Daily Gospel Reading and Reflection

Wednesday of the First Week in LentLuke 11:29-32While still more people gathered in the crowd, Jesus said to them,“This generation is an evil generation;it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it,except the sign of Jonah. Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites,so will the Son of Man be to this generation."

Tuesday of the First Week of LentMatthew 6:7-15“If you forgive men their transgressions,your heavenly Father will forgive you.But if you do not forgive men,neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.”

Monday of the First Week of LentMatthew 25:31-46"And the king will say to them in reply,'Amen, I say to you, whatever you didfor one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Friday after Ash WednesdayMatthew 9:14-15The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,“Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,but your disciples do not fast?”Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mournas long as the bridegroom is with them?The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,and then they will fast.”

Thursday after Ash WednesdayLuke 9:22-25Jesus said to his disciples:“The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejectedby the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Ash WednesdayMatthew 6:1-6, 16-18"When you pray,do not be like the hypocrites,who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street cornersso that others may see them.Amen, I say to you,they have received their reward.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."

Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary TimeMark 8:14-21The disciples had forgotten to bring bread,and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.Jesus enjoined them, "Watch out,guard against the leaven of the Phariseesand the leaven of Herod."

Monday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary TimeMark 8:11-13The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus,seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him.

Friday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary TimeMark 7:31-37Jesus left the district of Tyreand went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impedimentand begged him to lay his hand on him.

Thursday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary TimeMark 7:24-30Jesus went to the district of Tyre.He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it,but he could not escape notice.Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him.She came and fell at his feet.The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth,and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.

Wednesday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary TimeMark 7:14-23Jesus summoned the crowd again and said to them,“Hear me, all of you, and understand.Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;but the things that come out from within are what defile.”

Memorial of Saint ScholasticaLuke 10:38-42

Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary TimeMark 6:53-56As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on matsto wherever they heard he was.Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,they laid the sick in the marketplacesand begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;and as many as touched it were healed.

Memorial of Saint Paul Miki, Priest and Martyr, and his Companions, MartyrsMatthew 28:16-20Then Jesus approached and said to them,"All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations,baptizing them in the name of the Father,and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit,teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."

Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and MartyrLuke 9:23-26Jesus said to all,"If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himselfand take up his cross daily and follow me.For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it."

Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary TimeMark 6:1-6Jesus said to them,“A prophet is not without honor except in his native placeand among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary TimeMark 5:21-43There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years.She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctorsand had spent all that she had.Yet she was not helped but only grew worse.She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowdand touched his cloak.She said, "If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured."Immediately her flow of blood dried up.She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.

Feast of the Presentation of the LordLuke 2:22-40When they had fulfilled all the prescriptionsof the law of the Lord,they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;and the favor of God was upon him.

Friday of the Third Week of Ordinary TimeMark 4:26-34“To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God,or what parable can we use for it?It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground,is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plantsand puts forth large branches,so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.”

Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary TimeMark 4:21-25Jesus said to his disciples,“Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basketor under a bed,and not to be placed on a lampstand?For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light."

Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the ChurchMatthew 23:8-12"The greatest among you must be your servant.Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary TimeMark 3:31-35"Who are my mother and my brothers?"And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,"Here are my mother and my brothers.For whoever does the will of Godis my brother and sister and mother."

Memorial of Saints Timothy and TitusLuke 10:1-9The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two other discipleswhom he sent ahead of him in pairsto every town and place he intended to visit.He said to them,"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;so ask the master of the harvestto send out laborers for his harvest."

Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary TimeMark 3:13-19He appointed the Twelve:Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder;Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn ChildrenLuke 1:39-56"Blessed are you among women,and blessed is the fruit of your womb.And how does this happen to me,that the mother of my Lord should come to me?For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears,the infant in my womb leaped for joy.Blessed are you who believedthat what was spoken to you by the Lordwould be fulfilled."

Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and MartyrMatthew 13:44-46Jesus said to his disciples:"The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,which a person finds and hides again,and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary TimeMark 2:23-28“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary TimeMark 2:18-22The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast.People came to Jesus and objected,“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”Jesus answered them,“Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast."

