Twenty-sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Numbers 11.25-29

The Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to Moses,
and took of the Spirit that was on him,
and put it on the seventy elders,
and it happened that when the Spirit rested on them,
they prophesied, but they did not keep doing it.

Two men remained in the camp,
the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad,
and the Spirit rested on them.
They were one the list, but had not gone out to the tent,
and they prophesied in the camp.
A young man ran and told Moses, and said,
“Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.”
Joshua, the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, answered,
“My lord Moses, forbid them.”
Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake?
I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets,
that the Lord would put his Spirit on them all!”

Responsorial – Psalm 19.8, 10, 12-13, 14 Resp. 9a

R. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

The law of the Lord is perfect,
restoring the soul.
The covenant of the Lord is sure,
making the simple wise.

R. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the Lord are true,
and righteous altogether.

R. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

Though your servant is warned,
keeping them with great reward,
who can discern his errors?
Forgive me from hidden faults.

R. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins.
Let it not have dominion over me.
Then I will be blameless and innocent
of great transgression.

R. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

Reading 2 - James 5.1-6

Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming.
Your riches are corrupted and your garments are moth-eaten.
Your gold and your silver have corroded,
and their corrosion will be for a testimony against you,
and will eat your flesh like fire.
You have laid up your treasure for the last days.
Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields cry out,
which you have kept back by fraud,
and the cries of the reapers have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.
You have lived luxuriously on the earth, and taken your pleasure.
You have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter.
You have condemned, you have murdered the righteous one.
He does not resist you.

Gospel – Mark 9.38-43, 45, 47-48

John said to Jesus, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,
and we forbade him, because he does not follow us.”
But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him,
for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name,
and be able at the same time to speak evil of me.
For whoever is not against us is for us.
For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink, because you are Christ’s,
amen I tell you, they will certainly not lose their reward.

Whoever scandalizes one of these little ones who believe in me,
it would be better for him if he were thrown into the sea
with a millstone hung around his neck.
If your hand scandalizes you, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life maimed,
rather than having your two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire.
If your foot scandalizes you, cut it off.
It is better for you to enter into life lame,
rather than having your two feet to be cast into Gehenna.
If your eye scandalizes you, pluck it out.
It is better for you to enter into the Kingdom of God with one eye,
rather than with two eyes to be cast into Gehenna
‘where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’”

Feast of Saint Michael, Saint Gabriel and Saint Raphael, archangels

Official Translation

Reading 1 - Daniel 7.9-10, 13-14

I watched until thrones were placed,
and the Ancient of Days sat down.
His garment was white as snow,
and the hair of his head like clean wool.
His throne was like flames of fire,
and the wheels of it like a burning fire.
A swift stream of fire issued forth from before him.
Thousands upon thousands ministered to him,
and a myriad of myriads stood before him.
The court sat in judgment,
and the books were opened.

I beheld therefore in the vision of the night,
and lo, one like a son of man came
with the clouds of heaven,
and he came even to the Ancient of Days,
and they presented him before him.
He gave him power, and glory, and a kingdom.
All peoples, tribes and tongues shall serve him.
His power is an everlasting power
that shall not be taken away,
and his kingdom shall not be destroyed.

Or Revelation 12.7-12ab

War broke out in heaven.
Michael and his angels made war on the dragon.
The dragon and his angels made war.
They did not prevail, nor was a place found for him in heaven anymore.
The great dragon was thrown down, the ancient serpent,
he who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of all civilization.
He was thrown down to the land, and his angels were thrown down with him.

I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,
“Now the salvation, the power, and the Kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ have come to be,
for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down,
who accuses them before our God day and night.
They overcame him because of the Blood of the Lamb,
and because of the word of their witness.
They did not love their souls, even to death.
Therefore rejoice, heavens, and you who dwell in them.”

Responsorial – Psalm 138.1-2ab, 2cde-3, 4-5 Resp. 1

R. Before the angels I will sing your praise, Lord.

I will give you thanks with my whole heart.
for you have heard the words of my mouth
before the angels I will sing your praise.
I will bow down toward your holy temple,
and give thanks to your Name.

R. Before the angels I will sing your praise, Lord.

Because of your loving kindness and your truth,
for you have exalted above all
your Name and your Word.
In the day that I called, you answered me.
You encouraged me with strength in my soul.

