May 31, 2012
Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
We hope that today is a good day.
Today's Bible story based on the calendar of the Catholic Church.
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendar.php
Most of these contents are things of The World English Bible.
http://ebible.org/web/
We hope that everyone in the peace of the Lord.
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+ Saints: Feast of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary
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+ First Reading: Zephaniah 3:14-18a
14 Sing, daughter of Zion! Shout, Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.
15 Yahweh has taken away your judgments. He has thrown out your enemy. The King of Israel, Yahweh, is in the midst of you. You will not be afraid of evil any more.
16 In that day, it will be said to Jerusalem, "Don't be afraid, Zion. Don't let your hands be weak."
17 Yahweh, your God, is in the midst of you, a mighty one who will save. He will rejoice over you with joy. He will calm you in his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.
18a I will remove those who grieve about the appointed feasts from you.
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+ Psalm: Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6
2 Behold, God is my salvation. I will trust, and will not be afraid; for Yah, Yahweh, is my strength and song; and he has become my salvation."
3 Therefore with joy you will draw water out of the wells of salvation.
4bcd "Give thanks to Yahweh! Call on his name. Declare his doings among the peoples. Proclaim that his name is exalted!
5 Sing to Yahweh, for he has done excellent things! Let this be known in all the earth!
6 Cry aloud and shout, you inhabitant of Zion; for the Holy One of Israel is great in the midst of you!"
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+ Gospel: Luke 1:39-56
39 Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah,
40 and entered into the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.
41 It happened, when Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, that the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
42 She called out with a loud voice, and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!
43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy!
45 Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from the Lord!"
46 Mary said,
"My soul magnifies the Lord.
47 My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked at the humble state of his handmaid.
For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me.
Holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for generations of generations on those who fear him.
51 He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down princes from their thrones.
And has exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy,
55 As he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham and his seed forever."
56 Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her house.
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+ Today's Reading: Song of Solomon 2:8-14、8:6-7
2:8 The voice of my beloved!
Behold, he comes,
leaping on the mountains,
skipping on the hills.
9 My beloved is like a roe or a young deer.
Behold, he stands behind our wall!
He looks in at the windows.
He glances through the lattice.
10 My beloved spoke, and said to me,
"Rise up, my love, my beautiful one, and come away.
11 For, behold, the winter is past.
The rain is over and gone.
12 The flowers appear on the earth.
The time of the singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
13 The fig tree ripens her green figs.
The vines are in blossom.
They give forth their fragrance.
Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away."
14 My dove in the clefts of the rock,
In the hiding places of the mountainside,
Let me see your face.
Let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely.
8:6 Set me as a seal on your heart,
as a seal on your arm;
for love is strong as death.
Jealousy is as cruel as Sheol*.
Its flashes are flashes of fire,
a very flame of Yahweh.†
7 Many waters can't quench love,
neither can floods drown it.
If a man would give all the wealth of his house for love,
he would be utterly scorned.
*8:6: Sheol is the place of the dead.
†8:6: "Yahweh" is God's proper Name, sometimes rendered "LORD" (all caps) in other translations.
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