#that she raised me I likewise give her most humble praise

[nimblermortal]

Fine we can talk about the English

So. King Knut (Canute) was ruling in England, at least the York area. He conquered him some Denmark. He conquered him some Norway too, and drove Olaf and son Magnus to outlawry. Olaf made a bid to reclaim his kingdom, failed. Knut installed his sons as kings in England, Denmark, and Norway, and, being an old man, promptly died. (Charles take note.)

So in England, Knut's son Harald takes over, but then he dies and Knut's next son Hortha-Knut comes back from Scandinavia to rule, and he sticks around for a few years. Long enough for Magnus Olafsson to come back from Kiev and retake his country, and make a deal with Hortha-Knut that they are such good buddies that if one of them dies without a male heir, the other will inherit.

Ynglings are. Very accustomed to sharing crowns, I have discovered.

So Hortha-Knut dies. Magnus is a bit busy with this dude Svein who keeps trying to conquer Denmark on the grounds that Magnus gave it to him as jarl and who cares if Svein declares himself king and independent, it's his now, don't you know who his father is?? Anyway Edward (Eadward) takes over in England.

Magnus gets shut of Svein, finally, largely by inspiring his army with stories of how Svein's daddy might be a king but Magnus's daddy is a saint, and God is on their side, the daddy of all daddies. So once he's feeling confident in his hold over Norway and Denmark, he sends a message back to England all, "Hey, remember this deal I had with Hortha-Knut?"

And Eadward, that badass pushover, sends a message back, saying, "Look. My dad was king of England, and I was well. When he died my eldest brother Eadmund was king, and I was well. After him my stepfather Knut ruled England, and I was well. And when he died my brother Harald ruled, and I was well. And when he died my brother Hortha-Knut ruled, and I stood by, and all was well, but let me remind you that I yet of the brothers had no kingdom to govern.

"So now you want to come over here and declare yourself king? Let me just say, over my dead body.

"And I will make it easy for you. If you come, I will not raise an army, you can march right in. But you will very much have to kill me with your own hands."

Which Magnus abstains to do.

[razieltwelve]

Warning (Final Rose)

Fang was not someone who took offence easily. Perhaps that was why some members of her clan had decided to voice their objections to her choice of spouse. True, she was the bearer of Ragnarok, a legendary Semblance that was considered something close to divine by her clansmen. Many had believed she would marry within the clan, thereby ensuring that any future bearers were pure-blooded Yun.

Before proposing to Lightning, she had spoken to her chieftain about it. If he had objected, she would have simply proposed anyway, but he was a good man and a fine leader. She wanted to at least let him know that there might well be trouble on the horizon for him. After all, anyone who was dissatisfied by her choice would undoubtedly go to him.

“Marry who you wish,” the chieftain had said to her with a shrug. “You are Yun, so your children will be Yun.” His lips twitched. “After all, was the Mother of the Yun a Yun by birth? No. She became Yun when she married our great ancestor, the Father of the Yun. Besides, do you mean to abandon your heritage and your people? Will you raise your children without ever teaching them the ways of your ancestors? Will they never climb our mountains or run through our forests?”

Of course, she had told him that she had intention of doing that. Her children would be raised to know who their ancestors were, and they would learn the ways of the Yun as Fang had. And though they might not live in Oerba, they would visit. They would see for themselves the soaring peaks of the mountains. They would know the feel of the forest’s grass beneath their feet and the icy rush of the wind atop the mountains. They would see the towering walls of Oerba and walk its bustling markets. They would speak the language of the Yun and take the Trials when it was time. They would be Yun.

“Then I have no complaints.” The chieftain smiled briefly before his expression turned serious. “But there are others who may not be so accepting. Do what you must, Fang. You know our ways. There are some who will not learn until they are taught.”

