Universal Roman Catholic Faith and Traditions

First Reading: Daniel 7: 2-14 Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3:75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81 Holy Gospel: Luke 21:29-33 Holy Gospel: 29 And Jesus added this comparison, “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 As soon as their buds sprout, you know that summer is already near. 31 In the same way, as soon as you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all this has happened: 33 heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. First Reading: 2 Daniel said, “I saw the following in my vision: the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea, 3 and four great beasts, each one different from the other, came out of the sea. 4 The first was like a lion with eagle’s wings. As I looked at it, its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, stood up on its feet like a man, and was given a human heart. 5 The second was a beast like a bear; it was raised up on one side

First Reading: Daniel 7:2-14 Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3: 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81 Holy Gospel: Luke 21: 29-33 Holy Gospel: 29 And Jesus added this comparison, “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 As soon as their buds sprout, you know that summer is already near. 31 In the same way, as soon as you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 Truly, I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all this has happened: 33 heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. First Reading: 2 Daniel said, “I saw the following in my vision: the four winds of heaven stirred up the great sea, 3 and four great beasts, each one different from the other, came out of the sea. 4 The first was like a lion with eagle’s wings. As I looked at it, its wings were torn off. It was lifted up from the ground, stood up on its feet like a man, and was given a human heart. 5 The second was a beast like a bear; it was raised up on one side and had thr

First Reading: Daniel  6: 12-28 Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3: 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74 Holy Gospel: Luke 21:20-28 Holy Gospel: 20 When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you must know that the time has come when it will be reduced to a wasteland. 21 Then, if you are in Judea, flee to the mountains; if you are in the city, leave it; and let those who are in the fields not return to the city. 22 For these will be the days of its punishment and all that was announced in the Scripture will be fulfilled. 23 How hard will it be for pregnant women and for mothers with babies at the breast! For a great calamity will come upon the land, and divine justice upon this people. 24 They will be put to death by the sword or taken as slaves to other nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled upon by the pagans until the time of the pagans is fulfilled. 25 Then there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth anguish of perplexed nations when they hear the roaring of the

First Reading: Daniel 5: 1-6, 13-14, 16-17, 23-28 Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3: 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67 Holy Gospel: Luke 21: 12-19 Holy Gospel: 12 Before all this happens, people will lay their hands on you and persecute you; you will be delivered to the Jewish courts and put in prison, and for my sake you will be brought before kings and governors. 13 This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 14 So keep this in mind: do not worry in advance about what to answer, 15 for I will give you words and wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict. 16 You will be betrayed even by parents, and brothers, by relatives and friends, and some of you will be put to death. 17 But even though you are hated by all for my name’s sake, 18 not a hair of your head will perish. 19 Through perseverance you will possess your own selves. First Reading: 1 King Belshazzar gave a  great banquet for his nobles, a thousand of them attended and he drank wine with them. 2 Unde

First Reading: Daniel 2: 31-45 Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3: 57, 58, 59, 60, 61 Holy Gospel: Luke 21:5-11 Holy Gospel: 5 While some people were talking about the Temple, remarking that it was adorned with fine stonework and rich gifts, Jesus said to them, 6 “The days will come when there shall not be left one stone upon another of all that you now admire; all will be torn down.” 7 And they asked him, “Master, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” 8 Jesus then said, “Take care not to be deceived, for many will come claiming my title and saying: ‘I am he, the Messiah; the time is at hand.’ Do not follow them. 9 When you hear of wars and troubled times, don’t be frightened; for all this must happen first, even though the end is not so soon.” 10 And Jesus said, “Nations will fight each other and kingdom will oppose kingdom. 11 There will be great earthquakes, famines and plagues; in many places strange and terrifying signs from heaven will be seen

First Reading: Daniel 1: 1-6, 8-20 Responsorial Psalm: Daniel 3: 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 Holy Gospel: Luke 21: 1-4 Holy Gospel: 1 Jesus looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasure box; 2 he also saw a poor widow dropping in two small coins. 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them. 4 For all gave an offering from their plenty, but she, out of her poverty, gave all she had to live on.” First Reading: 1 In the third year of Jehoi¬akim’s reign as king of Judah, King Ne-buchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerus¬alem. 2 The Lord delivered into his hands King Jehoiakim of Judah, and some of the vessels from the temple of God as well. These he carried off to the land of Shinar and placed in the treasure house of his god. 3 King Nebuchadnezzar ordered his chief eunuch Ashpenaz to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility: 4 young men without physical defect, handsome, intelligent and wise, well-informed, quick