Friday of the First Week in Ordinary TimeMark 2:1-12When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,it became known that he was at home.Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,not even around the door,and he preached the word to them.They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.

Thursday of the First Week in Ordinary TimeMark 1:40-45A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said,“If you wish, you can make me clean.”Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.”The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.

Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary TimeMark 1:29-39On leaving the synagogueJesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.They immediately told him about her.He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary TimeMark 1:21-28The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this?A new teaching with authority.He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Monday of the First Week in Ordinary TimeMark 1:14-20As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;they were fishermen.Jesus said to them,“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Friday after EpiphanyLuke 5:12-16It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was;and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said,“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,“I do will it.  Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately.

Thursday after EpiphanyLuke 4:14-22Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.

Wednesday after EpiphanyMark 6:45-52But when they saw him walking on the sea,they thought it was a ghost and cried out.They had all seen him and were terrified.But at once he spoke with them,“Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid!”He got into the boat with them and the wind died down.They were completely astounded.They had not understood the incident of the loaves.On the contrary, their hearts were hardened.

Tuesday after EpiphanyMark 6:34-44Then, taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven,he said the blessing, broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciplesto set before the people;he also divided the two fish among them all.They all ate and were satisfied.And they picked up twelve wicker baskets full of fragmentsand what was left of the fish.Those who ate of the loaves were five thousand men.

Memorial of St. John Neumann, BishopMatthew 4:12-17, 23-25From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Memorial of Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the ChurchMatthew 23:8-12"The greatest among you must be your servant.Whoever exalts himself will be humbled;but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, The Octave Day of the Nativity of the LordLuke 2:16-21The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph,  and the infant lying in the manger.When they saw this,  they made known the message  that had been told them about this child.All who heard it were amazed  by what had been told them by the shepherds.

The Seventh Day in the Octave of ChristmasJohn 1:1-18John testified to him and cried out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.'”From his fullness we have all received,grace in place of grace,because while the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

The Sixth Day in the Octave of ChristmasLuke 2:36-40There was a prophetess, Anna,the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.She was advanced in years,having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.She never left the temple,but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.And coming forward at that very time,she gave thanks to God and spoke about the childto all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

The Fifth Day in the Octave of ChristmasLuke 2:22-35"Lord, now let your servant go in peace;your word has been fulfilled:my own eyes have seen the salvationwhich you prepared in the sight of every people,a light to reveal you to the nationsand the glory of your people Israel."

Feast of Saint Stephen, First MartyrMatthew 10:17-22"For it will not be you who speakbut the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.Brother will hand over brother to death,and the father his child;children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.You will be hated by all because of my name,but whoever endures to the end will be saved."

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) Mass during the DayJohn 1:1-18    In the beginning was the Word,        and the Word was with God,        and the Word was God.    He was in the beginning with God.     All things came to be through him,        and without him nothing came to be.    What came to be through him was life,        and this life was the light of the human race;    the light shines in the darkness,        and the darkness has not overcome it.

Wednesday of the Fourth Week of Advent Mass in the MorningLuke 1:67-79“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;for he has come to his people and set them free.He has raised up for us a mighty Savior,born of the house of his servant David."

Tuesday of the Fourth Week of AdventLuke 1:57-66Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed,and he spoke blessing God.Then fear came upon all their neighbors,and all these matters were discussedthroughout the hill country of Judea.All who heard these things took them to heart, saying,“What, then, will this child be?For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.”

Monday of the Fourth Week of AdventLuke 1:46-56“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord;my spirit rejoices in God my savior.for he has looked upon his lowly servant."

Friday of the Third Week of AdventLuke 1:5-25"After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived,and she went into seclusion for five months, saying,“So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fitto take away my disgrace before others.”

Thursday of the Third Week of AdventMatthew 1:18-25This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,but before they lived together,she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.

Wednesday of the Third Week of AdventMatthew 1:1-17Thus the total number of generationsfrom Abraham to Davidis fourteen generations;from David to the Babylonian exile, fourteen generations;from the Babylonian exile to the Christ,fourteen generations.