Daily Bible Readings

September 13, 2011
1st READING

St. Paul describes the qualities that should be evident in the leaders of the Church, whether they be bishops, priests, deacons or virgins. It is not wealth, talents, or intelligence that are the main qualities but virtues and nobleness of character. Serious moral faults not only soil the name of the Church in the eyes of unbelievers but make the ministers ineffective to bring about the Kingdom of God. Let us pray for all those who minister in the Catholic Church so that, through their lives, they may give a wholesome witness to the Gospel.

1 Timothy 3:1-13
1 Beloved: this saying is trustworthy: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. 2 Therefore, a bishop must be irreproachable, married only once, temperate, self-controlled, decent, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not aggressive, but gentle, not contentious, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, keeping his children under control with perfect dignity; 5 for if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of the church of God? 6 He should not be a recent convert, so that he may not become
conceited and thus incur the devil’s punishment. 7 He must also have a good reputation among outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, the devil’s trap. 8 Similarly, deacons must be dignified, not deceitful, not addicted to drink, not greedy for sordid gain, 9 holding fast to the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. 10 Moreover, they should be tested first; then, if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons. 11 Women, similarly, should be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in everything. 12 Deacons may be married only once and must manage their children and their households well. 13 Thus those who serve well as deacons gain good standing and much confidence in their faith in Christ Jesus.

P S A L M

Psalms 101:1-2, 2-3, 5, 6
R: I will walk with blameless heart.
1 Of mercy and judgment I will sing; to you, O LORD, I will sing praise. 2 I will persevere in the way of integrity; when will you come to me? (R) I will walk in the blameless heart, within my house; 3 I will not set before my eyes any base thing. (R) 5 Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I destroy. The man of haughty eyes and puffed-up heart I will not endure. (R) 6 My eyes are upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in the way of integrity shall be in my service. (R)

G O S P E L

In Papua New Guinea, where I worked for five years, I saw two rivers join — one very large and powerful and its water pure, the other one smaller with muddy water. As they joined, the powerful river swallowed up the muddy river and made it clean. In this story of Jesus raising the boy in Nain, we see one river, Christ and His Kingdom, joining to the other river, the procession of death. Jesus’ river swallows up the other and transforms it into life.
Jeremiah 27-30
ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

Luke 7:11-17
11 Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.” 17 This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

my reflections
think: Let us pray for all those who minister in the Catholic Church so that, through their lives, they may give a wholesome witness to the Gospel.

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Jeremiah 27-30