Scripture Reading and Homily for January 2012

January

1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30	31	1	2	3	4

Sunday, January 01, 2012 Octave Day of Christmas: Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel: Numbers 6:22-27 Psalm 67:2-3, 5-6, 8 Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:16-21 For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God. -- St. Irenaeus, Adversus haereses

Monday, January 02, 2012 Saints Basil the Great and Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 John 2:22-28 Psalm 98:1-4 John 1:19-28 Thou art blessed and venerable, O Virgin Mary, who with purity unstained wast found to be the Mother of our Saviour. Virgin Mother of God, He whom the whole world was unable to contain enclosed Himself in thy womb, being made man. -- Gradual, Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 1945

Tuesday, January 03, 2012 The Most Holy Name of Jesus (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: Philippians 2:5-11 Psalm 113:1-8 Matthew 1:18-23 The bread which you do not use is the bread of the hungry; the garment hanging in your wardrobe is the garment of him who is naked; the shoes that you do not wear are the shoes of the one who is barefoot; the money that you keep locked away is the money of the poor; the acts of charity that you do not perform are so many injustices that you commit. -- St Basil

Wednesday, January 04, 2012 St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 John 3:7-10 Psalm 98:1, 7-9 John 1:35-42 He that is mighty hath done great things to me, and holy is His Name. -- Luke i. 49

Thursday, January 05, 2012 St. John Neumann, Bishop (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 John 3:11-21 Psalm 100:1-5 John 1:43-51 Almsgiving proceeds from a merciful heart and is more useful for the one who practices it than for the one who recieves it, for the man who makes a practice of almsgiving draws out a spiritual profit from his acts, whilst those who recieve his alms recieve only a temporal benefit. -- St. Thomas Aquinas

Friday, January 06, 2012 St. Andre Bessette, Religious (Optional Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 John 5:5-13 Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20 Mark 1:7-11 or Luke 3:23-38 or Luke 3:23, 31-34, 36, 38 In the royal galley of divine Love, there is no galley slave: all rowers are volunteers. -- St. Francis De Sales

Saturday, January 07, 2012 Saturday before Epiphany

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 John 5:14-21 Psalm 149:1-6, 9 John 2:1-11 It is better to be the child of God than king of the whole world. -- St Aloysius Gonzaga

Sunday, January 08, 2012 The Epiphany of the Lord (Solemnity)

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel: Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-13 Ephesians 3:2-3, 5-6 Matthew 2:1-12 Christ, the Master of humility, manifests His Truth only to the humble and hides Himself from the proud. -- St Vincent Ferrer

Monday, January 09, 2012 The Baptism of the Lord (Feast)

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Psalm 29:1-4, 3, 9-10 Acts 10: 34-38 Mark 1:7-11 Be careful to give no credit to yourself for anything; if you do, you are stealing from God, to whom alone every good thing is due. -- St Vincent de Paul

Tuesday, January 10, 2012 (First Week in Ordinary Time) Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Samuel 1:9-20 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-8 Mark 1:21-28 For He bore witness to the truth but refused to use force to impose it on those who spoke against it. His kingdom... grows by the love with which Christ, lifted up on the cross, draws men to Himself -- Dignitates Humanae

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20 Psalm 40:2, 5, 7-10 Mark 1:29-39 We must show charity towards the sick, who are in greater need of help. Let us take them some small gift if they are poor, or, at least let us go and wait on them and comfort them. -- St. Alphonsus Liguori

Thursday, January 12, 2012 St. Bernard of Corleone, Religious (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Samuel 4:1-11 Psalm 44:10-11, 14-15, 24-25 Mark 1:40-45 Attempts to be virtuous that are joined to disobedience to the will of God, no matter how good they may appear, will actually work for our damnation. -- St. Thomas More

Friday, January 13, 2012 Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22 Psalm 89:16-19 Mark 2:1-12 Regarding Baptism, baptize as follows: after first explaining all these points, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of hte Holy Spirit, in running water. -- The Didache 7:1

Saturday, January 14, 2012 Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1 Psalm 21:2-7 Mark 2:13-17 Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth, and a door round about my lips: That my heart may not incline to evil words, and seek excuses in sins. -- Psalm cxl. 3,4

Sunday, January 15, 2012 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel: 1 Samuel 3:3-10, 19 Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-10 1 Corinthians 6:13-15, 17-20 John 1:35-42 We confess that one and the same Christ, Lord, and only-begotten Son, is to be acknowledged in two natures without confusion, change, division or separation. The distinction between the natures was never abolished by their union, but rather the character proper to each of the two natures was preserved as they came together in one person (prosopon) and one hypostasis. -- Council of Chalcedon

