January 3: Daily Readings & Quotes

The Most Holy Name of Jesus

Nothing restrains anger, curbs pride, heals the wounds of malice, bridles self-indulgence, quenches lustful passions, checks greed,and puts unclean thoughts to flight as does the name of Jesus.

-St. Bernard of ClairVaux

Today's readings are:

Genesis Chapters 5-6

Mark Chapter 1:29-39

1

¹ This is the record of the descendants of Adam. When God created man, he made him in the likeness of God;

2

he created them male and female. When they were created, he blessed them and named them "man."

3

Adam was one hundred and thirty years old when he begot a son in his likeness, after his image; and he named him Seth.

4

Adam lived eight hundred years after the birth of Seth, and he had other sons and daughters.

5

The whole lifetime of Adam was nine hundred and thirty years; then he died.

6

When Seth was one hundred and five years old, he became the father of Enosh.

7

Seth lived eight hundred and seven years after the birth of Enosh, and he had other sons and daughters.

8

The whole lifetime of Seth was nine hundred and twelve years; then he died.

9

When Enosh was ninety years old, he became the father of Kenan.

10

Enosh lived eight hundred and fifteen years after the birth of Kenan, and he had other sons and daughters.

11

The whole lifetime of Enosh was nine hundred and five years; then he died.

12

When Kenan was seventy years old, he became the father of Mahalalel.

13

Kenan lived eight hundred and forty years after the birth of Mahalalel, and he had other sons and daughters.

14

The whole lifetime of Kenan was nine hundred and ten years; then he died.

15

When Mahalalel was sixty-five years old, he became the father of Jared.

16

Mahalalel lived eight hundred and thirty years after the birth of Jared, and he had other sons and daughters.

17

The whole lifetime of Mahalalel was eight hundred and ninety-five years; then he died.

18

When Jared was one hundred and sixty-two years old, he became the father of Enoch.

19

Jared lived eight hundred years after the birth of Enoch, and he had other sons and daughters.

20

The whole lifetime of Jared was nine hundred and sixty-two years; then he died.

21

When Enoch was sixty-five years old, he became the father of Methuselah.

22

Enoch lived three hundred years after the birth of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters.

23

The whole lifetime of Enoch was three hundred and sixty-five years.

24

² Then Enoch walked with God, and he was no longer here, for God took him.

25

When Methuselah was one hundred and eighty-seven years old, he became the father of Lamech.

26

Methuselah lived seven hundred and eighty-two years after the birth of Lamech, and he had other sons and daughters.

27

The whole lifetime of Methuselah was nine hundred and sixty-nine years; then he died.

28

When Lamech was one hundred and eighty-two years old, he begot a son

29

³ and named him Noah, saying, "Out of the very ground that the LORD has put under a curse, this one shall bring us relief from our work and the toil of our hands."

30

Lamech lived five hundred and ninety-five years after the birth of Noah, and he had other sons and daughters.

31

The whole lifetime of Lamech was seven hundred and seventy-seven years; then he died.

32

When Noah was five hundred years old, he became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

1

¹ When men began to multiply on earth and daughters were born to them,

2

² the sons of heaven saw how beautiful the daughters of man were, and so they took for their wives as many of them as they chose.

3

³ Then the LORD said: "My spirit shall not remain in man forever, since he is but flesh. His days shall comprise one hundred and twenty years."

4

⁴ At that time the Nephilim appeared on earth (as well as later), after the sons of heaven had intercourse with the daughters of man, who bore them sons. They were the heroes of old, the men of renown.

5

⁵ When the LORD saw how great was man's wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil,

6

he regretted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved.

7

So the LORD said: "I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created, and not only the men, but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air, for I am sorry that I made them."

8

But Noah found favor with the LORD.

9

These are the descendants of Noah. Noah, a good man and blameless in that age,

10

for he walked with God, begot three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

11

In the eyes of God the earth was corrupt and full of lawlessness.

12

When God saw how corrupt the earth had become, since all mortals led depraved lives on earth,

13

he said to Noah: "I have decided to put an end to all mortals on earth; the earth is full of lawlessness because of them. So I will destroy them and all life on earth.

14

⁶ Make yourself an ark of gopherwood, put various compartments in it, and cover it inside and out with pitch.

15

⁷ This is how you shall build it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.

16

⁸ Make an opening for daylight in the ark, and finish the ark a cubit above it. Put an entrance in the side of the ark, which you shall make with bottom, second and third decks.

17

I, on my part, am about to bring the flood (waters) on the earth, to destroy everywhere all creatures in which there is the breath of life; everything on earth shall perish.

18

But with you I will establish my covenant; you and your sons, your wife and your sons' wives, shall go into the ark.

19

Of all other living creatures you shall bring two into the ark, one male and one female, that you may keep them alive with you.

20

Of all kinds of birds, of all kinds of beasts, and of all kinds of creeping things, two of each shall come into the ark with you, to stay alive.

21

Moreover, you are to provide yourself with all the food that is to be eaten, and store it away, that it may serve as provisions for you and for them."

22

This Noah did; he carried out all the commands that God gave him.

29

On leaving the synagogue he entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.

30

Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her.

31

He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

32

When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.

33

The whole town was gathered at the door.

34

He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

35

Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.

36

Simon and those who were with him pursued him

37

and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."

38

He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come."

39

So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.