First Reading: Ezekiel 34: 11-12, 15-17 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 23: 1-2, 2-3, 5, 6 Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:20-26, 28 Holy Gospel: Matthew 25:31-46 Holy Gospel: 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all his angels, he will sit on the throne of his Glory. 32 All the nations will be brought before him, and as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, 33 so will he do with them, placing the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 The King will say to those on his right: ‘Come, blessed of my Father! Take possession of the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. 36 I was a stranger and you welcomed me into your house. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to see me.’ 37 Then the good people will ask him: ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food; thirsty and give you drink, 38 or a stranger and w

First Reading: 1 Maccabees 6: 1-13 Responsorial Psalm: 9: 2-3, 4, 6, 16, 19 Holy Gospel: Luke 20: 27-40 Holy Gospel: 27 Then some Sadducees arrived. These people claim that there is no resurrection 28 and they asked Jesus this question, “Master, in the Scripture Moses told us: ‘If anyone dies leaving a wife but no children, his brother must take the wife, and the child to be born will be regarded as the child of the deceased man.’ 29 Now, there were seven brothers; the first married a wife, but he died without children; 30 and the second 31 and the third took the wife; in fact all seven died leaving no children. 32 Last of all the woman died. 33 On the day of the resurrection, to which of them will the woman be wife? For the seven had her as wife.” 34 And Jesus replied, “Taking husband or wife is proper to people of this world, 35 but for those who are considered worthy of the world to come and of resurrection from the dead, there is no more marriage. 36 Besides, they cannot die for t

First Reading: 1 Maccabees 4: 36-37, 52-59 Responsorial Psalm: 1 Chronicles 29: 10, 11, 11-12, 12 Holy Gospel: Luke 19: 45-48 Holy Gospel: 45 Then Jesus entered the Temple area and began to drive out the merchants. 46 And he said to them, “God says in the Scriptures: My house shall be a house of prayer: but you have turned it into a den of robbers.” 47 Jesus was teaching every day in the Temple. The chief priests and teachers of the Law wanted to kill him and the elders of the Jews as well, 48 but they were unable to do anything, for all the people were listening to him and hanging on his words. First Reading: 36 Then Judas and his brothers said: “Our enemies are defeated, so let us go up and purify the Holy Place and consecrate it again.” 37 And all the army assembled and went up to Mount Zion. 52 On the twentyfifth day of the month of Chislev, in the year one hundred and forty-eight (164 B.C.) 53 they arose at dawn and offered the sacrifice prescribed by the Law on the new altar of

First Reading: 1 Maccabees 2: 15-29 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 50: 1-2, 5-6, 14-15 Holy Gospel: Luke 19: 41-44 Holy Gospel 41 When Jesus had come in sight of the city, he wept over it 42 and said, “If only today you knew the ways of peace! But now your eyes are held from seeing. 43 Yet days will come upon you when your enemies will surround you with barricades and shut you in and press on you from every side. 44 And they will dash you to the ground and your children with you, and leave not a stone within you, for you did not recognize the time and the visitation of your God.” First Reading 15 In the meantime, the king’s representatives, who were forcing the Jews to give up their religion came to Modein to organize a sacred gathering. 16 While many Israelites went to them, Mattathias and his sons drew apart. 17 The representatives of the king addressed Mattathias, and said to him: “You are one of the leaders of this city, an important and wellknown man, and your many chi

First Reading: 2 Maccabees 7: 1,20-31 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 17: 1, 5-6, 8, 15 Holy Gospel: Luke 19: 11-28 Holy Gospel: 11 Jesus was now near Jeru¬salem and the people with him thought that God’s reign was about to appear. So as they were listening to him, Jesus went on to tell them a parable. 12 He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant place to have himself appointed king of his own people, after which he would return. 13 Before he left, he summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds. He said: ‘Put this money to work until I get back.’ 14 But his compatriots who disliked him sent a delegation after him with this message: ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ 15 He returned, however, appointed as king. At once he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, to find out what profit each had made. 16 The first came in and reported: ‘Sir, your pound has earned ten more.’ 17 The master replied: ‘Well done, my good servant. Since you have proved

First Reading: 2 Maccabees 6: 18-31 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 3: 2-3, 4-5, 6-8 Holy Gospel: Luke 19: 1-10 Holy Gospel: 1 When Jesus entered Jericho and was going through the city, 2 a man named Zaccheus was there. He was a tax collector and a wealthy man. 3 He wanted to see what Jesus was like, but he was a short man and could not see because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up a sycamore tree. From there he would be able to see Jesus who had to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, come down quickly for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So Zaccheus hurried down and received him joyfully. 7 All the people who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to the house of a sinner as a guest.” 8 But Zaccheus spoke to Jesus, “The half of my goods, Lord, I give to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay him back four times as much.” 9 Looking at him Jesus said, “Salvation has come to this house today, for

