MONDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2020 
“Sometimes we human beings believe that we are the masters of everything, or on the contrary, we lose all self-esteem, we go from one side to the other. Prayer helps us to find the right dimension in our relationship with God, our Father, and with all creation. And Jesus’ prayer, in the end, means delivering oneself into the hands of the Father, like Jesus in the olive grove, in that anguish: “Father, if it is possible … but may your will be done.” Delivering oneself into the hands of the Father. It is beautiful, when we are agitated, a bit worried, and the Holy Spirit transforms us from within and leads us to this surrendering into the hands of the Father: “Father, let your will be done.””
Pope Francis 
Monday of the Thirty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time 
           
Psalm 24
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him, that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2020 
“Everything always begins with grace, not with our own efforts – with the grace of God, who is a Father and has given us so many good things, entrusting different talents to each of us.  We possess a great wealth that depends not on what we possess but on what we are: the life we have received, the good within us, the indelible beauty God has given us by making us in his image… All these things make each of us precious in his eyes, each one of us is priceless and unique in history!  This is how God looks at us, how God feels towards us.”
Pope Francis 

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
 Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.

The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2020 
“For if goodness is not invested, it is lost, and the grandeur of our lives is not measured by how much we save but by the fruit we bear. How many people spend their lives simply accumulating possessions, concerned only about the good life and not the good they can do. Yet how empty is a life centred on our needs and blind to the needs of others! The reason we have gifts is so that we can be gifts for others. And here, brothers and sisters, we should ask ourselves the question: do I only follow my own needs, or am I able to look to the needs of others, to whoever is in need? Are my hands open, or are they closed?”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary               
Psalm 144
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
My mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2020 
“Those who pray do not escape from the world, but prefer deserted places. There, in silence, many voices can emerge that we hide in our innermost selves: the most repressed desires, the truths that we insist on suffocating, and so on. And, above all, in silence God speaks. Every person needs a space for him or herself, somewhere to cultivate their interior life, where actions find meaning again. Without an interior life we become superficial, agitated, and anxious — how anxiety harms us! This is why we must turn to prayer; without an interior life we flee from reality, and we also flee from ourselves, we are men and women always on the run.”
Pope Francis 

              Friday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time               
Psalm 119
How sweet to my taste is your promise!
In the way of your decrees I rejoice,
as much as in all riches.
How sweet to my taste is your promise!
Yes, your decrees are my delight;
 they are my counselors.
How sweet to my taste is your promise!
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
How sweet to my taste is your promise!
How sweet to my palate are your promises,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
How sweet to my taste is your promise!
Your decrees are my inheritance forever;
the joy of my heart they are.
How sweet to my taste is your promise!
I gasp with open mouth
in my yearning for your commands.

How sweet to my taste is your promise!

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2020 
“A day lived without prayer risks being transformed into a bothersome or tedious experience. Everything that happens to us could turn into a badly endured and blind fate for us…Prayer is primarily listening and encountering God. The problems of everyday life, then, do not become obstacles, but appeals from God himself to listen to and encounter those who are in front of us. The trials of life thus change into opportunities to grow in faith and charity. The daily journey, including hardships, acquires the perspective of a “vocation.” Prayer has the power to transform into good what in life would otherwise be a sentence; prayer has the power to open the mind to a great horizon and to broaden the heart.”
Pope Francis 

              Thursday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time               
Psalm 149
The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God.

Sing to the LORD a new song
of praise in the assembly of the faithful.
Let Israel be glad in their maker,
let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.
The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God.

Let them praise his name in the festive dance,
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD loves his people,
and he adorns the lowly with victory.
The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God.

Let the faithful exult in glory;
let them sing for joy upon their couches;
Let the high praises of God be in their throats.
This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.

The Lamb has made us a kingdom of priests to serve our God.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2020 
“As the apostle Paul says, the faith that truly unites us to Jesus is, “faith working through love” (Gal 5:6)… Being wise and prudent means not waiting until the last moment to correspond to God’s grace, but to do so actively and immediately, starting right now. “I… yes, I will convert soon”… “Convert today! Change your life today!” “Yes, yes, tomorrow.” And the same thing is said tomorrow, and so it never arrives. Today! If we want to be ready for the final encounter with the Lord, we must cooperate with Him now and perform good deeds inspired by His love.”
Pope Francis 

Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time               
Psalm 150
Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise the LORD in his sanctuary,
praise him in the firmament of his strength.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his sovereign majesty.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
praise him with lyre and harp,
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipe.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with sounding cymbals,
praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
praise the LORD! Alleluia.
Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2020 
“During his public life, Jesus constantly availed himself of the power of prayer. The Gospels show this to us when he retired to secluded places to pray. These are sober and discreet observations that allow us only to imagine those prayerful dialogues. They clearly demonstrate, however, that even at times of greater dedication to the poor and the sick, Jesus never neglected his intimate dialogue with the Father. The more he was immersed in the needs of the people, the more he felt the need to repose in the Trinitarian Communion, to return to the Father and the Spirit.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, Religious               
Psalm 15
I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 16, 2020 
“Dear brothers and sisters, let us rediscover Jesus Christ as a teacher of prayer in the Gospel and place ourselves in his school.  I assure you that we will find joy and peace.”
Pope Francis 

Monday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time                
Psalm 1
Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.

Those who are victorious I will feed from the tree of life.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 15, 2020 
“If we allow ourselves to be guided by what seems most attractive to us, of what we like, by the search for our interests, our life becomes sterile; we do not accumulate any reserve of oil for our lamp, and it will be extinguished before the Lord’s coming. We must live today, but a today that goes towards tomorrow, towards that coming, a present full of hope…The Lord will be able to come even while we are sleeping: this will not worry us, because we have the reserve of oil accumulated through our daily good works, accumulated with that expectation of the Lord, that He may come as soon as possible and that He may come to take us with Him.”
Pope Francis 

Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time               
Psalm 128
Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2020 
“We must be very attentive to the prescriptions of the authorities, both the political authorities and health authorities, in order to protect ourselves against this pandemic. Let us offer to the Lord this distance between us, for the good of all, and let us think, let us think a lot about the sick, about those who are already marginalized when they enter the hospitals; let us think about the doctors, the nurses, the volunteers, the many people who work with the sick at this time: they risk their life but they do so out of love for their neighbour, as a vocation. Let us pray for them.”
Pope Francis 

              Saturday of the Thirty-second Week in Ordinary Time               
Psalm 112
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

Wealth and riches shall be in his house;
his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious and merciful and just.
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.

Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 13, 2020 
““Hope does not disappoint” (Rom 5:5), Paul told us.  Hope draws us and gives meaning to our life.  I do not see the afterlife, but hope is God’s gift that draws us toward life, toward eternal joy.  Hope is an anchor that we have from the other side, and we, grasping the rope, sustain ourselves (cf. Heb 6:18-19).  ‘I know that my Redeemer lives, and I shall see him’. And repeat this in times of joy and in bad times, in times of death, let us say this.  This certitude is a gift of God, because we can never have hope by our own efforts.  We must ask for it. Hope is a freely given gift that we never deserve: it is given; it is offered. It is grace.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, virgin               
Psalm 119
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD.
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Blessed are they who observe his decrees,
who seek him with all their heart.
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
 With all my heart I seek you;
let me not stray from your commands.
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Within my heart I treasure your promise,
that I may not sin against you.
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Be good to your servant, that I may live
and keep your words.
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!
Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.
Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 12, 2020 
“If during an evening of prayer we feel sluggish and empty, if it seems to us that life has been completely useless, we must at that moment beg that Jesus’ prayer also become our own.  “I cannot pray today, I don’t know what to do: I don’t feel like it, I am unworthy”.  In that moment, it is necessary to entrust ourselves to him so that he may pray for us, In this moment he is before the Father, praying for us; he is the intercessor; he shows the wounds to the Father, for us.  Let us trust in this!  If we are trustful, we will then hear a voice from heaven, louder than the voice rising from the depths of ourselves, and we will hear this voice whispering words of tenderness: “You are God’s beloved, you are a son, you are the joy of the Father in heaven.””
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr                
Psalm 146
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.

The LORD secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.

The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.

The fatherless and the widow he sustains,
but the way of the wicked he thwarts.
The LORD shall reign forever;
your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 11, 2020 
“To all believers, and to men and women of good will, we say: let us become creative artisans of peace, let us build social friendship, let us make our own the culture of dialogue.  Honest, persistent and courageous dialogue is the antidote to distrust, division and violence. Dialogue dismantles at the outset the arguments for wars that destroy the fraternity to which our human family is called.  No one can feel exempted from this. All of us have a shared responsibility.  All of us need to forgive and to be forgiven. The injustices of the world and of history are not healed by hatred and revenge, but by dialogue and forgiveness.  May God inspire in us a commitment to these ideals and to the journey that we are making together.  May he touch every heart and make us heralds of peace.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, Bishop               
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 10, 2020 
““Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased” (v. 22).  This simple phrase encloses an immense treasure; it enables us to intuit something of Jesus’ ministry and of his heart, always turned to the Father.  In the whirlwind of life and the world that will come to condemn him, even in the hardest and most sorrowful experiences he will have to endure, even when he experiences that he has no place to lay his head (cf. Mt 8:20), even when hatred and persecution are unleashed around him, Jesus is never without the refuge of a dwelling place: he dwells eternally in the Father.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church               
Psalm 37
The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.
The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
The LORD watches over the lives of the wholehearted;
their inheritance lasts forever.
By the LORD are the steps of a man made firm,
and he approves his way.
The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
The just shall possess the land
and dwell in it forever.
The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 9, 2020 
“Artificial intelligence is at the heart of the epochal change we are experiencing.  Robotics can make a better world possible if it is joined to the common good.  Indeed, if technological progress increases inequalities, it is not true progress.  Future advances should be oriented towards respecting the dignity of the person and of Creation.  Let us pray that the progress of robotics and artificial intelligence may always serve humankind… we could say, may it “be human.””
Pope Francis

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome               
Psalm 46
The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn
The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 8, 2020 
“Jesus is not a distant God, and he cannot be so. Incarnation revealed him in a complete and humanly unthinkable way.  Thus, inaugurating his mission, Jesus places himself at the forefront of a people of penitents, as if charging himself with opening a breach through which all of us, after him, must have the courage to pass. However, the road, the journey, is difficult; but he goes ahead, opening the way.”
Pope Francis 

               Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time               
Psalm 63
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my soul thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory,
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorify you.
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
I will remember you upon my couch,
and through the night-watches I will meditate on you:
You are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 7, 2020 
“Wars and peace, pandemics and health care, hunger and access to food, global warming and sustainable development, the displacement of populations, the elimination of nuclear threats and the reduction of inequalities: these are not matters that concern individual nations alone. We understand this better nowadays, in a world that is amply connected, yet often lacks a sense of fraternity.  All of us are brothers and sisters! Let us pray to the Most High that, after this time of trial, there may no longer be “others”, but rather, a great “we”, rich in diversity.  The time has come to boldly dream anew that peace is possible, that it is necessary, that a world without war is not utopian.”
Pope Francis 

Saturday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time               
Psalm 112
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commands.
His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;
the upright generation shall be blessed.
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice;
He shall never be moved;
the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

His heart is steadfast; he shall not fear.
Lavishly he gives to the poor;
his generosity shall endure forever;
his horn shall be exalted in glory
Blessed the man who fears the Lord.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6, 2020 
“The words Jesus spoke to Peter are incisive and full of wisdom: “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword” (Mt 26:52). Those who wield the sword, possibly in the belief that it will resolve difficult situations quickly, will know in their own lives, the lives of their loved ones and the lives of their countries, the death brought by the sword. “Enough!” says Jesus (Lk 22:38), when his disciples produce two swords before the Passion. “Enough!” That is his unambiguous response to any form of violence. That single word of Jesus echoes through the centuries and reaches us forcefully in our own time: enough of swords, weapons, violence and war!”
Pope Francis 

Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time               
Psalm 122
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2020 
“Believers have understood that religious differences do not justify indifference or enmity.  Rather, on the basis of our religious faith we are enabled to become peacemakers, rather than standing passively before the evil of war and hatred.  Religions stand at the service of peace and fraternity… Today the sufferings of war are aggravated by the suffering caused by the coronavirus and the impossibility, in many countries, of access to necessary care.”
Pope Francis 

Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time              
Psalm 105
Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.

Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.

Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.

You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
Let hearts rejoice who search for the Lord.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2020 
“We need to look at our cities with a contemplative gaze, a gaze of faith which sees God dwelling in homes, on the streets and squares.  This presence must be found, discovered.  God does not hide himself from those who seek him with a sincere heart.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop              
Psalm 27
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
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?
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
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.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
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.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2020 
“What is counted loss in the eyes of the world is, for us, salvation. May we learn from the Lord, who saved us by emptying himself (cf. Phil 2:7) and becoming other: from being God, he became man; from spirit, he became flesh; from a king, he became a slave. He asks us to do the same, to humble ourselves, to “become other” in order to reach out to others. The closer we become to the Lord Jesus, the more we will be open and “universal”, since we will feel responsible for others. And others will become the means of our own salvation: all others, every human person, whatever his or her history and beliefs. Beginning with the poor, who are those most like Christ.”
Pope Francis 

Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time              
Psalm 22
I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.
The lowly shall eat their fill;   
they who seek the LORD shall praise him:
“May your hearts be ever merry!”
 I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
All the ends of the earth
shall remember and turn to the LORD;
All the families of the nations
shall bow down before him.
I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
For dominion is the LORD’s,
 and he rules the nations.
To him alone shall bow down
all who sleep in the earth.
 I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.
To him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.

