January 21, 2013
Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr
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. Agnes
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+ First Reading: Nehemiah 5:1-10
1 Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brothers the Jews.
2 For there were that said, "We, our sons and our daughters, are many. Let us get grain, that we may eat and live."
3 There were also some that said, "We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses. Let us get grain, because of the famine."
4 There were also some who said, "We have borrowed money for the king's tribute using our fields and our vineyards as collateral.
5 Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brothers, our children as their children. Behold,*"Behold", from "??????", means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection. we bring our sons and our daughters into bondage to be servants, and some of our daughters have been brought into bondage. It is also not in our power to help it, because other men have our fields and our vineyards."
6 I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
7 Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, "You exact usury, everyone of his brother." I held a great assembly against them.
8 I said to them, "We, after our ability, have redeemed our brothers the Jews that were sold to the nations; and would you even sell your brothers, and should they be sold to us?" Then they held their peace, and found not a word to say.
9 Also I said, "The thing that you do is not good. Shouldn't you walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
10 I likewise, my brothers and my servants, lend them money and grain. Please let us stop this usury.
*5:5: "Behold", from "??????", means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
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+ Psalm: Psalms 110:1, 2, 3, 4
1 Yahweh says to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool for your feet."
2 Yahweh will send out the rod of your strength out of Zion.
Rule among your enemies.
3 Your people offer themselves willingly in the day of your power, in holy array.
Out of the womb of the morning, you have the dew of your youth.
4 Yahweh has sworn, and will not change his mind:
"You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek."
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+ Gospel: Mark 2:18-22
18 John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?"
19 Jesus said to them, "Can the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they can't fast.
20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then will they fast in that day.
21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the patch shrinks and the new tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made.
22 No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins."
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+ Today's Reading: Romans 5:1-11
1 Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;
2 through whom we also have our access by faith into this grace in which we stand. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance;
4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope:
5 and hope doesn't disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
6 For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die.
8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God's wrath through him.
10 For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we will be saved by his life.
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