September 3, 2013

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Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church 
Lectionary: 432

Reading 11 THES 5:1-6, 9-11

Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters,

you have no need for anything to be written to you.

For you yourselves know very well

that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night.

When people are saying, “Peace and security,”

then sudden disaster comes upon them,

like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,

and they will not escape.

Always be vigilant and keep the Commandments.  Pleasing God in all you do.  Otherwise, the end will catch you unprepared and all will be lost.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,

for that day to overtake you like a thief.

For all of you are children of the light

and children of the day.

We are not of the night or of darkness.

Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,

but let us stay alert and sober.

For God did not destine us for wrath,

but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep

we may live together with him.

Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up,

as indeed you do.

But we are Christian and live for Christ.  Therefore, let us be awake and aware of all which we do.  Let us live in the light and live according to the light.  Doing good and persevering to the end.

Responsorial PsalmPS 27:1, 4, 13-14

R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

The land of the living is heaven.  And it is in heaven that our tears will be wiped away.  But in this life, we will have trouble.  Therefore, let us lean closer to God and rely upon His grace to give us strength to persevere in good works until the end.

GospelLK 4:31-37

Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee.
He taught them on the sabbath,
and they were astonished at his teaching
because he spoke with authority.

Jesus spoke to the people of Galilee with great authority.  And they were surprised.  

In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon,
and he cried out in a loud voice,
“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”

There in the Temple, a man possessed by a demon spoke and identified Jesus as the Son of God.

Jesus rebuked him and said, “Be quiet! Come out of him!”

And Jesus ordered the demon to be quiet and to come out of the man.

Then the demon threw the man down in front of them
and came out of him without doing him any harm.

And the demon obeyed God and came out of the man.

They were all amazed and said to one another,
“What is there about his word?
For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits,
and they come out.”
And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region.

And they were all amazed that He even had authority over the demons!