Let the coming generation be told of the LORD
that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born
the justice he has shown.
 I will praise you, Lord, in the assembly of your people.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 2, 2020 
“Let us look upon the crucified God and ask him to grant us the grace to be more united and more fraternal.  When we are tempted to follow the way of this world, may we be reminded of Jesus's words: “Whoever would save his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for my sake and the Gospel’s will save it” (Mk 8:35).”
Pope Francis 

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)              
Psalm 23
Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
He guides me in right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2020 
“Dear brothers and sisters, Calvary was the site of a great “duel” between God, who came to save us, and man, who wants to save only himself; between faith in God and worship of self; between man who accuses and God who excuses. I n the end, God's victory was revealed; his mercy came down upon the earth. From the cross forgiveness poured forth and fraternal love was reborn… Jesus’ arms, outstretched on the cross, mark the turning point, for God points a finger at no one, but instead embraces all.  For love alone extinguishes hatred, love alone can ultimately triumph over injustice. Love alone makes room for others.  Love alone is the path towards full communion among us.”
Pope Francis 

Solemnity of All Saints              
Psalm 24
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 30, 2020 
“Sometimes we too prefer a wonder-working god to one who is compassionate, a god powerful in the eyes of the world, who shows his might and scatters those who wish us ill.  But this is not God, but our own creation.  How often do we want a god in our own image, rather than to become conformed to his own image.  We want a god like ourselves, rather than becoming ourselves like God.  In this way, we prefer the worship of ourselves to the worship of God.  Such worship is nurtured and grows through indifference toward others.”
Pope Francis 

Friday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time              
Psalm 111
How great are the works of the Lord!
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
How great are the works of the Lord!
Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
How great are the works of the Lord!
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
How great are the works of the Lord!

THURSDAY OCTOBER 29, 2020 
“At the supreme moment of His sufferings and love, many of those present cruelly taunted Him with the words: “Save yourself!” (Mk 15:30). This is a great temptation. It spares no one, including us Christians. The temptation to think only of saving ourselves and our own circle. To focus only on our own problems and interests, as if nothing else mattered.  It is a very human instinct, but wrong. It was the final temptation of the crucified God.”
Pope Francis 

Thursday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time              
Psalm 144
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war.
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
My mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust,
who subdues my people under me.
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
O God, I will sing a new song to you;
with a ten-stringed lyre I will chant your praise,
You who give victory to kings,
and deliver David, your servant from the evil sword.
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28, 2020 
“May Mary Most Holy help us all to flee from all hypocrisy and to be honest and constructive citizens.  And may she sustain us disciples of Christ in the mission to bear witness that God is the centre and the meaning of life.”
Pope Francis 

              Wednesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time              
Psalm 19
Their message goes out through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
Their message goes out through all the earth.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
Their message goes out through all the earth.  

TUESDAY OCTOBER 27, 2020 
“It is necessary to affirm God’s primacy in human life and in history, respecting God’s right over all that belongs to him.  Hence the mission of the Church and Christians: to speak of God and bear witness to him to the men and women of our time.  Every one of us, by Baptism, is called to be a living presence in society, inspiring it with the Gospel and with the lifeblood of the Holy Spirit.  It is a question of committing oneself with humility, and at the same time with courage, making one's own contribution to building the civilization of love, where justice and fraternity reign.”
Pope Francis 

Tuesday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time              
Psalm 128
Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

MONDAY OCTOBER 26, 2020 
“The worst thing that can happen is to suffer in abandonment, without being remembered. From this prayer saves us. Because it can happen, and even often, that we do not understand God’s plans. But our cries do not stagnate down here: they rise up to Him, He who has the heart of a Father, and who cries Himself for every son and daughter who suffers and dies. I will tell you something: it is good for me, in difficult moments, to think of Jesus weeping; when He wept looking at Jerusalem, when He wept before Lazarus’ tomb. God has wept for me, God weeps, He weeps for our sorrows… To think that Jesus weeps with me in sorrow is a consolation: it helps us keep going. If we maintain our relationship with Him, life does not spare us suffering, but we open up to a great horizon of goodness and set out towards its fulfilment. Take courage, persevere in prayer. Jesus is always by our side.”
Pope Francis 

Monday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time              
Psalm 1
Behave like God as his very dear children.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
Behave like God as his very dear children.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Behave like God as his very dear children.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.

Behave like God as his very dear children.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 25, 2020 
“As we read and reread the Psalms, we learn the language of prayer.  God the Father, indeed, with His Spirit, inspired them in the heart of King David and others who prayed, in order to teach every man and woman how to praise Him, how to thank Him and to supplicate; how to invoke Him in joy and in suffering, and how to recount the wonders of His works and of His Law. In short, the Psalms are the word of God that we human beings use to speak with Him.”
Pope Francis 

              Thirtieth Sunday in Ordinary Time            
Psalm 18
I love you, Lord, my strength
I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.
I love you, Lord, my strength
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.
I love you, Lord, my strength
The LORD lives and blessed be my rock!
Extolled be God my savior.
You who gave great victories to your king
and showed kindness to your anointed.
I love you, Lord, my strength

SATURDAY OCTOBER 24, 2020 
““The Lord listens”: sometimes in prayer it is enough to know this. Problems are not always solved. Those who pray are not deluded: they know that many questions of life down here remain unresolved, with no way out; suffering will accompany us and, after one battle, others will await us. But if we are listened to, everything becomes more bearable”
Pope Francis 

Saturday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time           
Psalm 122
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
I rejoiced because they said to me,
“We will go up to the house of the LORD.”
And now we have set foot
within your gates, O Jerusalem.
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
Jerusalem, built as a city
with compact unity.
To it the tribes go up,
the tribes of the LORD.
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
According to the decree for Israel,
to give thanks to the name of the LORD.
In it are set up judgment seats,
seats for the house of David.
Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord. 

FRIDAY OCTOBER 23, 2020 
“The existence of each human being is but a breath, his or her story is fleeting, but the prayerful know that they are precious in the eyes of God, and so it makes sense to cry out.  And this is important.  When we pray, we do so because we know we are precious in God’s eyes.  It is the grace of the Holy Spirit that, from within, inspires in us this awareness: of being precious in the eyes of God.  And this is why we are moved to pray.”
Pope Francis 

Friday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time           
Psalm 24
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart  is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 22, 2020 
“The Psalms are not texts created on paper; they are invocations, often dramatic, that spring from lived existence.  To pray them it is enough for us to be what we are.  We must not forget that to pray well we must pray as we are, without embellishment.  One must not embellish the soul to pray. “Lord, I am like this,” and go in front of the Lord as we are, with the good things and also with the bad things that no-one knows about, but that we inwardly know.  In the Psalms we hear the voices of men and women of prayer in flesh and blood, whose life, like that of us all, is fraught with problems, hardships and uncertainties.  The Psalmist does not radically contest this suffering: he knows that it is part of living...”
Pope Francis 

Thursday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time           
Psalm 33
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.
But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of  famine.

