December 15, 2012
Saturday of the Second Week of Advent.
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. Virginia Centurione Bracelli
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+ First Reading: Sirach 48:1-4, 9-11
http://etext.virginia.edu/etcbin/toccer-new2?id=KjvSira.sgm&images=images/modeng&data=/texts/english/modeng/parsed&tag=public&part=49&division=div1
1: Then stood up Elias the prophet as fire, and his word burned like a lamp.
2: He brought a sore famine upon them, and by his zeal he diminished their number.
3: By the word of the Lord he shut up the heaven, and also three times brought down fire.
4: O Elias, how wast thou honoured in thy wondrous deeds! and who may glory like unto thee!
9: Who was taken up in a whirlwind of fire, and in a chariot of fiery horses:
10: Who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord's judgment, before it brake forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.
11: Blessed are they that saw thee, and slept in love; for we shall surely live.
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+ Psalm: Psalms 80:1ac and 2b, 14-15, 17-18
1ac Hear us, Shepherd of Israel,
(you who lead Joseph like a flock,)
you who sit above the cherubim, shine out.
2b (Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh, stir up your might!)
Come to save us!
14 Turn again, we beg you, God of Armies.
Look down from heaven, and see, and visit this vine,
15 the stock which your right hand planted,
the branch that you made strong for yourself.
17 Let your hand be on the man of your right hand,
on the son of man whom you made strong for yourself.
18 So we will not turn away from you.
Revive us, and we will call on your name.
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+ Gospel: Matthew 17:9a, 10-13
9a As they were coming down from the mountain,( Jesus commanded them, saying, "Don't tell anyone what you saw, until the Son of Man has risen from the dead.")
10 His disciples asked him, saying, "Then why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
11 Jesus answered them, "Elijah indeed comes first, and will restore all things,
12 but I tell you that Elijah has come already, and they didn't recognize him, but did to him whatever they wanted to. Even so the Son of Man will also suffer by them."
13 Then the disciples understood that he spoke to them of John the Baptizer.
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+ Today's Reading: Ruth 3:1-18
1 Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, shall I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?
2 Now isn't Boaz our kinsman, with whose maidens you were? Behold, he will be winnowing barley tonight on the threshing floor.
3 Therefore wash yourself, anoint yourself, get dressed, and go down to the threshing floor, but don't make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking.
4 It shall be, when he lies down, that you shall note the place where he is lying. Then you shall go in, uncover his feet, and lay down. Then he will tell you what to do."
She said to her, "All that you say, I will do."
6 She went down to the threshing floor, and did everything that her mother-in-law told her.
7 When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. She came softly, uncovered his feet, and laid down.
8 At midnight, the man was startled and turned himself; and behold, a woman lay at his feet.
9 He said, "Who are you?"
She answered, "I am Ruth your servant. Therefore spread the corner of your garment over your servant; for you are a near kinsman."
10 He said, "You are blessed by Yahweh, my daughter. You have shown more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, because you didn't follow young men, whether poor or rich.
11 Now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do to you all that you say; for all the city of my people knows that you are a worthy woman.
12 Now it is true that I am a near kinsman. However, there is a kinsman nearer than I.
13 Stay this night, and in the morning, if he will perform for you the part of a kinsman, good. Let him do the kinsman's duty. But if he will not do the duty of a kinsman for you, then I will do the duty of a kinsman for you, as Yahweh lives. Lie down until the morning."
14 She lay at his feet until the morning, then she rose up before one could discern another. For he said, "Let it not be known that the woman came to the threshing floor."
15 He said, "Bring the mantle that is on you, and hold it." She held it; and he measured six measures of barley, and laid it on her; then he went into the city.
16 When she came to her mother-in-law, she said, "How did it go, my daughter?"
She told her all that the man had done for her.
17 She said, "He gave me these six measures of barley; for he said, 'Don't go empty to your mother-in-law.'"
18 Then she said, "Wait, my daughter, until you know what will happen; for the man will not rest until he has settled this today."
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