And so it was that Fang found herself invoking one of the oldest laws of the Yun after one insult too many. The Circle of Honour, a fight to the death to settle matters of honour. It could not be called upon lightly, for the Yun did not slay their own without reason. But although most insults could be forgiven, to intrude on a marriage celebration and insult one of the celebrants to their face was not one of them. Worse, the insults had been amongst the worst a Yun could offer although from her expression Lightning did not quite understand the nuance. She wasn’t happy about what had been said, but she didn’t grasp exactly why the Yun and Dia in the room had gone still and quiet. And given how rowdy most wedding celebrations were, that was no small thing.

So Fang had gotten to her feet and issued the challenge. Her opponent could now either crawl out of the marriage hall on her belly, offering the most humble and sincere of apologies, or she could meet Fang in combat. Fang was coldly pleased that she decided to give combat instead.

X     X     X

Fang glanced briefly at the circle of Yun that had formed around her and her opponent. They were standing silent sentry, shields locked, spears at the ready. By ancient law, whoever tried to flee the challenge was to be cut down, for cowardice would not be tolerated in matters such as these. A few of the Dia stood nearby taking notes. The Circle of Honour was rarely invoked nowadays, and there were few living who could remember the last time it had been used. As hotheaded as some Yun could be, it was rare for matters to get so far out of hand.

Usually, the chieftain or the veterans would step in to settle disputes, but her opponent had ignored their wise counsel. The chieftain took a moment to explain the rules and the reason for the Circle before giving the signal to begin.

The first thing Fang did was toss aside her shield and spear.

“What are you doing?” her opponent hissed. Amadan was a tall woman, taller even than Fang, though only by half a head or so. She was a fine warrior in her own right, and Fang was glad that she had no children. It would be a shame to make orphans of them. At least, she had a younger brother, one as gifted as she was in the arts of war, so her bloodline’s talent would not be lost to the Yun. That brother was part of the crowd watching, and his face could have been carved of granite, his expression was so stony.

“I need no spear or shield to kill you.”

“You mean to use your Semblance?” Amadan skipped forward, swift and deadly. Her spear flashed out twice, each thrust aimed at a critical point. Fang swayed away from the blows and then ducked, circling around Amadan as the other woman swiped at her with her shield.

“My Semblance?” Fang laughed, and the sound was cold and ugly. “Rangarok is a treasure of our people, the greatest weapon we possess. You are not worthy of death at its hands.”

“Then how will you kill me?” Amadan growled. She lunged forward, her form perfect as she struck three more times. Yet three more times, Fang dodged, reading the path of each blow as clearly as though they were constellations in the clear night sky.

“With these hands of mine,” Fang replied. “And these hands alone.” She circled around Amadan again. “Because you are not worthy of anything more.”

“You will try,” Amadan retorted. “But you have yet to throw a strike.”

“I will need only one.”

Fang made a show of tossing aside the daggers and knives she hid on her person. Like any good Yun, she had one in her boot and another at her waist. She also had one hidden in her bracers, and she cast that away too.

“When you die,” Fang began, the words coming in the singsong rhythm of a death promise. “The winds will not whisper of your deeds. The trees will not bear your name. The walls will not remember you. You will die a fool, and all the Yun and Dia will remember you only as the fool who thought to insult my woman as we celebrated our marriage.” Fang beckoned Amadan forward. “Come then, fool, or are you coward also?”

“I am no coward!” Amadan sprang, her strong legs closing the gap in an instant.

Fang stepped to the side, and Amadan’s spear shot past her. In the split-second it took the other woman to realise she’d missed, Fang’s right hand came up, claw-like, and seized her throat. There was a flash, a spark of light, and then Amadan’s Aura shattered and Fang’s fingers closed around her throat. A moment later there was only red, and Amadan staggered, dropping her shield and spear as she tried in vain to staunch the bleeding.

Fang tossed aside the scrap of flesh she’d torn loose and spat. 

“Do you hear that?” Fang asked. “There is no wind to mark your passing. The trees do not sighing grief. And even the walls are silent. Die in the dirt where you belong.”

