November 21, 2012
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 Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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+ First Reading: Revelation 4:1-11
1 After these things I looked and saw a door opened in heaven, and the first voice that I heard, like a trumpet speaking with me, was one saying, "Come up here, and I will show you the things which must happen after this."
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne
3 that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at.
4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads.
5 Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
6 Before the throne was something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal. In the middle of the throne, and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes before and behind.
7 The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle.
8 The four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within. They have no rest day and night, saying, "Holy, holy, holy* is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come!"
9 When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever, and throw their crowns before the throne, saying,
11 "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, the Holy One,† to receive the glory, the honor, and the power, for you created all things, and because of your desire they existed, and were created!"
*4:8: Hodges/Farstad MT reads "holy" 9 times instead of 3.
†4:11: TR omits "and God, the Holy One,"
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+ Psalm: Psalms 150:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6
1b Praise God in his sanctuary!
Praise him in his heavens for his acts of power!
2 Praise him for his mighty acts!
Praise him according to his excellent greatness!
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet!
Praise him with harp and lyre!
4 Praise him with tambourine and dancing!
Praise him with stringed instruments and flute!
5 Praise him with loud cymbals!
Praise him with resounding cymbals!
6 Let everything that has breath praise Yah!
Praise Yah!
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+ Gospel: Luke 19:11-28
11 As they heard these things, he went on and told a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that God's Kingdom would be revealed immediately.
12 He said therefore, "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
13 He called ten servants of his, and gave them ten mina coins, * and told them, 'Conduct business until I come.'
14 But his citizens hated him, and sent an envoy after him, saying, 'We don't want this man to reign over us.'
15 "When he had come back again, having received the kingdom, he commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by conducting business.
16 The first came before him, saying, 'Lord, your mina has made ten more minas.'
17 "He said to him, 'Well done, you good servant! Because you were found faithful with very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.'
18 "The second came, saying, 'Your mina, Lord, has made five minas.'
19 "So he said to him, 'And you are to be over five cities.'
20 Another came, saying, 'Lord, behold, your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief,
21 for I feared you, because you are an exacting man. You take up that which you didn't lay down, and reap that which you didn't sow.'
22 "He said to him, 'Out of your own mouth will I judge you, you wicked servant! You knew that I am an exacting man, taking up that which I didn't lay down, and reaping that which I didn't sow.
23 Then why didn't you deposit my money in the bank, and at my coming, I might have earned interest on it?'
24 He said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina away from him, and give it to him who has the ten minas.'
25 "They said to him, 'Lord, he has ten minas!'
26 'For I tell you that to everyone who has, will more be given; but from him who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.
27 But bring those enemies of mine who didn't want me to reign over them here, and kill them before me.'"
28 Having said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
*19:13: 10 minas was more than 3 years' wages for an agricultural laborer.
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+ Today's Reading: 1 Maccabees 9:1-22
1 And Demetrius heard that Nicanor was fallen with his forces in battle, and he sent Bacchides and Alcimus again into the land of Judah a second time, and the right wing of his army with them:
2 and they went by the way that leads to Gilgal, and encamped against Mesaloth, which is in Arbela, and got possession of it, and destroyed much people.
3 And the first month of * the hundred and fifty and second year they encamped against Jerusalem:
4 and they removed, and went to Berea, with twenty thousand footmen and two thousand horse.
5 And Judas was encamped at Elasa, and three thousand chosen men with him:
6 and they saw the multitude of the forces, that they were many, and they feared exceedingly: and many slipped away out of the army; there were not left of them more than eight hundred men.
7 And Judas saw that his army slipped away, and that the battle pressed upon him, and he was sore troubled in heart, for that he had no time to gather them together, and he waxed faint.
8 And he said to them that were left, Let us arise and go up against our adversaries, if perhaps we may be able to fight with them.
9 And they would have dissuaded him, saying, We shall in no wise be able: but let us rather save our lives now: let us return again, we and our brethren, and fight against them: but we are few.
10 And Judas said, let it not be so that I should do this thing, to flee from them: and if our time is come, let us die manfully for our brethren's sake, and not leave a cause of reproach against our glory.
11 And the host removed from the camp, and stood to encounter them, and the horse was parted into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went before the host, and all the mighty men that fought in the front of the battle.
12 But Bacchides was in the right wing; and the phalanx drew near on the two parts, and they blew with their trumpets.
13 And the men of Judas' side, even they sounded with their trumpets, and the earth shook with the shout of the armies, and the battle was joined, and continued from morning until evening.
14 And Judas saw that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right side, and there went with him all that were brave in heart,
15 and the right wing was discomfited by them, and he pursued after them to the mount Azotus.
16 And they that were on the left wing saw that the right wing was discomfited, and they turned and followed upon the footsteps of Judas and of those that were with him:
17 and the battle waxed sore, and many on both parts fell wounded to death.
18 And Judas fell, and the rest fled.
19 And Jonathan and Simon took Judas their brother, and buried him in the sepulchre of his fathers at Modin.
20 And they bewailed him, and all Israel made great lamentation for him, and mourned many days, and said,
21 How is the mighty fallen, the savior of Israel!
22 And the rest of the acts of Judas, and his wars, and the valiant deeds which he did, and his greatness, they are not written; for they were exceeding many.
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