March 31, 2018
I hope you have a nice day today too.
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Easter Sunday - The Resurrection of the Lord - At the Easter Vigil in the Holy Night of Easter
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Gospel: Mark 16:1-7
1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint him.
2 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.
3 They were saying amongst themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?"
4 for it was very big. Looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back.
5 Entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were amazed.
6 He said to them, "Don't be amazed. You seek Jesus, the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him!
7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he said to you.'"
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First Reading
Genesis 1:1--2:2
1:1 In the beginning, God* created the heavens and the earth.
2 The earth was formless and empty. Darkness was on the surface of the deep and God's Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.
3 God said, "Let there be light," and there was light.
4 God saw the light, and saw that it was good. God divided the light from the darkness.
5 God called the light "day", and the darkness he called "night". There was evening and there was morning, the first day.
6 God said, "Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters."
7 God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.
8 God called the expanse "sky". There was evening and there was morning, a second day.
9 God said, "Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear"; and it was so.
10 God called the dry land "earth", and the gathering together of the waters he called "seas". God saw that it was good.
11 God said, "Let the earth yield grass, herbs yielding seeds, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with their seeds in it, on the earth"; and it was so.
12 The earth yielded grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with their seeds in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.
13 There was evening and there was morning, a third day.
14 God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs to mark seasons, days, and years;
15 and let them be for lights in the expanse of sky to give light on the earth"; and it was so.
16 God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars.
17 God set them in the expanse of sky to give light to the earth,
18 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.
19 There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day.
20 God said, "Let the waters abound with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky."
21 God created the large sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good.
22 God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth."
23 There was evening and there was morning, a fifth day.
24 God said, "Let the earth produce living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind"; and it was so.
25 God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good.
26 God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."
27 God created man in his own image. In God's image he created him; male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them. God said to them, "Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
29 God said, "Behold,† I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.
30 To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food;" and it was so.
31 God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.
2:1 The heavens, the earth, and all their vast array were finished.
2 On the seventh day God finished his work which he had done; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.
*1:1: The Hebrew word rendered "God" is "?????????" (Elohim).
†1:29: "Behold", from "??????", means look at, take notice, observe, see, or gaze at. It is often used as an interjection.
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Second Reading
Genesis 22:1-18
22:1 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.* 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† greatly like the stars of the heavens, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring‡ will possess the gate of his enemies.
18 All the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring,§ because you have obeyed my voice."
*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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Third Reading
Exodus 14:15--15:1a
14:15 The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.
16 Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the middle of the sea on dry ground.
17 Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get myself honour over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.
18 The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten myself honour over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen."
19 The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.
20 It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and one didn't come near the other all night.
21 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.
22 The children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
23 The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the middle of the sea: all of Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.
24 In the morning watch, the LORD looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.
25 He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, "Let's flee from the face of Israel, for the LORD fights for them against the Egyptians!"
26 The LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen."
27 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. The LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the middle of the sea.
28 The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh's army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them.
29 But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the middle of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.
30 Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.
31 Israel saw the great work which the LORD did to the Egyptians, and the people feared the LORD; and they believed in the LORD, and in his servant Moses.
15:1a Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and said,
"I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously.
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Fourth Reading
Isaiah 54:5-14
5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of Armies is his name.
The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer.
He will be called the God of the whole earth.
6 For the LORD has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,
even a wife of youth, when she is cast off," says your God.
7 "For a small moment have I forsaken you;
but with great mercies will I gather you.
8 In overflowing wrath I hid my face from you for a moment;
but with everlasting loving kindness I will have mercy on you," says the LORD your Redeemer.
9 "For this is like the waters of Noah to me;
for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah will no more go over the earth,
so have I sworn that I will not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
10 For the mountains may depart,
and the hills be removed;
but my loving kindness will not depart from you,
and my covenant of peace will not be removed,"
says the LORD who has mercy on you.
11 "You afflicted, tossed with storms, and not comforted,
behold, I will set your stones in beautiful colours,
and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 I will make your pinnacles of rubies,
your gates of sparkling jewels,
and all your walls of precious stones.
