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  The Sermon on the Mount Carl Heinrich Bloch [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel  Matthew 5:17-37  ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India)     Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfil them.   For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.   Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.   For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. “You have heard that it was said to those

  Jesus gives the Beatitudes from  The Chosen Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 5:1-12a [or 4:12-17]  ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India)     Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom o

  Joseph's Dream Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] An angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt (Mt 2:13) . Feast of the Holy Innocents, Martyrs 28 December Gospel   Matthew 2:13-18 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) Now when the wise men had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”   And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt   and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time tha

  St John the Baptist Preaching Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,   “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”  (Matthew 3:1; today's Gospel). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Matthew 3:1-12 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,   “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”   For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord;     make his paths straight.’” Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they wer

   Return of the Prodigal Son Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings  (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)   Gospel   Luke 15:1-32 [Shorter form 15:1-10]( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) . Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Jesus.   And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So he told them this parable:   “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?   And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.   And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’   Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven o

The Apostle Paul in Prison Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Yet for love's sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus . . .  (Philemon 9; Second Reading). Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)   Gospel   Luke 14:25-33 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) . Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them,   “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.   Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.   For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?   Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begi

  Young Jew as Christ Rembrandt [ Web Gallery of Art ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 14:1, 7-14 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) . One Sabbath,  when Jesus went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honour, saying to them,   “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honour, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him,   and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person’, and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.   But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be

Blessed Margaret Ball and Blessed Francis Taylor St Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Dublin [ Wikipedia ;  photo ] Readings   (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, India [optional], Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa) Readings   (New American Bible: Philippines, USA) Gospel   Luke 12:49-53 ( English Standard Version Anglicised: India) . Jesus said to his disciples: “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!   I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!   Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.   For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.   They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”   Léachtaí i nGaeilge  Jeremiah Lament