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. 

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 21, 2020 
““Until when, Lord? Until when?” Every suffering calls for liberation, every tear calls for consolation, every wound awaits healing, every slander a sentence of absolution. “Until when, Lord, must I suffer this? Listen to me, Lord!” How many times we have prayed like this, with “Until when?”, enough now, Lord!”
Pope Francis 

Wednesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time           
Isaiah 12

You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
God indeed is my savior;
I am confident and unafraid.
My strength and my courage is the LORD,
and he has been my savior.
With joy you will draw water
at the fountain of salvation.
You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;
among the nations make known his deeds,
proclaim how exalted is his name.
You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation.
Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;
let this be known throughout all the earth.
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,
for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel!
You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation. 

TUESDAY OCTOBER 20, 2020 
““Here I am, send me. Weavers of fraternity.”  It is beautiful, this word “weavers”: every Christian is called to be a weaver of fraternity. Missionaries and missionaries – priests, consecrated men and women, and lay people – who sow the Gospel in the great field of the world, are especially so.  Let us pray for them and give them our practical support.”
Pope Francis 

Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time           
Psalm 85
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD–for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2020 
“As we read the Bible, we continually come across prayers of various types. But we also find a book made up solely of prayers, a book that has become the native land, gymnasium and home of countless men and women of prayer. It is the Book of Psalms. There are 150 Psalms to pray.  It forms part of the books of wisdom, because it communicates “knowing how to pray” through the experience of dialogue with God. In the Psalms we find all human sentiments: the joys, the sorrows, the doubts, the hopes, the bitterness that colour our lives.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saints John de Brébeuf and Isaac Jogues, Priests, and Companions, Martyrs           
Psalm 100
The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Sing joyfully to the LORD all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise.
The Lord made us, we belong to him.
Give thanks to him; bless his name, for he is good:
the LORD, whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations.
The Lord made us, we belong to him.

OCTOBER 18, 2020 
“No one is excluded from the house of God… God even calls those who are bad. “No, I am bad; I have done many [bad things]..”. He calls you: “Come, come, come!”… God is not afraid of our spirits wounded by many cruelties, because he loves us; he invites us. And the Church is called to reach the daily thoroughfares, that is, the geographic and existential peripheries of humanity, those places at the margins, those situations in which those who have set up camp are found where and hopeless remnants of humanity live. It is a matter of not settling for comforts and the customary ways of evangelization and witnessing to charity, but of opening the doors of our hearts and our communities to everyone, because the Gospel is not reserved to a select few.”
Pope Francis 

Twenty-ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time           
Psalm 96
Give the Lord glory and honor
Sing to the LORD a new song;
sing to the LORD, all you lands.
Tell his glory among the nations;
among all peoples, his wondrous deeds.
Give the Lord glory and honor
For great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
awesome is he, beyond all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are things of nought,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Give the Lord glory and honor
Give to the LORD, you families of nations,
give to the LORD glory and praise;
give to the LORD the glory due his name!
Bring gifts, and enter his courts.
Give the Lord glory and honor
Worship the LORD, in holy attire;
tremble before him, all the earth;
say among the nations: The LORD is king,
he governs the peoples with equity.

Give the Lord glory and honor

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2020 
“Without grace we cannot take a step forward in Christian life.  Everything is grace.  It is not enough to accept the invitation to follow the Lord; one must be open to a journey of conversion, which changes the heart.  The garment of mercy, which God offers us unceasingly, is the free gift of his love; it is precisely grace.  And it demands to be welcomed with astonishment and joy: “Thank you, Lord, for having given me this gift.””
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Antioch, Bishop and Martyr          
Psalm 8
You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
O LORD, our LORD,
how glorious is your name over all the earth!
You have exalted your majesty above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings
you have fashioned praise because of your foes.
You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place—
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
 putting all things under his feet
You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 16, 2020 
“Even those on the margins, even those who are rejected and scorned by society, are considered by God to be worthy of his love. He prepares his banquet for everyone: the just and sinners, good and bad, intelligent and uneducated.”
Pope Francis 

Friday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time        
Psalm 33
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Exult, you just, in the LORD;
praise from the upright is fitting.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down;
he sees all mankind.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 15, 2020 
“In the history of salvation, it was a woman who welcomed God’s Word. Women too kept alive the flame of faith in the dark night, awaiting and then proclaiming the Resurrection.  Women find deep and joyful fulfilment in precisely these two acts: welcoming and proclaiming.  They are the protagonists of a Church that goes forth, listening and caring for the needs of others, capable of fostering true processes of justice and bringing the warmth of a home to the various social environments where they find themselves.  Listening, reflection and loving activity: these are the elements of a joy ever renewed and shared with others through feminine insight, the care of creation, the gestation of a more just world, and the creation of a dialogue that respects and values differences.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church        
Psalm 98
The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
The Lord has made known his salvation.
Sing praise to the LORD with the harp,
with the harp and melodious song.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
sing joyfully before the King, the LORD.

The Lord has made known his salvation.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14, 2020 
“We pray that by the virtue of baptism, the laity, especially women, may participate more in areas of responsibility in the Church.  No one has been baptized a priest or a bishop.  We have all been baptized as lay people.  Lay people are protagonists of the Church.  Today, it is especially necessary to create broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church.  And we must emphasize the feminine lay presence because women tend to be left aside.  We must promote the integration of women, especially where important decisions are made.  We pray that by the virtue of baptism, the laity, especially women, may participate more in areas of responsibility in the Church, without falling into forms of clericalism that diminish the lay charism.”
Pope Francis 

Wednesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time        
Psalm 1

Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the LORD
and meditates on his law day and night.
Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the LORD watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life. 

TUESDAY OCTOBER 13, 2020 
“In the soul of those who pray, the sense of their own weakness is more precious than moments of exaltation, when it seems that life is a series of victories and successes. This always happens in prayer: moments of prayer that we feel lift us up, even of enthusiasm, and moments of prayer of pain, aridity, trial. This is what prayer is: letting ourselves be carried by God, and also letting ourselves be struck by unpleasant situations and even temptations.  This is a reality found in many other biblical vocations, even in the New Testament; think, for example, of St Peter and St Paul. Their lives were like this too: moments of exultation and moments of low spirits, of suffering.”
Pope Francis 

Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time        
Psalm 119
Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
Let your mercy come to me, O LORD,
your salvation according to your promise.
Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
Take not the word of truth from my mouth,
for in your ordinances is my hope.
Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
And I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever.
Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
And I will walk at liberty,
because I seek your precepts.
Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
And I will delight in your commands,
which I love.
Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.
And I will lift up my hands to your commands
and meditate on your statutes.

Let your mercy come to me, O Lord. 

