November 13, 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: St. Frances Cabrini
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+ First Reading: Philemon 7-20
7 For we have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.
8 Therefore though I have all boldness in Christ to command you that which is appropriate,
9 yet for love's sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
10 I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus, *
11 who once was useless to you, but now is useful to you and to me.
12 I am sending him back. Therefore receive him, that is, my own heart,
13 whom I desired to keep with me, that on your behalf he might serve me in my chains for the Good News.
14 But I was willing to do nothing without your consent, that your goodness would not be as of necessity, but of free will.
15 For perhaps he was therefore separated from you for a while, that you would have him forever,
16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much rather to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
17 If then you count me a partner, receive him as you would receive me.
18 But if he has wronged you at all, or owes you anything, put that to my account.
19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self besides).
20 Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in the Lord.
*1:10: Onesimus means "useful".
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+ Psalm: Psalms 146:7-10
7 Who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
Yahweh frees the prisoners.
8 Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind.
Yahweh raises up those who are bowed down.
Yahweh loves the righteous.
9 Yahweh preserves the foreigners.
He upholds the fatherless and widow,
but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.
10 Yahweh will reign forever;
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise Yah!
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+ Gospel: Luke 17:20-25
20 Being asked by the Pharisees when God's Kingdom would come, he answered them, "God's Kingdom doesn't come with observation;
21 neither will they say, 'Look, here!' or, 'Look, there!' for behold, God's Kingdom is within you."
22 He said to the disciples, "The days will come, when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.
23 They will tell you, 'Look, here!' or 'Look, there!' Don't go away, nor follow after them,
24 for as the lightning, when it flashes out of the one part under the sky, shines to the other part under the sky; so will the Son of Man be in his day.
25 But first, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.
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+ Today's Reading: 2 Maccabees 6:12-31
12 I beseech therefore those that read this book, that they be not discouraged because of the calamities, but account that these punishments were not for the destruction, but for the chastening of our race.
13 For indeed that those who act impiously be not let alone any long time, but straightway meet with retribution, is a sign of great beneficence.
14 For in the case of the other nations the Sovereign Lord does with longsuffering forbear, until that he punish them when they have attained to the full measure of their sins; but not so judged he as touching us,
15 that he may not take vengeance on us afterward, *** when we be come to the ††† height of our sins.
16 Wherefore he never withdraws his mercy from us; but though he chasteneth with calamity, yet does he not forsake his own people.
17 Howbeit let this that we have spoken suffice to put you in remembrance; but after these few words we must come to the narrative.
18 Eleazar, one of the principal scribes, a man already well stricken in years, and of a noble countenance, was compelled to open his mouth to eat swine's flesh.
19 But he, welcoming death with renown rather than life with pollution, advanced of his own accord to the instrument of torture, but first spat forth the flesh,
20 coming forward as men ought to come that are resolute to repel such things as not even for the natural love of life is it lawful to taste.
21 But they that had the charge of that forbidden sacrificial feast took the man aside, for the acquaintance which of old times they had with him, and privately implored him to bring flesh of his own providing, such as was befitting for him to use, and to make as if he did eat of the flesh from the sacrifice, as had been commanded by the king;
22 that by so doing he might be delivered from death, and for his ancient friendship with them might be treated kindly.
23 But he, having formed a high resolve, and one that became his years, and the dignity of old age, and the gray hairs ‡‡‡ which he had reached with honor, and his excellent §§§ education from a child, * or rather that became the holy † laws of God's ordaining, declared his mind accordingly, bidding them quickly send him to Hades.
24 For it becomes not our years to dissemble, said he, that through this many of the young should suppose that Eleazar, the man of fourscore years and ten, had gone over to an alien religion;
25 and so they, by reason of my dissimulation, and for the sake of this brief and momentary life, should be led astray because of me, ‡ and thus I get to myself a pollution and a stain of mine old age.
26 For even if for the present time I shall remove from me the punishment of men, yet shall I not escape the hands of the Almighty, either living or dead.
27 Wherefore, by manfully parting with my life now, I will show myself worthy of mine old age,
28 and § leave behind a noble ensample to the young to die willingly and nobly a glorious death for the reverend and holy laws. And when he had said these words, he went straightway to the instrument of torture.
29 ** And when they changed the good will they bare him a little before into ill will, because †† these words of his were, as they thought, sheer madness,
30 and when he was at the point to die with the ‡‡ stripes, he groaned aloud and said, To the Lord, that has the holy knowledge, it is manifest that, whereas I might have been delivered from death, I endure sore pains in my body by being scourged; but in soul I gladly suffer these things for my fear of him.
31 So this man also died after this manner, leaving his death for an ensample of nobleness and a memorial of virtue, not only to the young but also to the great body of his nation.
***6:15: Or, when our sins be come to their height
†††6:15: Gr. end.
‡‡‡6:23: The Greek text appears to be corrupt.
§§§6:23: Some authorities read manner of life.
*6:23: Or, but yet more
†6:23: Gr. legislation.
‡6:25: Or, while I shall get
§6:28: Gr. one that has left behind.
**6:29: The Greek text of this verse is uncertain.
††6:29: Gr. the aforesaid words were.
‡‡6:30: Or, blows
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