13 All your children will be taught by the LORD;
and your children's peace will be great.
14 In righteousness you will be established.
You will be far from oppression,
for you will not be afraid;
and far from terror,
for it shall not come near you.
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Fifth Reading
Isaiah 55:1-11
1 "Hey! Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters!
Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat!
Yes, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Why do you spend money for that which is not bread,
and your labour for that which doesn't satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat that which is good,
and let your soul delight itself in richness.
3 Turn your ear, and come to me.
Hear, and your soul will live:
and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander to the peoples.
5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you don't know;
and a nation that didn't know you shall run to you,
because of the LORD your God,
and for the Holy One of Israel;
for he has glorified you."
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found.
Call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts.
Let him return to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him;
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
and your ways are not my ways," says the LORD.
9 "For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky,
and doesn't return there, but waters the earth,
and makes it grow and bud,
and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 so is my word that goes out of my mouth:
it will not return to me void,
but it will accomplish that which I please,
and it will prosper in the thing I sent it to do.
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Sixth Reading
Baruch 3:9-15, 32--4:4
3:9 Hear, O Israel, the commandments of life: give ear to understand wisdom.
10 How is it, O Israel, that you are in your enemies' land, that you have become old in a strange country, that you are defiled with the dead,
11 that you are counted with them that go down into § the grave?
12 You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom.
13 For if you had walked in the way of God, you should have dwelled in peace for ever.
14 Learn where is ** wisdom, where is strength, where is understanding; that you may know also where is length of days, and life, where is the light of the eyes, and peace.
15 Who has found out her place? and who has come into her treasuries?
32 But he that knows all things knows her, he found her out with his understanding: he that prepared the earth for evermore has filled it with four-footed beasts:
33 he that sends forth the light, and it goes; he called it, and it obeyed him with fear:
34 and the stars shined in their watches, and were glad: when he called them, they said, Here we be; they shined with gladness to him that made them.
35 This is our God, and there shall none other be accounted of in comparison of him.
36 He has found out all the way of knowledge, and has given it to Jacob his servant, and to Israel that is beloved of him.
37 Afterward did she appear upon earth, and was conversant with men.
4:1 This is the book of the commandments of God, and the law that endures for ever: all they that hold it fast are appointed to life; but such as leave it shall die.
2 Turn you, O Jacob, and take hold of it: walk towards her shining in the presence of the light thereof.
3 Give not your glory to another, nor the things that are profitable to you to a strange nation. 4 O Israel, happy are we: for the things that are pleasing to God are made known to us.
§3:11: Gr. Hades.
**3:14: Or, prudence
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Seventh Reading
Ezekiel 36:16-17a, 18-28
16 Moreover the LORD's word came to me, saying,
17a Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their way and by their doings:
18 Therefore I poured out my wrath on them for the blood which they had poured out on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols;
19 and I scattered them amongst the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries: according to their way and according to their doings I judged them.
20 When they came to the nations, where they went, they profaned my holy name; in that men said of them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone out of his land.
21 But I had respect for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned amongst the nations, where they went.
22 Therefore tell the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: I don't do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for my holy name, which you have profaned amongst the nations, where you went.
23 I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned amongst the nations, which you have profaned amongst them; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.
24 For I will take you from amongst the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.
26 I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.
27 I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my ordinances, and do them.
28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
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Eighth Reading
Romans 6:3-11
3 Or don't you know that all we who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death?
4 We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will also be part of his resurrection;
6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with him, that the body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be in bondage to sin.
7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
8 But if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him;
9 knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no more has dominion over him!
10 For the death that he died, he died to sin one time; but the life that he lives, he lives to God.
11 Thus consider yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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* The World English Bible
http://ebible.org/web/
◇ March 31, 2018 Daily Mass Reading
http://ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/18_03_31.mp3
◇ Daily Readings March 31, 2018
http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/033118.cfm
◇ Liturgical Calendar
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/calendarday.php?date=2018-03-31
◇ Zondervan King James Audio Bible
http://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/kjv/Mark.16
◇ King James Version Bible Online
http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/book.php?book=Mark&chapter=16&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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