Monday, January 16, 2012 St. Berard, OFM, Priest and Companions, Protomartyrs (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Samuel 15:16-23 Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23 Mark 2:18-22 The Son of God. . . worked with human hands; he thought with a human mind. He acted with a human will, and with a human heart he loved. Born of the Virgin Mary, he has truly been made one of us, like to us in all things except sin. -- Gaudium et spes

Tuesday, January 17, 2012 St. Anthony, Abbot (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Psalm 89:20-22, 27-28 Mark 2:23-28 The patient and humble endurance of the Cross - whatever nature it may be - is the highest work we have to do. -- St Katherine Drexel

Wednesday, January 18, 2012 Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51 Psalm 144:1-2, 9-10 Mark 3:1-6 The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgment: the law of his God is in his heart. -- Psalm xxxvi. 30-31

Thursday, January 19, 2012 Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7 Psalm 56:2-3, 9-13 Mark 3:7-12 Being obedient she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race. -- St. Irenaeus, Adversus haereses

Friday, January 20, 2012 Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 1 Samuel 24:3-21 Psalm 57:2-4, 6, 11 Mark 3:13-19 Let all the earth adore Thee, O God, and sing to Thee: let it sing a psalm to Thy name, O most High. -- Psalm lxv. 4

Saturday, January 21, 2012 St. Agnes, Virgin, Martyr (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27 Psalm 80:2-3, 5-7 Mark 3:20-21 Oh how precious time is! Blessed are those who know how to make good use of it. Who can assure us that we will be alive tomorrow? Let us listen to the voice of our conscience, to the voice of the royal prophet: "Today if you hear God's voice, harden not your heart." Let us not put off for one moment to another what we "should" do, because the next moment is not yet ours! -- Saint Pio of Pietrelcina

Sunday, January 22, 2012 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel: Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Psalm 25:4-9 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Mark 1:14-20 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I have understood Thy testimonies O Lord: I have seen and end of all perfection: Thy commandment is exceeding broad. -- Psalm cxviii. 95-96

Monday, January 23, 2012 Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 2 Samuel 5:1-7, 10 Psalm 89:20-22, 25-26 Mark 3:22-30 The phrase "heart of Christ" can refer to Sacred Scripture, which makes known his heart, closed before the Passion, as the Scripture was obscure. But the Scripture has been opened since the Passion; since those who from then on have understood it, consider and discern in what way the prophecies must be interpreted. -- St. Thomas Aquinas, Expositio in Psalmus

Tuesday, January 24, 2012 St. Francis de Sales, Bishop, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 2 Samuel 6:12-15, 17-19 Psalm 24:7-10 Mark 3:31-35 Pride makes us forgetful of our eternal interests. It causes us to neglect totally the care of our soul. -- St John Baptist de la Salle

Wednesday, January 25, 2012 The Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle (Feast)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: Acts 22:3-16 or 9:1-22 Psalm 117:1-2 Mark 16:15-18 An action of small value performed with much love of God is far more excellent than one of a higher virtue, done with less love of God. -- St Francis de Sales

Thursday, January 26, 2012 Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 2 Timothy 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5 Psalm 96:1-3, 7-8, 10 Mark 4:21-25 I know whom I have believed, and I am certain that I have committed to Him against that day, being a just Judge. -- 2 Tim. i. 12

Friday, January 27, 2012 Weekday

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 2 Samuel 11:1-10, 13-17 Psalm 51:3-7, 10-11 Mark 4:26-34 Whereas in the Lord's Prayer, we are bidden to ask for 'our daily bread,' the Holy Fathers of the Church all but unanimously teach that by these words must be understood, not so much that material bread which is the support of the body, as the Eucharistic bread, which ought to be our daily food. -- Pope St. Pius X

Saturday, January 28, 2012 St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Doctor of the Church (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 2 Samuel 12:1-7, 10-17 Psalm 51:12-17 Mark 4:35-41 He who faithfully prays to God for the necessaries of this life is both mercifully heard, and mercifully not heard. For the physician knows better than the sick man what is good for the disease. -- St. Augustine

Sunday, January 29, 2012 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel: Deuteronomy 18:15-20 Psalm 95:1-2, 6-9 1 Corinthians 7:32-35 Mark 1:21-28 Be assured that he who shall always walk faithfully in God's presence, always ready to give Him an account of all his actions, shall never be separated from Him by consenting to sin. -- St Thomas Aquinas

Monday, January 30, 2012 St. Hyacinth Marescotti, Virgin (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13 Psalm 3:2-7 Mark 5:1-20 Charity is that with which no man is lost, and without which no man is saved. -- St. Robert Bellarmine

Tuesday, January 31, 2012 St. John Bosco, Priest (Memorial)

First Reading: Psalm: Gospel: 2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30 -- 19:3 Psalm 86:1-6 Mark 5:21-43 The father of the just rejoiceth greatly, let Thy father and mother be joyful, and let her rejoice that bore Thee. -- Proverbs xxiii. 24,25