July 4, 2013
Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
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/
★Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Matt.9
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+ Saints:
St. Ulric of Augsburg
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=291
St. Elizabeth of Portugal
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=535
St. Andrew of Crete
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint.php?n=724
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Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8
1 He entered into a boat, and crossed over, and came into his own city.
2 Behold, they brought to him a man who was paralysed, lying on a bed. Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, cheer up! Your sins are forgiven you."
3 Behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man blasphemes."
4 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts?
5 For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven;' or to say, 'Get up, and walk?'
6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." (then he said to the paralytic), "Get up, and take up your mat, and go to your house."
7 He arose and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
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Genesis 22:1-19
1 After these things, God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!"
He said, "Here I am."
2 He said, "Now take your son, your only son, whom you love, even Isaac, and go into the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I will tell you of."
3 Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son. He split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went to the place of which God had told him.
4 On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place far off.
5 Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go yonder. We will worship, and come back to you."
6 Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He took in his hand the fire and the knife. They both went together.
7 Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, "My father?"
He said, "Here I am, my son."
He said, "Here is the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"
8 Abraham said, "God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son." So they both went together.
9 They came to the place which God had told him of. Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, on the wood.
10 Abraham stretched out his hand, and took the knife to kill his son.
11 the LORD's angel called to him out of the sky, and said, "Abraham, Abraham!"
He said, "Here I am."
12 He said, "Don't lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me."
13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and saw that behind him was a ram caught in the thicket by his horns. Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering instead of his son.
14 Abraham called the name of that place the LORD Will Provide.*or, the LORD Jireh, or, the LORD Seeing As it is said to this day, "On the LORD's mountain, it will be provided."
15 the LORD's angel called to Abraham a second time out of the sky,
16 and said, "I have sworn by myself, says the LORD, because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son,
17 that I will bless you greatly, and I will multiply your offspring†or, seed greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring‡or, seed will possess the gate of his enemies.
18 All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring,§or, seed because you have obeyed my voice."
19 So Abraham returned to his young men, and they rose up and went together to Beersheba. Abraham lived at Beersheba.
*22:14: or, the LORD Jireh, or, the LORD Seeing
†22:17: or, seed
‡22:17: or, seed
§22:18: or, seed
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* 1 Samuel 12:1-25
1 Samuel said to all Israel, "Behold, I have listened to your voice in all that you said to me, and have made a king over you.
2 Now, behold, the king walks before you. I am old and grey-headed. Behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
3 Here I am. Witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Whose donkey have I taken? Whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Of whose hand have I taken a ransom to make me blind my eyes? I will restore it to you."
4 They said, "You have not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither have you taken anything from anyone's hand."
5 He said to them, "The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness today, that you have not found anything in my hand."
They said, "He is witness."
6 Samuel said to the people, "It is the LORD who appointed Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt.
7 Now therefore stand still, that I may plead with you before the LORD concerning all the righteous acts of the LORD, which he did to you and to your fathers.
8 "When Jacob had come into Egypt, and your fathers cried to the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought your fathers out of Egypt, and made them to dwell in this place.
9 "But they forgot the LORD their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, captain of the army of Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them.
10 They cried to the LORD, and said, 'We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served the Baals and the Ashtaroth: but now deliver us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.'
11 The LORD sent Jerubbaal, Bedan, Jephthah, and Samuel, and delivered you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety.
12 "When you saw that Nahash the king of the children of Ammon came against you, you said to me, 'No, but a king shall reign over us;' when the LORD your God was your king.
13 Now therefore see the king whom you have chosen, and whom you have asked for. Behold, the LORD has set a king over you.
14 If you will fear the LORD, and serve him, and listen to his voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then both you and also the king who reigns over you are followers of the LORD your God.
15 But if you will not listen to the LORD's voice, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the LORD's hand will be against you, as it was against your fathers.
16 "Now therefore stand still and see this great thing, which the LORD will do before your eyes.
17 Isn't it wheat harvest today? I will call to the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you will know and see that your wickedness is great, which you have done in the LORD's sight, in asking for a king."
18 So Samuel called to the LORD; and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day. Then all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.
19 All the people said to Samuel, "Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we not die; for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for a king."
20 Samuel said to the people, "Don't be afraid. You have indeed done all this evil; yet don't turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart.
21 Don't turn aside to go after vain things which can't profit or deliver, for they are vain.
22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.
23 Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will instruct you in the good and the right way.
24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you.
25 But if you keep doing evil, you will be consumed, both you and your king."
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☆The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/
☆Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/
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