Saturday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Ezekiel 18.1-10, 13b, 30-32

The word of the Lord came to me again, saying,
“What do you mean when you use this proverb
concerning the land of Israel, saying,
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
but the children’s teeth are set on edge?’
As I live, says the Lord God,
you shall not use this proverb anymore in Israel.
Behold, all souls are mine;
as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine;
the soul who sins, he shall die.
But if a man is just, and does that which is lawful and right,
and has not eaten on the mountains,
nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel,
nor defiled his neighbor’s wife,
nor come near to a woman in her impurity,
and has not wronged any, but has restored to the debtor his pledge,
has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry,
and has covered the naked with a garment;
he who has not lent at interest, nor taken any increase,
who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity,
has executed true justice between man and man,
has walked in my statutes and has kept my ordinances, dealing truly;
he is just, he shall surely live”, says the Lord God.

“If he begets a son who is a robber, who sheds blood,
who has lent at interest, and has taken increase;
shall he then live? He shall not live.
He has done all these abominations;
he shall surely die; his blood shall be on him.

Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel,
everyone according to his ways,” says the Lord God.
“Return and turn yourselves away from all your transgressions;
so iniquity shall not be your ruin.
Cast away from you all your transgressions,
in which you have transgressed;
and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit.
Why should you die, house of Israel?
For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies”,
says the Lord God, “Therefore turn yourselves and live.”

Responsorial – Psalm 51.12-13, 14-15, 18-19 Resp. 12a

R. Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a right spirit within me.
Do not cast me out from your presence,
and do not take your Holy Spirit from me.

R. Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Uphold me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways.
Sinners shall be converted to you.

R. Create in me a clean heart, O God.

For you do not delight in sacrifice.
I would give a burnt offering, but you have no pleasure in it.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit.
A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

R. Create in me a clean heart, O God.

Gospel – Matthew 19.13-15

Then little children were brought to Jesus,
that he would lay his hands on them and pray,
but the disciples rebuked them.
Jesus, however, said, “Let the little children come to me
and do not forbid them,
for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.”
He laid his hands on them and departed from there.