MONDAY OCTOBER 12, 2020 
“In some evenings we can feel useless and lonely. It is then that prayer will come and knock on the door of our hearts… And even if we have done something wrong, or if we feel threatened and frightened, when we return before God with prayer, serenity and peace will return as if by miracle.”
Pope Francis 
Monday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time        
Psalm 113
Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
Praise, you servants of the LORD,
praise the name of the LORD.
Blessed be the name of the LORD
both now and forever.
Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
From the rising to the setting of the sun
is the name of the LORD to be praised.
High above all nations is the LORD;
above the heavens is his glory.
Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.
Who is like the LORD, our God,
who looks upon the heavens and the earth below?   
He raises up the lowly from the dust;
from the dunghill he lifts up the poor.
Blessed be the name of the Lord forever.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 11, 2020 
“What is true, noble, just, pure, lovable, honored; that which is virtue and deserves praise, may all this be the daily object of our commitment (cf. Phil 4,8).  I repeat: what is true, noble, just, pure, lovable, honored; what is virtue and deserves praise, may all this be the daily object of our commitment… In this way we will become a Church more and more rich in fruits of holiness, we will give glory to the Father who loves us with infinite tenderness, to the Son who continues to give us salvation, to the Spirit who opens our hearts and pushes us towards the fullness of good.”
Pope Francis 

Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time        
Psalm 23
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 10, 2020 
“Prayer is not about locking oneself up with the Lord to make one’s soul appear beautiful: no, this is not prayer, this is false prayer.  Prayer is a confrontation with God, and letting oneself be sent to serve one’s brothers and sisters.  The proof of prayer is the real love of one’s neighbour.  And vice versa: believers act in the world after having first kept silent and prayed; otherwise, their action is impulsive, it is devoid of discernment, it is rushing without a destination.  Believers behave in this way, they do so many injustices because they did not go to pray to the Lord first, to discern what they must do.”
Pope Francis 

Saturday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time         
Psalm 105
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 9, 2020 
“In any age, those who have an authority, any authority, even in the Church, in the people of God, can be tempted to do their own interests, instead of those of God himself. And Jesus says that true authority is when one does service, is in serving, not exploiting others. The vineyard belongs to the Lord, not ours. Authority is a service, and as such it must be exercised, for the good of all and for the spread of the Gospel.”
Pope Francis 

Friday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time         
Psalm 111
The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
Majesty and glory are his work,
and his justice endures forever.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
He has made known to his people the power of his works,
giving them the inheritance of the nations.
The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 8, 2020 
“Conversion, changing the heart, is a process, a process that purifies us from moral encrustations. And at times it is a painful process, because there is no path of holiness without some sacrifice and without a spiritual battle. Battling for good; battling so as not to fall into temptation; doing for our part what we can, to arrive at living in the peace and joy of the Beatitudes.”
Pope Francis 

Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time         
Luke 1
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; He has come to his people.

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 7, 2020 
“Conversion is a grace we must always ask for: “Lord, give me the grace to improve. Give me the grace to be a good Christian.”  May Mary Most Holy help us to be docile to the action of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who melts the hardness of hearts and disposes them to repentance, so we may obtain the life and salvation promised by Jesus.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary         
Psalm 117
Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations,
glorify him, all you peoples!
Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.

TUESDAY OCTOBER 6, 2020 
“Faith in God asks us to renew every day the choice of good over evil, the choice of the truth rather than lies, the choice of love for our neighbour over selfishness. Those who convert to this choice, after having experienced sin, will find the first places in the Kingdom of heaven, where there is greater joy for a single sinner who converts than for ninety-nine righteous people.”
Pope Francis 

Tuesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time        

Psalm 139

Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
My soul also you knew full well;
nor was my frame unknown to you
When I was made in secret,
when I was fashioned in the depths of the earth.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

MONDAY OCTOBER 5, 2020 
“God is patient with each of us: He does not tire, He does not desist after our “no”; He leaves us free even to distance ourselves from Him and to make mistakes.  Thinking about God's patience is wonderful!  How the Lord always waits for us; He is always beside us to help us; but He respects our freedom.   And He anxiously awaits our “yes”, so as to welcome us anew in His fatherly arms and to fill us with His boundless mercy.”
Pope Francis 

 Monday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time         
Psalm 111
The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

The works of his hands are faithful and just;
sure are all his precepts,
Reliable forever and ever,
wrought in truth and equity.
The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever.

The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 4, 2020 
“During the flight into Egypt, the child Jesus experienced with his parents the tragic fate of the displaced and refugees, which is marked by fear, uncertainty and unease.  Unfortunately, in our own times, millions of families can identify with this sad reality.  Almost every day the television and papers carry news of refugees fleeing from hunger, war and other grave dangers, in search of security and a dignified life for themselves and for their families.  In each of these people, forced to flee to safety, Jesus is present as he was at the time of Herod. In the faces of the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the sick, strangers and prisoners, we are called to see the face of Christ who pleads with us to help.  If we can recognize him in those faces, we will be the ones to thank him for having been able to meet, love and serve him in them.”
Pope Francis 

Twenty-seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time         
Psalm 80
The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
A vine from Egypt you transplanted;
you drove away the nations and planted it.
It put forth its foliage to the Sea,
its shoots as far as the River.
The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Why have you broken down its walls,
so that every passer-by plucks its fruit,
The boar from the forest lays it waste,
and the beasts of the field feed upon it?
The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Once again, O LORD of hosts,
look down from heaven, and see;
take care of this vine,
and protect what your right hand has planted
the son of man whom you yourself made strong.
The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Then we will no more withdraw from you;
give us new life, and we will call upon your name.
O LORD, God of hosts, restore us;
if your face shine upon us, then we shall be saved.
The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 3, 2020 
“With His preaching on the Kingdom of God, Jesus opposes a religiosity that does not involve human life, that does not question the conscience and its responsibility in the face of good and evil… Obedience does not consist of saying “yes" or “no”, but always of acting, of cultivating the vineyard, of bringing about the Kingdom of God, in doing good.”
Pope Francis
 

FRIDAY OCTOBER 2, 2020 
“Hope is audacious, and so, let us encourage one another to dream big. Brothers and sisters, let us learn to dream big!  Let us not be afraid to dream big, seeking the ideals of justice and social love that are born of hope.  Let us not try to rebuild the past — the past is the past New things await us.  The Lord promised: “I will make all things new.”  Let us encourage ourselves to dream big, seeking these ideals, let us not try to rebuild the past, especially the past that was unjust and already ill… Everyone can contribute, everyone has to contribute their share, their culture, their philosophy, their way of thinking — where beauty and the wealth of smaller groups, even those that are discarded, might flourish — because beauty is there too — and where those who have more dedicate themselves to service and give more to those who have less.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels        
Psalm 139

Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.

Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

THURSDAY OCTOBER 1, 2020 
“During the lockdown, the gesture of applauding doctors and nurses as a sign of encouragement and hope arose spontaneously. Many risked their lives and many gave their lives. Let us extend this applause to every member of the social body, to each and every one, for their precious contribution, no matter how small. “But what can that person over there do?” — “Listen to that person! Give the person space to work, consult him or her”. Let us applaud the “discarded”, those whom culture defines as “discarded” , this throw-away culture — that is, let us applaud the elderly, children, persons with disability; let us applaud workers, all those who dedicate themselves to service; everyone collaborating to emerge from the crisis.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church       
Psalm 27
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
You are my helper: cast me not off.
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.
I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 
“To emerge better from a crisis, the principle of subsidiarity must be implemented, respecting everyone’s autonomy and capacity to take initiative, especially that of the least. All the parts of a body are necessary, as Saint Paul says, those that may seem the weakest and least important, in reality are the most necessary.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church         
Psalm 88
Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
Daily I call upon you, O LORD;
to you I stretch out my hands.
Will you work wonders for the dead?
Will the shades arise to give you thanks?
Let my prayer come before you, Lord.
Do they declare your mercy in the grave,
your faithfulness among those who have perished?
Are your wonders made known in the darkness,
or your justice in the land of oblivion?
But I, O LORD, cry out to you;
with my morning prayer I wait upon you.
Why, O LORD, do you reject me;
why hide from me your face?
Let my prayer come before you, Lord.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 
“Everyone needs to have the possibility of assuming their own responsibility in the healing processes of the society of which they are a part.  When a project is launched that directly or indirectly touches certain social groups, these groups cannot be left out from participating — for example: “What do you do?” — “I go to work with the poor,” — “Beautiful.  And what do you do?” — “I teach the poor, I tell the poor what they have to do.”  No, this doesn’t work.  The first step is to allow the poor to tell you how they live, what they need: Let everyone speak!”
Pope Francis 

Feast of Saints  Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, archangels         
Psalm 138

In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart,
for you have heard the words of my mouth;
in the presence of the angels I will sing your praise;
I will worship at your holy temple
and give thanks to your name.
In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
Because of your kindness and your truth;
for you have made great above all things
your name and your promise.
When I called, you answered me;
you built up strength within me.
In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.
All the kings of the earth shall give thanks to you, O LORD
when they hear the words of your mouth;
And they shall sing of the ways of the LORD
“Great is the glory of the LORD
In the sight of the angels I will sing your praises, Lord.

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2020 
“God behaves like this: he does not look at the time and at the results, but at the availability; he looks at the generosity with which we put ourselves at his service…Everything is Grace. Our salvation is Grace.  Our holiness is Grace.  In giving us Grace, he bestows on us more than what we merit.  And so, those who reason using human logic, that is, the logic of the merits acquired through one’s own greatness, from being first, find themselves last… May Mary Most Holy help us to feel every day the joy and wonder of being called by God to work for him, in his field which is the world, in his vineyard which is the Church.  And to have as our only recompense his love, friendship with Jesus.”
Pope Francis 

Monday of the Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time         
Psalm 17
Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
Incline your ear to me and hear my word.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee
from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
Incline your ear to me and hear my word.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2020 
“God always goes out, in search of us; he is not closed up — God goes out. He continually seeks out people, because he does not want anyone to be excluded from his loving plan…Our communities are also called to go out to the various types of “boundaries” that there might be, to offer everyone the word of salvation that Jesus came to bring. It means being open to horizons in life that offer hope to those stationed on the existential peripheries, who have not yet experienced, or have lost, the strength and the light that comes with meeting Christ… It is true that when someone goes out there is the danger of getting into an accident. But better a Church that gets into accidents because she goes out to proclaim the Gospel, than a Church that is sick because she stays in. God always goes out because he is a Father, because he loves.”
Pope Francis 

Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time         
Psalm 25
Remember your mercies, O Lord
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
Remember your mercies, O Lord
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your love are from of old.
The sins of my youth and my frailties remember not;
in your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
Remember your mercies, O Lord
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
and teaches the humble his way.
Remember your mercies, O Lord

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 
“It is not easy to forgive, because in quiet moments one says: “Yes, this has done me all the colors but I too have done many. Better to forgive to be forgiven.” 

Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time         
Psalm 90
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight 
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You make an end of them in their sleep;
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades.
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on your servants!
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
And may the gracious care of the LORD our God be ours;
prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

But then the resentment returns, like an annoying summer fly that comes and goes and comes back ... Forgiving is not just a matter of a moment, it is a continuous thing against this rancor, this hatred that returns… We cannot expect God's forgiveness for ourselves if we do not in turn grant forgiveness to our neighbor.”
Pope Francis 

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2020 
“To emerge from a pandemic, we need to look after and care for each other.  And we must support those who care for the weakest, the sick and the elderly.  There is the tendency to cast the elderly aside, to abandon them: this is bad.  These people — well defined by the Spanish term cuidadores (caretakers), those who take care of the sick — play an essential role in today’s society, even if they often do not receive the recognition and recompense they deserve.  Caring is a golden rule of our nature as human beings, and brings with it health and. T aking care of those who are sick, of those who are in need, of those who are cast aside: this is a human and also Christian wealth.”
Pope Francis 

Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time         
Psalm 144
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
my mercy and my fortress,
my stronghold, my deliverer,
My shield, in whom I trust.
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!
LORD, what is man, that you notice him;
the son of man, that you take thought of him?
Man is like a breath;
his days, like a passing shadow.
Blessed be the Lord, my Rock!

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 
“It is necessary to apply merciful love in all human relationships: between spouses, between parents and children, within our communities, in the Church and also in society and politics.  “Remember the end and stop hating.”  Nice sentence!  Think about the end!  Do you think that you will be in a coffin ... and you will carry the hate there?  Think about the end, stop hating!  Stop the grudge.  Let's think of this very touching sentence: “Remember the end and stop hating.”
Pope Francis 

Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time         
Psalm 90

In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You make an end of them in their sleep;
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades.
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Teach us to number our days aright,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Return, O LORD!  How long?
Have pity on your servants!
In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Prosper the work of our hands for us!
Prosper the work of our hands!

In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2020 
“In the divine attitude justice is pervaded by mercy, while the human attitude is limited to justice. J esus exhorts us to open ourselves with courage to the power of forgiveness, because we know that not everything in life is resolved with justice.  There is a need for that merciful love… How much suffering, how many lacerations, how many wars could be avoided, if forgiveness and mercy were the style of our life!”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Pius of Pietrelcina, Priest        
Psalm 119

Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and favor me with your law.
Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Your word, O LORD, endures forever;
it is firm as the heavens.
Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
From every evil way I withhold my feet,
that I may keep your words.
Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Through your precepts I gain discernment;
therefore I hate every false way.
Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.
Falsehood I hate and abhor;
your law I love.
Your word, O Lord, is a lamp for my feet.

