Today's Bible Readings (30 Sep, Tue - 26th Week)

Job 3: 1-3, 11-17, 20-23
Job opened his mouth and cursed the day he was born.
Job spoke up and said:
Let the day on which I was born perish,
and the night that said,
‘A man has been conceived!’
Why did I not die at birth,
and why did I not expire
as I came out of the womb?
Why did the knees welcome me,
and why were there two breasts
that I might nurse at them?
For now I would be lying down
and would be quiet,
I would be asleep and then at peace
with kings and counselors of the earth
who built for themselves places now desolate,
or with princes who possessed gold,
who filled their palaces with silver.
Or why was I not buried
like a stillborn infant,
like infants who have never seen the light?
There the wicked cease from turmoil,
and there the weary are at rest.
Why does God give light to one who is in misery,
and life to those whose soul is bitter,
to those who wait for death that does not come,
and search for it
more than for hidden treasures,
who rejoice even to jubilation,
and are exultant when they find the grave?
Why is light given to a man
whose way is hidden,
and whom God has hedged in?

Luke 9: 51-56
Now when the days drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus set out resolutely to go to Jerusalem. He sent messengers on ahead of him. As they went along, they entered a Samaritan village to make things ready in advance for him, but the villagers refused to welcome him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem. Now when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went on to another village.

Feast of Saints Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael (a.k.a. Michaelmas)

Did you know that angels (pure, created spiritual non-corporeal beings) also get to become saints? Or that there is a day in the RC calendar celebrating them? Here's something on this feast day from Wikipedia and Catholic Culture:

- Michael (Who is like God) was the archangel who fought against Satan and all his evil angels, defending all the friends of God - he is one of the principal angelic warriors, seen as a protector against the dark of night, and the administrator of cosmic intelligence
- Gabriel (Strength of God) announced to Zachariah the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, and to Mary, the birth of Jesus - his greeting to the Virgin, "Hail, full of grace," is one of the most familiar and frequent prayers of the Christian people.
- Raphael (Medicine of God) is the archangel who took care of Tobias on his journey - his mission as wonderful healer and fellow traveller with the youthful Tobias has caused him to be invoked for journeys and at critical moments in life
- because this feast falls near the equinox, it is associated with the beginning of autumn and the shortening of days
- during the Middle Ages, Michaelmas was celebrated as a Holy Day of Obligation, but this tradition was abolished in the 18th century

Bible Readings for Today (29 Sep, Mon - 26th Week)

Daniel 7: 9-10, 13-14
“While I was watching,
thrones were set up,
and the Ancient of Days took his seat.
His attire was white like snow;
the hair of his head was like lamb’s wool.
His throne was ablaze with fire
and its wheels were all aflame.
A river of fire was streaming forth
and proceeding from his presence.
Many thousands were ministering to him;
Many tens of thousands stood ready to serve him.
The court convened
and the books were opened.
As the visions during the night continued, I saw:
“With the clouds of the sky
one like a son of man was approaching.
He went up to the Ancient of Days
and was escorted before him.
To him was given ruling authority, honor, and sovereignty.
All peoples, nations, and language groups were serving him.
His authority is eternal and will not pass away.
His kingdom will not be destroyed.”

Revelation 12: 7-12
War broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But the dragon was not strong enough to prevail, so there was no longer any place left in heaven for him and his angels. So that huge dragon – the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying,
“The salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God,
and the ruling authority of his Christ, have now come,
because the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
the one who accuses them day and night before our God,
has been thrown down.
But they overcame him
by the blood of the Lamb
and by the word of their testimony,
and they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
Therefore you heavens rejoice, and all who reside in them!
But woe to the earth and the sea
because the devil has come down to you!
He is filled with terrible anger,
for he knows that he only has a little time!”

John 1: 47-51
Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and exclaimed, “Look, a true Israelite in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel!” Jesus said to him, “Because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” He continued, “I tell all of you the solemn truth – you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”