NEWSLETTER
January 29, 2012: Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) Green

GOSPEL READING: MARK 1:21-28
Then they came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are - the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!" The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, "What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him." His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

CHURCH CALENDAR
January 29 – Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, National Bible Sunday
January 31 – St. John Bosco, Priest
February 2 – Feast of the Presentation of the Lord
February 3 – First Friday, additional mass at 12:15 pm; Holy Hour after 6:15 am mass; ROLP Prayer Night after 6:30 pm mass
February 4 – First Saturday, Dawn procession at 5:30 am. Act of Consecration/Reparation to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Anointing of Sick after the 6:15 am mass.
February 5 – Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIBLE

1. What's the difference between a "Catholic Bible" and a "Protestant Bible"?
   Catholic and Protestant Bibles both include 27 books in the New Testament. Protestant Bibles have only 39 books in the Old Testament, however, while Catholic Bibles have 46. The seven books included in Catholic Bibles are Tobit, Judith, 1 and 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Sirach, and Baruch. Catholic Bibles also include sections in the Books of Esther and Daniel which are not found in Protestant Bibles. These books are called the deutero canonical books. The Catholic Church considers these books to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.
2. Do we read from the Bible at Mass?
   Readings from Scripture are part of every Mass. On Sundays and solemnities there are three readings: one from Old Testament, one from New Testament and one reading from the Gospel - make up the Liturgy of the Word. In addition, a psalm or canticle is sung. These readings are typically read from a Lectionary, not a Bible, though the Lectionary is taken from the Bible.
3. What's the difference between a Bible and a Lectionary?
   A Lectionary is composed of the readings and the responsorial psalm assigned for each Mass of the year (Sundays, weekdays, and special occasions). The readings are divided by the day or the theme (baptism, marriage, vocations, etc.) rather than according to the books of the Bible. Introductions and conclusions have been added to each reading. Not all of the Bible is included in the Lectionary. Individual readings in the Lectionary are called pericopes, from a Greek word meaning a "section" or "cutting." Because the Mass readings are only portions of a book or chapter, introductory phrases, called incipits, are often added to begin the Lectionary reading, for example, "In those days," "Jesus said to his disciples," etc.

Books of the Bible in Canonical Order

OLD TESTAMENT – 46

PENTATEUCH
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy

HISTORICAL BOOKS
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Tobit
Judith
Esther
1 Maccabees
2 Maccabees

WISDOM BOOKS
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
Wisdom

PROPHETIC BOOKS
Sirach
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Baruch
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi

NEW TESTAMENT - 27

GOSPEL BOOKS
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John

APOSTOLIC HISTORY
Acts

PAULINE EPISTLES
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews

GENERAL EPISTLES
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude

APOCALYPSE
Revelation

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