First Reading: 1 Maccabees 1:10-15, 41-43, 54-57, 62-63 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119: 53, 61, 134, 150, 155, 158 Holy Gospel: Luke 18: 35-43 Holy Gospel 35 When Jesus drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the road, begging. 36 As he heard the crowd passing by, he inquired what it was, 37 and they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was going by. Then he cried out, 38 “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 The people in front scolded him, “Be quiet!” but he cried out all the more, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 Jesus stopped and ordered the blind man to be brought to him, and when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” And the man said, “Lord, that I may see!” 42 Jesus said, “Receive your sight, your faith has saved you.” 43 At once the blind man was able to see, and he followed Jesus, giving praise to God. And all the people who were there also praised God. First Reading 10 From their descendants there came a godless offshoot, Ant

First Reading: Proverbs 31: 10-13, 19-20, 30-31 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128: 1-2, 3, 4-5 Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-6 Holy Gospel: Matthew 25: 14-30 Holy Gospel 14 Imagine someone who, before going abroad, summoned his servants to entrust his property to them. 15 He gave five talents of silver to one, then two to another, and one to a third, each one according to his ability; and he went away. 16 He who received five talents went at once to do business with the money and gained another five. 17 The one who received two did the same and gained another two.18 But the one with one talent dug a hole and hid his master’s money. 19 After a long time, the master of those servants returned and asked for a reckoning. 20 The one who received five talents came with another five talents, saying: ‘Lord, you entrusted me with five talents, but see I have gained five more with them.’ 21 The master answered: ‘Very well, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in a few thin

First Reading: Wisdom 18: 14-16; 19: 6-9 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105: 2-3, 36-37, 42-43 Holy Gospel: Luke 18: 1-8 Holy Gospel 1 Jesus told them a parable to show them that they should pray continually and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor people. 3 In the same town was a widow who kept coming to him, saying: ‘Defend my rights against my op¬ponent.’ 4 For a time he refused, but finally he thought: ‘Even though I neither fear God nor care about people, 5 this widow bothers me so much I will see that she gets justice; then she will stop coming and wearing me out.” 6 And Jesus explained, “Listen to what the evil judge says. 7 Will God not do justice for his chosen ones who cry to him day and night even if he delays in answering them? 8 I tell you, he will speedily do them justice. Yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” First Reading 14 While all was in quiet silence and the night was in the middle of its cour

First Reading: Wisdom 13: 1-9 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19: 2-3, 4-5 Holy Gospel: Luke 17: 26-37 Holy Gospel 26 As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be on the day the Son of Man comes. 27 Then people ate and drank; they took husbands and wives. But on the day Noah entered the ark, the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 Just as it was in the days of Lot: people ate and drank, they bought and sold, planted and built. 29 But on the day Lot left Sodom, God made fire and sulfur rain down from heaven which destroyed them all. 30 So will it be on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day, if you are on the rooftop, don’t go down into the house to get your belongings, and if you happen to be in the fields, do not turn back. 32 Remember Lot’s wife. 33 Whoever tries to save his life will lose himself, but whoever gives his life will be born again. 34 I tell you, though two men are sharing the same bed, it may be that one will be taken and the other left. 35 Though two women are

First Reading: Wisdom 7: 22-8:1 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 119: 89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175 Holy Gospel: Luke 17:20-25 Holy Gospel 20 The Pharisees asked Jesus when the kingdom of God was to come. He answered, “The kingdom of God is not like something you can observe 21 and say of it: ‘Look, here it is! There it is!’ See, the kingdom of God is among you.” 22 And Jesus said to his disciples, “The time is at hand when you will long to see one of the glorious days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. 23 Then people will tell you: ‘Look there! Look here!’ Do not go, do not follow them. 24 As lightning flashes from one end of the sky to the other, so will it be with the Son of Man. 25 But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this people. First Reading 22 Because Wisdom, who designed them all, taught me. In her is a spirit that is intelligent, saintly, unique, manifold, subtle, active, concise, pure and lu-cid. It cannot corrupt, loves what is good and nothing can restr

First Reading: Ezekiel 47: 1-2, 8-9, 12 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 84: 3, 4, 5-6, 8, 11 Holy Gospel: John 2:13-22 Holy Gospel 13 As the Passover of the Jews was at hand, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the Temple court he found merchants selling oxen, sheep and doves, and money-changers seated at their tables. 15 Making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the Temple court, together with the oxen and sheep. He knocked over the tables of the money-changers, scattering the coins, 16 and ordered the people sell­ing doves, “Take all this away and stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” 17 His disciples recalled the words of Scripture: Zeal for your House devours me as a fire. 18 The Jews then questioned Jesus, “Where are the miraculous signs which give you the right to do this?” 19 And Jesus said, “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then replied, “The building of this temple has already taken forty-six years, and you will raise it up i