X     X     X

Author’s Notes

As easy-going as they often are, it is easy to forget that the Yun have basically spent their entire existence locked in battle. Every single member of the Yun is trained in combat, and this is reflected in many of their customs. Even so, matters of honour rarely escalate this far. The veterans and the chieftain do their best to ensure that such matters are handled in private without anyone ending up dead. Of course, there are people who can’t take a hint. Amadan was one of them.

As for what Fang said to her, those three references are insults of the highest order. According to Yun custom, when a person dies, their ashes are to be scattered from the peaks. This is so that the wind might take those ashes and whisper of their deeds to all the world. Someone that the winds do not whisper of is said to have done nothing in their life that is worthy of praise. Likewise, it is also customary for dead Yun to have their names carved into the titanic trees of the forest around Oerba as a living and permanent reminder of who they were and what they had accomplished. To not have someone’s name carved into the trees is to deny their existence, to say that they were so inconsequential that there is no need to remember them at all. And finally, it is said that the great walls of Oerba themselves have a memory, that their foundations are built upon the blood and sacrifice of the worthy. To be remembered by the walls of Oerba is to be immortal, to be honoured by everyone who looks upon them. To be forgotten by the walls is to be shamed, especially for a warrior. Those three insults combined are truly stinging for someone of Yun ancestry, and they would never be used even in jest outside of a situation like this.

Fun fact: When Diana married outside the clan, nobody was dumb enough to say anything during the celebration. Admittedly, part of that is because Fujin does have clan ancestry (not Yun, however), but still... anyone who even thought of saying something remembered what Fang did and thought that maybe it wasn’t worth it.

If you’re interested in my thoughts on writing and other topics, you can find those here.

I also write original fiction, which you can find on Amazon here or on Audible here.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

20th January >> Mass Readings (USA)

 for

Saturday of Week Two in Ordinary Time

  or 

Saint Fabian, Pope, Martyr

  or 

Saint Sebastian, Martyr

  or 

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Saturday of Week Two in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: Green)

First Reading

2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27

How can the warriors have fallen in battle!

David returned from his defeat of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. On the third day a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. Going to David, he fell to the ground in homage. David asked him, “Where do you come from?” He replied, “I have escaped from the camp of the children of Israel.” “Tell me what happened,” David bade him. He answered that many of the soldiers had fled the battle and that many of them had fallen and were dead, among them Saul and his son Jonathan.

   David seized his garments and rent them, and all the men who were with him did likewise. They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the soldiers of the LORD of the clans of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

“Alas! the glory of Israel, Saul, slain upon your heights; how can the warriors have fallen!

“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished, separated neither in life nor in death,    swifter than eagles, stronger than lions!Women of Israel, weep over Saul,    who clothed you in scarlet and in finery,    who decked your attire with ornaments of gold.

“How can the warriors have fallen – in the thick of the battle, slain upon your heights!

“I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother!    most dear have you been to me;    more precious have I held love for you than love for women.

“How can the warriors have fallen, the weapons of war have perished!”

The Word Of The Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 80:2-3, 5-7

R/ Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

O shepherd of Israel, hearken, O guide of the flock of Joseph!From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth before Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.Rouse your power, and come to save us.

R/ Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

O LORD of hosts, how long will you burn with anger while your people pray?You have fed them with the bread of tears and given them tears to drink in ample measure.You have left us to be fought over by our neighbors, and our enemies mock us.

R/ Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

Gospel Acclamation

cf.  Acts of the Apostles 16:14b

Alleluia, alleluia.

Open our hearts, O Lord,to listen to the words of your Son.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mark 3:20-21

They said, "He is out of his mind.”

Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

—————-

Saint Fabian, Pope, Martyr

(Liturgical Colour: Red)

First Reading

1 Peter 5:1-4

Tend the flock of God in your midst.