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2020 
“To contemplate is to gift oneself with time to be silent, to pray, to restore harmony, the healthy balance between head, heart and hands, between thought, feeling and action, to the soul.  Contemplation is the antidote to hasty, superficial and inconclusive choices.  Those who contemplate learn to feel the ground that sustains them, to understand that they are not alone and without meaning in the world.  They discover the tenderness of God’s gaze and understand that they are precious. Everyone is important in God’s eyes, everyone can transform a part of the world polluted by human voracity into the good reality willed by the Creator.  Those who know how to contemplate do not remain with their hands in their pockets, but instead find something tangible to do.”
Pope Francis 

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist       
Psalm 19
Their message goes out through all the earth.
The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
Their message goes out through all the earth.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
Their message goes out through all the earth.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 
“Certainly, to love everyone, including enemies, is difficult. I would say it is an art! But an art that can be learned and improved. True love that makes us fruitful and free is always expansive and inclusive. This love cares, heals and does good. Often, a caress does more good than many arguments, a caress of pardon instead of many arguments to defend oneself. It is inclusive love that heals.”
Pope Francis 

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time       
Psalm 145
The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
The Lord is near to all who call upon him.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 19, 2020 
“Let us consider an example — when we see a mistake, a fault, a slip, in that brother or sister, usually the first thing we do is to go and recount it to others, to gossip.  And gossip closes the heart to the community, closes off the unity of the Church.  The great gossiper is the devil, who always goes about saying bad things about others, because he is the liar who seeks to separate the Church to distance brothers and sisters and not create community.  Please, brothers and sisters, let us make an effort not to gossip… May the Virgin Mary help us to make fraternal correction a healthy practice, so that in our communities ever new fraternal relationships, founded on mutual forgiveness and above all on the invincible power of God’s mercy, may be instilled.”
Pope Francis 

Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time       
Psalm 56
I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.
Now I know that God is with me.
In God, in whose promise I glory,
in God I trust without fear;
what can flesh do against me?
I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.
I am bound, O God, by vows to you;
your thank offerings I will fulfill.
For you have rescued me from death,
my feet, too, from stumbling;
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2020 
“The Christian response to the pandemic and to the consequent socio-economic crisis is based on love, above all, love of God who always precedes us (cf. 1 Jn 4:19).  He loves us first. He always precedes us in love and in solutions.  He loves us unconditionally and when we welcome this divine love, then we can respond similarly.  I love not only those who love me — my family, my friends, my group — but also those who do not love me, I also love those who do not know me and I also love those who are strangers, and even those who make me suffer or whom I consider enemies (cf. Mt 5:44).  This is Christian wisdom, this is the attitude of Jesus.  And the highest point of holiness, let’s put it that way, is to love one’s enemies, which is not easy.”
Pope Francis 
Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time       

Psalm 17
Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee
from their foes to refuge at your right hand.
Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings,
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 
“How many times have we had this experience: someone comes and tells us: ‘But listen, you were mistaken about this. You should change a little in this regard.’  Perhaps in the beginning we get angry, but then we say ‘thank you’, because it is a gesture of brotherhood, of communion, of help, of rehabilitation.  And it is not easy to put this teaching of Jesus into practice, for various reasons.  There is the fear that the brother or sister may react badly; at times you may lack sufficient confidence with him or with her. And other reasons.  But every time we have done this, we have felt it was precisely the way of the Lord.”
Pope Francis 

Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time       
Psalm 118
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Let the house of Israel say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
“The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
the right hand of the Lord has struck with power.”
I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
You are my God, and I give thanks to you;
O my God, I extol you.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 
“The experience of the pandemic has taught us that none of us is saved alone.  We have experienced at first hand the vulnerability of the human condition that is ours and that makes us one family.  We have come to see more clearly that each of our personal choices affects the lives of our neighbours, those next door and those in distant parts of the world.  The turn of events has forced us to recognize that we belong to one another, as brothers and sisters dwelling in a common home.  Having failed to show solidarity in wealth and in the sharing of resources, we have learned to experience solidarity in suffering.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saints Cornelius, Pope, and Cyprian, Bishop, Martyrs       
Psalm 33
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
For upright is the word of the LORD,
and all his works are trustworthy.
He loves justice and right;
of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us
who have put our hope in you.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 
“In the midst of crises and tempests, the Lord calls to us and invites us to reawaken and activate this solidarity capable of giving solidity, support and meaning to these hours in which everything seems to be wrecked. May the creativity of the Holy Spirit encourage us to generate new forms of familiar hospitality, fruitful fraternity and universal solidarity.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows       
Psalm 100
We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful song.
We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Know that the LORD is God;
he made us, his we are;
his people, the flock he tends.
We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
his courts with praise;
Give thanks to him; bless his name.
We are his people: the sheep of his flock.
For he is good, the LORD, 
whose kindness endures forever,
and his faithfulness, to all generations. 
We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2020 
“In the midst of crises, a solidarity guided by faith enables us to translate the love of God in our globalized culture, not by building towers or walls — and how many walls are being built today! — that divide, but then collapse, but by interweaving communities and sustaining processes of growth that are truly human and solid.  And to do this, solidarity helps.  I would like to ask a question: do I think of the needs of others?  Everyone, answer in your heart.”
Pope Francis 

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross      
Psalm 78
Do not forget the works of the Lord!
Hearken, my people, to my teaching;
incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
I will utter mysteries from of old.
Do not forget the works of the Lord!
While he slew them they sought him
and inquired after God again,
Remembering that God was their rock
and the Most High God, their redeemer.
Do not forget the works of the Lord!
But they flattered him with their mouths
and lied to him with their tongues,
Though their hearts were not steadfast toward him,
nor were they faithful to his covenant.
Do not forget the works of the Lord!
But he, being merciful, forgave their sin
and destroyed them not;
Often he turned back his anger
and let none of his wrath be roused.

Do not forget the works of the Lord!

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13, 2020 
“Let us all rejoice that our loving Creator sustains our humble efforts to care for the earth, which is also God’s home where his Word “became flesh and lived among us” (Jn 1:14) and which is constantly being renewed by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.”
Pope Francis 

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time      
Psalm 103
The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
crowns you with kindness and compassion.
The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.

The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2020 
“We are aware that the cries of the earth and of the poor have become even louder and more painful in recent years. At the same time, we also witness how the Holy Spirit is inspiring individuals and communities around the world to come together to rebuild our common home and defend the most vulnerable in our midst. We see the gradual emergence of a great mobilization of people from below and from the peripheries who are generously working for the protection of the land and of the poor. We rejoice to see how young people and communities, particularly indigenous communities, are on the frontlines in responding to the ecological crisis.”
Pope Francis 

Saturday of the Twenty-Third Week in Ordinary Time     
Psalm 116
To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 
“In his wisdom, God set aside the Sabbath so that the land and its inhabitants could rest and be renewed. These days, however, our way of life is pushing the planet beyond its limits. Our constant demand for growth and an endless cycle of production and consumption are exhausting the natural world. Forests are leached, topsoil erodes, fields fail, deserts advance, seas acidify and storms intensify. Creation is groaning!”
Pope Francis 

Friday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time     
Psalm 84
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
My soul yearns and pines 
for the courts of the LORD.
My heart and my flesh
cry out for the living God.
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest
in which she puts her young—
Your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my king and my God!
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!
Blessed they who dwell in your house!
continually they praise you.
Blessed the men whose strength you are!
their hearts are set upon the pilgrimage.
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!

