February 23, 2017
I hope you have a nice day today too.
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St. Polycarp, Bishop, Martyr (Memorial)
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Gospel: Mark 9:41-50
41 For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because you are Christ's, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.
42 Whoever will cause one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around his neck.
43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, * into the unquenchable fire,
44 'where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched.' ☆†
45 If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame, rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna, ‡ into the fire that will never be quenched?
46 'where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched.' §
47 If your eye causes you to stumble, cast it out. It is better for you to enter into God's Kingdom with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Gehenna** of fire,
48 'where their worm doesn't die, and the fire is not quenched.' ☆
49 For everyone will be salted with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt.
50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."
*9:43: or, Hell
☆9:44: Isaiah 66:24
†9:44: NU omits verse 44.
‡9:45: or, Hell
§9:46: NU omits verse 46.
**9:47: or, Hell
☆9:48: Isaiah 66:24
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Sirach 5:1-8
1 Set not your heart upon your goods;
And say not, They are sufficient for me.
2 Follow not your own mind and your strength,
To walk in the desires of your heart;
3 And say not, Who shall have dominion over me?
For the Lord will surely take vengeance on you.
4 Say not, I sinned, and what happened to me?
For the Lord is longsuffering. *
5 Concerning atonement, be not without fear,
To add sin upon sins:
6 And say not, His compassion is great;
He will be pacified for the multitude of my sins:
For mercy and wrath are with him,
And his indignation will rest upon sinners.
7 Make no tarrying to turn to the Lord;
And put not off from day to day:
For suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth; †
And you shall perish in the time of vengeance.
8 Set not your heart upon unrighteous gains:
For you shall profit nothing in the day of calamity.
*5:4: The remainder of this verse is omitted by the best authorities.
†5:7: A line of this verse is here omitted by the best authorities.
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* The World English Bible
http://ebible.org/web/
◇ February 23, 2017 Daily Mass Reading
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_02_23.mp3
◇ Daily Readings February 23, 2017
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/022317.cfm
◇ Liturgical Calendar
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendarday.php?date=2017-02-23
◇ Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Mark.9
◇ King James Version Bible Online
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=Mark&chapter=9&verse=
◇ The New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE)
http://www.usccb.org/bible/books-of-the-bible/index.cfm
◇ Douay-Rheims Bible
http://www.drbo.org/
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