Beloved: I exhort the presbyters among you, as a fellow presbyter and witness to the sufferings of Christ and one who has a share in the glory to be revealed. Tend the flock of God in your midst, overseeing it not by constraint but willingly, as God would have it, not for shameful profit but eagerly. Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd is revealed, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The Word Of The Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 40:2 and 4ab, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10

R/ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God.

R/ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me.Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.”

R/ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!”

R/ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.

R/ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

Gospel Acclamation

John 10:14

Alleluia, alleluia.

I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;I know my sheep, and mine know me.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 21:15-17

Feed my lambs, feed my sheep.

After Jesus had revealed himself to his disciples and eaten breakfast with them, he said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that he had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

———————

Saint Sebastian, Martyr

(Liturgical Colour: Red)

First Reading

1 Peter 3:14-17

Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them.

Beloved: Even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall be ever in my mouth.Let my soul glory in the LORD; the lowly will hear and be glad.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

Glorify the LORD with me, let us together extol his name.I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame.When the poor one called out, the LORD heard, and from all his distress he saved him.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.Taste and see how good the LORD is; blessed the man who takes refuge in him.

R/ The Lord delivered me from all my fears.

Gospel Acclamation

James 1:12

Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation,for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 10:28-33

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body.

Jesus said to the Twelve: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

——————-

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Liturgical Colour: White)

First Reading

Genesis 3:9-15, 20

I will put enmity between your offspring and the offspring of the woman.

After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the LORD God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me– she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” The LORD God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”    Then the LORD God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures;On your belly shall you crawl,    and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life.I will put enmity between you and the woman,    and between your offspring and hers;He will strike at your head,    while you strike at his heel.”

The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.

The Word Of The Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted in my God.I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength.The well-fed hire themselves out for bread, while the hungry batten on spoil.The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“The LORD puts to death and gives life; he casts down to the nether world;    he raises up again.The LORD makes poor and makes rich, he humbles, he also exalts.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“He raises the needy from the dust; from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,To seat them with nobles and make a glorious throne their heritage.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

Gospel Acclamation

cf. Luke 1:28

Alleluia, alleluia.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;

blessed are you among women.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 1:18-23

For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,

  and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means “God is with us.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

25th November >> Mass Readings (USA)

  for

Saturday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

  or 

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin, Martyr 

 or 

Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Saturday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: Green)

First Reading

1 Maccabees 6:1-13

On account of the evils I did in Jerusalem, I am dying in bitter grief.

As King Antiochus was traversing the inland provinces, he heard that in Persia there was a city called Elymais, famous for its wealth in silver and gold, and that its temple was very rich, containing gold helmets, breastplates, and weapons left there by Alexander, son of Philip, king of Macedon, the first king of the Greeks. He went therefore and tried to capture and pillage the city. But he could not do so, because his plan became known to the people of the city who rose up in battle against him. So he retreated and in great dismay withdrew from there to return to Babylon.

   While he was in Persia, a messenger brought him news that the armies sent into the land of Judah had been put to flight; that Lysias had gone at first with a strong army and been driven back by the children of Israel; that they had grown strong by reason of the arms, men, and abundant possessions taken from the armies they had destroyed; that they had pulled down the Abomination which he had built upon the altar in Jerusalem; and that they had surrounded with high walls both the sanctuary, as it had been before, and his city of Beth-zur.

   When the king heard this news, he was struck with fear and very much shaken. Sick with grief because his designs had failed, he took to his bed. There he remained many days, overwhelmed with sorrow, for he knew he was going to die.

   So he called in all his Friends and said to them: “Sleep has departed from my eyes, for my heart is sinking with anxiety. I said to myself: ‘Into what tribulation have I come, and in what floods of sorrow am I now! Yet I was kindly and beloved in my rule.’ But I now recall the evils I did in Jerusalem, when I carried away all the vessels of gold and silver that were in it, and for no cause gave orders that the inhabitants of Judah be destroyed. I know that this is why these evils have overtaken me; and now I am dying, in bitter grief, in a foreign land.”

