one to stumble in anything, in order that no fault may be found with our ministry; 4 on the contrary, in everything we commend ourselves as ministers of God, through much endurance, in afflictions, hardships, constraints, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, vigils, fasts; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, in a holy spirit, in unfeigned love, 7 in truthful speech, in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness at the right and at the left; 8through glory and dishonor, insult and praise. We are treated as deceivers and yet are truthful; 9 as unrecognized and yet acknowledged; as dying and behold we live; as chastised and yet not put to death; 10 as sorrowful yet always rejoicing; as poor yet enriching many; as having nothing and yet possessing all things.

P S A L M

Psalm 98:1, 2, 3, 3-4

R: The Lord has made known his salvation.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 In the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R)

GOSPEL

Paul wanted to become all things for all people in order that they may be saved. Being a disciple of Jesus means embracing difficulties and hardships in following God’s will. Jesus tells us to turn the other cheek and not to seek revenge for what others do to us. Instead, we should forgive them and continue to witness the Gospel to them. We should love others and desire salvation for them.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

A lamp to my feet is your word, a light to my path.

Matthew 5:38-42

38 Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well. 40 If anyone wants to go to law with you over your tunic, hand him your cloak as well. 41 Should anyone press you into service for one mile, go with him for two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks of you, and do not turn your back on one who wants to borrow.”

Credits to: www.kerygmafamily.com

Daily Readings for June 14, 2015

1ST READING

God is the source of life. If He wants to turn a desert into a fertile field, He can. We cannot fight the will of God; He will always find a way to fulfill it. As His disciples, let us embrace His will and give Him glory as He works through us to further the work of His Kingdom.

Ezekiel 17:22-24

22 Thus says the Lord God: I, too, will take from the crest of the cedar, from its topmost branches tear off a tender shoot, and plant it on a high and lofty mountain; 23 on the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it. It shall put forth branches and bear fruit, and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind shall dwell beneath it, every winged thing in the shade of its boughs. 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, bring low the high tree, lift high the lowly tree, wither up the green tree, and make the withered tree bloom. As I, the Lord, have spoken, so will I do.

P S A L M

Psalm 92:2-3, 13-14, 15-16

R: Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

1 [2] It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praise to your name, Most High, 2 [3] to proclaim your kindness at dawn and your faithfulness throughout the night. (R) 12 [13] The just one shall flourish like the palm tree, like a cedar of Lebanon shall he grow. 13 [14] They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. (R) 14 [15] They shall bear fruit even in old age; vigorous and sturdy shall they be, 15 [16] declaring how just is the Lord, my rock, in whom there is no wrong. (R)

2nd READING

Our desire to obey His will is important to God. Our obedience will grow as we surrender our lives to His love for us. God’s love strengthens and empowers us to live as His disciples. We rely on the strength of God, not our own, as we proclaim the Kingdom of God and the Gospel.

2 Corinthians 5:6-10

6 Brothers and sisters: We are always courageous, although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yet we are courageous, and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord. 9 Therefore, we aspire to please him, whether we are at home or away. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive recompense, according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.

GOSPEL

Faith defies scientific laws. We may be experts in analyzing human relationships from psychological and sociological perspectives, but this does not mean that we can explain the effect of faith on these relationships. Faith is an unknown quantity and is more than a catalyst. Faith is a mystery. May we cooperate with the grace of faith at work in us.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower. All who come to him will live forever.

Mark 4:26-34

26 Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land 27 and would sleep and rise night and day and through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. 28 Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.” 30 He said, “To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. 32 But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” 33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. 34 Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

Credits to: www.kerygmafamily.com

Daily Readings for June 13, 2015

Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1ST READING

Mary received the grace of redemption even before it was presented to the world. God gives His grace to any person at any moment in history as He desires. Mary’s life was filled with the grace of God. Let us imitate her example.

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (or Isaiah 61:9-11)

14 Brother and sisters: The love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. 15 He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. 16 Consequently from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer. 17 So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

P S A L M

Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 (or 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8)

R: The Lord is kind and merciful.

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. (R) 3 He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills. 4 He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion. (R) 9 He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever. 10 Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes. (R) 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us. (R)

GOSPEL

Like any mother, Mary was concerned when she could not find Jesus. When my baby sister ran off from our house, we frantically searched for her until we found her. This happened a number of times, and there was no difference in the anxiety from one to the next. This is because of our unchanging love for our family. Try to imagine the anguish of Mary at the foot of the cross of her Son.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees; and favor me with your law.

Luke 2:41-52 (or Matthew 5:33-37)

41 Each year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, 42 and when he was twelve years old, they went up according to festival custom. 43 After they had completed its days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem, but his parents did not know it. 44 Thinking that he was in the caravan, they journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 but not finding him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, 47 and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. 48 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.” 49 And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he said to them. 51 He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.

Credits to: www.kerygmafamily.com