RELIGION AND ART

See, over the mountains the messenger hurries! 'Peace' he proclaims. Judah, celebrate your feasts, carry out your vows, for Belial will never pass through you again; he is utterly annihilated. Yes, the Lord is restoring the vineyard of Jacob and the Vineyard of Israel. For the plunderers had plundered them, they had broken off their branches. Mass Readings Heavenly Father thank your for your restoration by the gift of your Son Jesus Christ.  Teach me Lord to taste for your Kingdom, that I may not taste eternal death. Heavenly Father help me, increase my faith that I may behold your glory in your Son, Jesus Christ my Lord. Jesus said to his disciples: "If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it. What then, will a man gain if he wins the whole world and ruins his life? Or what has a man to offer

As I watched: Thrones were set in place and one of great age took his seat. His robe was white as snow, the hair of his head as pure as wool. His throne was a blaze of flames, its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire poured out, issuing from his presence. A thousand thousand waited on him, ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him, A court was held and the books were opened. I gazed into the visions of the night. And I saw, coming on the clouds of heaven, one like a son of man. He came to the one of great age and was led into his presence. On him was conferred sovereignty, glory an kingship, and men of all peoples, nations and languages became his servants. His sovereignty is an eternal sovereignty which shall never pass away, nor will his empire be destroyed Mass Readings Jesus took with him Peter and James and his brother John and led them up a high mountain where they could be alone. There in their presence he was transfigured: his face shone like th

Shout with joy for Jacob! Hail the chief of nations! Proclaim! Praise! Shout. The Lord has saved his people the remnant of Israel! Jer. 31:7 Jesus left Gennesaret and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Then out came a Canannite woman from the district and started shouting, "Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil" But he answered her not a word. And his disciples went and pleaded with him. "Give her what she wants" they said "because she is shouting after us." He reply, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel." But the woman came up and was kneeling at his feet, "Lord" she said "help me". He replied, "it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the house-dogs." She retorted, "Ah yes, but even the house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master's table" Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, you have a grea

RESTORATION Thus says the Lord, See! I will restore the tents of Jacob his dwellings I will pity: City shall be rebuilt upon hill, and palace restored as it was. From them will resound songs of praise, the laughter of happy men. I will make them not few, but many; they will not be tiny, for I will glorify them. His sons shall be as of old, his assembly before me shall stand firm; I will punish all his oppressors. His leader shall come from his kin. When I summon him, he shall approach me; how else should one take the deadly risk of approaching me? says the Lord. You shall be my people and I will be your God.  Mass Readings "We are each of us like a small mirror in which God searches for His reflection" St. John Vianney Some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal. He summoned the crowd and said to them, "Hear and unders