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 9:2-3, 4 and 6, 16 and 19

R/ I will rejoice in your salvation, O Lord.

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will declare all your wondrous deeds.I will be glad and exult in you; I will sing praise to your name, Most High.

R/ I will rejoice in your salvation, O Lord.

Because my enemies are turned back, overthrown and destroyed before you.You rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; their name you blotted out forever and ever.

R/ I will rejoice in your salvation, O Lord.

The nations are sunk in the pit they have made; in the snare they set, their foot is caught.For the needy shall not always be forgotten, nor shall the hope of the afflicted forever perish.

R/ I will rejoice in your salvation, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

cf. 2 Timothy 1:10

Alleluia, alleluia.

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Luke 20:27-40

He is not God of the dead, but of the living.

Some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, came forward and put this question to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, If someone’s brother dies leaving a wife but no child, his brother must take the wife and raise up descendants for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman but died childless. Then the second and the third married her, and likewise all the seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. Now at the resurrection whose wife will that woman be? For all seven had been married to her.” Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry and remarry; but those who are deemed worthy to attain to the coming age and to the resurrection of the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. They can no longer die, for they are like angels; and they are the children of God because they are the ones who will rise. That the dead will rise even Moses made known in the passage about the bush, when he called  ‘Lord’ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.” Some of the scribes said in reply, “Teacher, you have answered well.” And they no longer dared to ask him anything.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

——————————

Saint Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin, Martyr

(Liturgical Colour: Red)

First Reading

Revelation 21:5-7

The victor will inherit these gifts.

The One who was seated on the throne said: “Behold, I make all things new.” Then he said, “Write these words down, for they are trustworthy and true.” He said to me, “They are accomplished. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water. The victor will inherit these gifts, and I shall be his God, and he will be my son.”

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 124:2-3, 4-5, 7-8

R/ Our soul has escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

Had not the LORD been with us– when men rose up against us, Then would they have swallowed us alive, when their fury was inflamed against us.

R/ Our soul has escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

Then would the waters have overwhelmed us; The torrent would have swept over us; over us then would have swept the raging waters.

R/ Our soul has escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

Broken was the snare, and we were freed.Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.

R/ Our soul has escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare.

Gospel Acclamation

Matthew 5:10

Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 10:28-33

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body.

Jesus said to his Apostles: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.

————————————

Saturday Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Liturgical Colour: White)

First Reading

Genesis 3:9-15, 20

I will put enmity between your offspring and the offspring of the woman.

After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the LORD God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me– she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” The LORD God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.”    Then the LORD God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; On your belly shall you crawl,    and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life.I will put enmity between you and the woman,    and between your offspring and hers; He will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.”

The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.

The Word of the Lord.

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“My heart exults in the LORD, my horn is exalted in my God.I have swallowed up my enemies; I rejoice in my victory.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“The bows of the mighty are broken, while the tottering gird on strength.The well-fed hire themselves out for bread, while the hungry batten on spoil.The barren wife bears seven sons, while the mother of many languishes.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“The LORD puts to death and gives life; he casts down to the nether world;    he raises up again.The LORD makes poor and makes rich, he humbles, he also exalts.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

“He raises the needy from the dust; from the dung heap he lifts up the poor, To seat them with nobles and make a glorious throne their heritage.”

R/ My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

Gospel Acclamation

cf. Luke 1:28

Alleluia, alleluia.

Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;

blessed are you among women.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 1:1-16, 18-23

For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Abraham became the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar. Perez became the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram the father of Amminadab. Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab. Boaz became the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth. Obed became the father of Jesse, Jesse the father of David the king.

David became the father of Solomon, whose mother had been the wife of Uriah. Solomon became the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asaph. Asaph became the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah became the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amos, Amos the father of Josiah. Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the father of Abiud. Abiud became the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor the father of Zadok. Zadok became the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud the father of Eleazar. Eleazar became the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary. Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:

Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son,

and they shall name him Emmanuel,

which means “God is with us.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.