For a sun and a shield is the LORD God;
grace and glory he bestows;
The LORD withholds no good thing
from those who walk in sincerity 
How lovely is your dwelling place, Lord, mighty God!

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 
“The task of “taking up the cross” becomes participating with Christ in the salvation of the world. Considering this, let us make sure that the cross hanging on the wall at home, or that little one that we wear around our neck, is a sign of our wish to be united with Christ in lovingly serving our brothers and sisters, especially the littlest and most fragile. The cross is the holy sign of God’s Love, it is a sign of Jesus’ Sacrifice, and is not to be reduced to a superstitious object or an ornamental necklace. Each time we fix our gaze on the image of Christ crucified, let us contemplate that he, as the true Servant of the Lord, has accomplished his mission, giving life, spilling his blood for the pardoning of sins.”
Pope Francis 

Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time     
Psalm 139
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Truly you have formed my inmost being;
you knit me in my mother’s womb.
I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made;
wonderful are your works.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Probe me, O God, and know my heart;
try me, and know my thoughts;
See if my way is crooked,
and lead me in the way of old.
Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 8, 2020 
“For Peter and the other disciples – but for us too! - the cross is a 'hindrance', whereas Jesus considers the 'hindrance' escaping the cross, which would mean avoiding the Father's will, the mission that the Father has entrusted to Him for our salvation.  It happens to us all! In moments of devotion, of fervour, of good will, of closeness to our neighbour, we look to Jesus and we go forward; but in moments in which we approach the cross, we flee. The devil, Satan — as Jesus says to Peter — tempts us. It is typical of the evil spirit, it is typical of the devil to make us stray from the cross, from the cross of Jesus.”
Pope Francis 

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary    
Psalm 13
(Isaiah 61:10)  With delight I rejoice in the Lord.
Though I trusted in your mercy,
let my heart rejoice in your salvation.
With delight I rejoice in the Lord.
Let me sing of the LORD, “He has been good to me.”
With delight I rejoice in the Lord.

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2020 
“When the obsession to possess and dominate excludes millions of persons from having primary goods; when economic and technological inequality are such that the social fabric is torn; and when dependence on unlimited material progress threatens our common home, then we cannot stand by and watch. No, this is distressing.  We cannot stand by and watch!  With our gaze fixed on Jesus (cf. Heb 12:2) and with the certainty that His love is operative through the community of His disciples, we must act all together, in the hope of generating something different and better.  Christian hope, rooted in God, is our anchor. It moves the will to share, strengthening our mission as disciples of Christ, who shared everything with us.”
Pope Francis 

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time    
Psalm 95
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD;
let us acclaim the rock of our salvation.
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us joyfully sing psalms to him.
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Come, let us bow down in worship;
let us kneel before the LORD who made us.
For he is our God,
and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
Oh, that today you would hear his voice:
“Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as in the day of Massah in the desert,
Where your fathers tempted me;
they tested me though they had seen my works.”
If today you hear his voice, harden not your.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2020 
“Property and money are instruments that can serve mission. However, we easily transform them into ends, whether individual or collective.  And when this happens, essential human values are affected… We forget that, being created in the image and likeness of God, we are social, creative and solidary beings with an immense capacity to love. We often forget this. In fact, from among all the species, we are the beings who are the most cooperative and we flourish in community, as is seen well in the experience of the saints. There is a saying in Spanish that inspired me to write this phrase. It says: “Florecemos en racimo, como los santos”: we flourish in community, as is seen well in the experience of the saints.”
Pope Francis 

Saturday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time    
Psalm 145
The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
He fulfills the desire of those who fear him,
he hears their cry and saves them.
The LORD keeps all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
May my mouth speak the praise of the LORD,
and may all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
The Lord is near to all who call upon him. 

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2020 
“The pandemic has exposed and aggravated social problems, above all that of inequality.  Some people can work from home, while this is impossible for many others.  Certain children, notwithstanding the difficulties involved, can continue to receive an academic education, while this has been abruptly interrupted for many, many others.  Some powerful nations can issue money to deal with the crisis, while this would mean mortgaging the future for others… In the face of the pandemic and its social consequences, many risk losing hope.  In this time of uncertainty and anguish, I invite everyone to welcome the gift of hope that comes from Christ.  It is He who helps us navigate the tumultuous waters of sickness, death and injustice, which do not have the last word over our final destination.”
Pope Francis 

Friday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time    
Psalm 37
The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.
The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Commit to the LORD your way;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will make justice dawn for you like the light;
bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.
The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
For the LORD loves what is right,
and forsakes not his faithful ones.
Criminals are destroyed 
and the posterity of the wicked is cut off.
The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.
The salvation of the just is from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of distress.
And the LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him.
The salvation of the just comes from the Lord. 

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2020 
“Charity is always the high road of the journey of faith, of the perfection of faith. But it is necessary that works of solidarity, the works of charity that we carry out, not divert us from contact with the Lord Jesus. Christian charity is not simple philanthropy but, on the one hand, it is looking at others through the very eyes of Jesus and, on the other hand, it is seeing Jesus in the face of the poor. This is the true path of Christian charity, with Jesus at the centre, always. May Mary Most Holy, blessed because she believed, be our guide and model on the path of faith in Christ, and make us aware that trust in him gives full meaning to our charity and to all our existence.”
Pope Francis 

Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church     
Psalm 24
To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
To the Lord belongs the earth and all that fills it. 

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2020 
“If I were to ask you now, ‘For you, who is Jesus?’, there would be a little hesitation… To confess Jesus is a grace of the Father.  To say that Jesus is the Son of the living God, that he is the Redeemer, is a grace that we must ask for: “Father, give me the grace to confess Jesus.””
Pope Francis 

Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time      
Psalm 33
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance
From heaven the LORD looks down;
he sees all mankind.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
From his fixed throne he beholds
all who dwell on the earth,
He who fashioned the heart of each,
he who knows all their works.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.
Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 
“We are all worried about the social consequences of the pandemic.  All of us.  Many people want to return to normality and resume economic activities.  Certainly, but this “normality” should not include social injustices and the degradation of the environment.  The pandemic is a crisis, and we do not emerge from a crisis the same as before: either we come out of it better, or we come out of it worse.  We must come out of it better, to counter social injustice and environmental damage.

Today we have an opportunity to build something different… It would be sad if, for the vaccine for Covid-19, priority were to be given to the richest!  It would be sad if this vaccine were to become the property of this nation or another, rather than universal and for all.”
Pope Francis 

Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time      
Psalm 145
The Lord is just in all his ways.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
The Lord is just in all his ways.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
The Lord is just in all his ways.
Making known to men your might
and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.
Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is just in all his ways.
The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.