First Reading: Wisdom 2: 23-3:9 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 34: 2-3, 16-17, 18-19 Holy Gospel: Luke 17: 7-10 Holy Gospel 7 Who among you would say to your servant coming in from the fields after plowing or tending sheep: ‘Come at once and sit down at table’? 8 No, you tell him: ‘Prepare my dinner. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink; you can eat and drink afterwards.’ 9 Do you thank this servant for doing what you commanded? 10 So for you. When you have done all that you have been told to do, you must say: ‘We are no more than servants; we have only done our duty.’ First Reading 23 Indeed God created man to be immortal in the likeness of his own nature, 24 but the envy of the devil brought death to the world, and those who take his side shall experience death. 3.1 The souls of the just are in  the hands of God and no torment shall touch them. 2 In the eyes of the unwise they appear to be dead. Their going is held as a disaster; 3 it seems that they lose everything by

First Reading: Wisdom 1: 1-7 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139: 1-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10 Holy Gospel: Luke 17:1-6 Holy Gospel 1 Jesus said to his disciples, “Scandals will necessarily come and cause people to fall; but woe to the one who has brought it about. 2 It would be better for that one to be thrown into the sea with a millstone around the neck. Truly this would be better for that person than to cause one of these little ones to fall. 3 Be careful. If your brother offends you, rebuke him and if he is sorry, forgive him. 4 And if he offends you seven times in a day but says to you seven times: ‘I’m sorry,’ forgive him.” 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” And the Lord said, 6 “If you have faith even the size of a mustard seed, you may say to this tree: ‘Be uprooted and plant yourself in the sea,’ and it will obey you. First Reading 1 Love justice, you who rule  over the world. Think rightly of God, seek him with simplicity of heart, 2 for he reveals himself to those who

First Reading: Wisdom 6:12-16 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Holy Gospel: Mt 25:1-13 Holy Gospel: 1 This story throws light on what will happen in the king­dom of heaven. Ten bridesmaids went out with their lamps to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were careless while the others were sensible. 3 The careless bridesmaids took their lamps as they were and did not bring extra oil. 4 But those who were sensible, brought with their lamps flasks of oil. 5 As the bridegroom delayed, they all grew drowsy and fell asleep. 6 But at midnight, a cry rang out: ‘The bridegroom is here, come out and meet him!’ 7 All the maidens woke up at once and trimmed their lamps. 8 Then the careless ones said to the sensible ones: ‘Give us some oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 The sensible ones answered: ‘There may not be enough for both you and us. You had better go to those who sell and buy for yourselves.’ 10 They were out buying oil when the brid

First Reading: Romans 16: 3-9, 16, 22-27 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145: 2-3, 4-5, 10-11 Holy Gospel: Luke 16:9-15 Holy Gospel: 9 And so I tell you: use filthy money to make friends for yourselves, so that when it fails, these people may welcome you into the eternal homes. 10 Whoever can be trusted in little things can also be trusted in great ones; whoever is dishonest in slight matters will also be dishonest in greater ones. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling filthy money, who could entrust you with true wealth? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with things that are not really yours, who will give you the wealth which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters. Either he does not like the one and is fond of the other, or he regards one highly and the other with contempt. You cannot give yourself both to God and to Money.” 14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and sneered at Jesus. 15 He said to them, “You do your best to be considered righteous

First Reading: Romans 15: 14-21 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 98: 1, 2-3, 3-4 Holy Gospel: Luke 16: 1-8 Holy Gospel: 1 At another time Jesus told his disciples, “There was a rich man whose steward was reported to him for fraudulent ser­vice. 2 He summoned the steward and asked him: ‘What is this I hear about you? I want you to render an account of your service for it is about to be terminated.’ 3 The steward thought to himself: ‘What am I to do now? My master will surely dismiss me. I am not strong enough to do hard work, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I will do: I must make sure that when I am dismissed, there will be some people to welcome me into their house.’ 5 So he called his master’s debtors one by one. He asked the first who came: ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 The reply was: ‘A hun­dred jars of oil.’ The steward said: ‘Here is your bill. Sit down quickly and write there fifty.’ 7 To the second he put the same question: ‘How much do you owe?’ The answer was: ‘A hundred

First Reading: Romans 14: 7-12 Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27: 1-4, 13-14 Holy Gospel: Luke 15: 1-10 Holy Gospel: 1 Meanwhile tax collectors and sinners were seeking the company of Jesus, all of them eager to hear what he had to say. 2 But the Pharisees and the scribes frowned at this, mut­tering. “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 So Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Who among you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, will not leave the ninety nine in the wilderness and seek out the lost one till he finds it? 5 And finding it, will he not joyfully carry it home on his shoulders? 6 Then he will call his friends and neighbors together and say: ‘Celebrate with me for I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you, just so, there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one repentant sinner than over ninety nine upright who do not need to repent. 8 What woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one, will not light a lamp and sweep the house in a thorough search till she