R. Before the angels I will sing your praise, Lord.
All the kings of the earth will give you thanks, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of your mouth.
Yes, they will sing of the ways of the Lord:
“Great is the glory of the Lord.”

R. Before the angels I will sing your praise, Lord.

Gospel – John 1.47-51

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said about him,
“Behold, a true Israelite,in whom there is no deceit!”
Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?”
Jesus answered him,
“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 King of Israel!”
Jesus answered him,
“Do you believe because I told you, ‘I saw you underneath the fig tree,’ ?
You will see greater things than these!”
He said to him, “Amen, Amen, I say to you, hereafter you will see heaven opened,
and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Human.”

Friday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Ecclesiastes 3.1-11

For everything there is a season,
and a time for every purpose under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to tear down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

What profit has the worker in all his labors?
I have looked at the burden which God
has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has also set eternity in their hearts,
yet man cannot find out the work
that God has done from the beginning to the end.

Responsorial – Psalm 144.1b+2abc, 3-4 Resp. 1

R. Blessed be the Lord, my rock!

Blessed be the Lord, my rock,
My loving kindness, my fortress,
my high tower, my deliverer,
my shield, and he in whom I take refuge.

R. Blessed be the Lord, my rock!

Lord, what is man, that you care for him?
The son of man, that you think of him?
Man is like a breath.
His days are like a shadow that passes away.

R. Blessed be the Lord, my rock!

Gospel – Luke 9.18-22

As he was praying alone, the disciples were with him,
and he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They answered, “‘John the Baptist,’ but others say, ‘Elijah,’
and others, that one of the old prophets is risen again.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
But he warned them, and commanded them to tell this to no one,
saying, “The Son of Human must suffer many things,
and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes,
and be killed, and the third day be raised up.”

Thursday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Ecclesiastes 1.2-11

Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth, Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.
What does man gain from all his labor which he works under the sun?
One generation goes, and another generation comes,
but the earth remains forever.
The sun also rises, and the sun goes down,
and hurries to its place where it rises.
The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north.
It turns around continually as it goes, and the wind returns again to its courses.
All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full.
To the place where the rivers flow, there they flow again.
All things are full of weariness beyond uttering.
The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.
That which has been is that which shall be,
and that which has been done is that which shall be done:
and there is nothing new under the sun.
Is there a thing of which it may be said, “Behold, this is new?”
It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
There is no memory of the men of old,
nor shall there be any memory of those who are yet come,
among those who shall come after.

Responsorial – Psalm 90.3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14+17bc Resp. 1

R. Lord, you have been our refuge for all generations.

You turn man to dust, saying,
“Return, you children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are just like yesterday when it is past,
like a watch in the night.

R. Lord, you have been our refuge for all generations.

You sweep them away as they sleep.
In the morning they sprout like new grass.
In the morning it sprouts and springs up.
By evening, it is withered and dry.

R. Lord, you have been our refuge for all generations.

So teach us to number our days,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Relent, Lord! How long?
Have compassion on your servants!

R. Lord, you have been our refuge for all generations.

Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Establish the work of our hands for us;
establish the work of our hands.

R. Lord, you have been our refuge for all generations.

Gospel – Luke 9.7-9

Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by Jesus,
and he was very perplexed,
because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead,
and by some that Elijah had appeared,
and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again.
Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this, about whom I hear such things?”
He kept trying to see him.

Wednesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Proverbs 30.5-9

Every word of God is flawless.
He is a shield to those who take refuge in him.
Do not add to his words,
lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar.

Two things I have asked of you:
Do not deny them to me before I die:
Remove far from me falsehood and lies.
Give me neither poverty nor riches.
Feed me with the food that is needful for me,
lest I be full, deny you, and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor, and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.

Responsorial – Psalm 119.29, 72, 89, 101, 104, 163 Resp. 105

R. Your word is a lamp to my feet.

Keep me from the way of deceit.
Grant me your law graciously!

R. Your word is a lamp to my feet.

The law of your mouth is better to me
than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

R. Your word is a lamp to my feet.

Lord, your word is settled forever.
It is settled in heaven.

R. Your word is a lamp to my feet.

I have kept my feet from every evil way,
that I might observe your word.

R. Your word is a lamp to my feet.

Through your precepts, I get understanding;
therefore I hate every false way.

R. Your word is a lamp to my feet.

I hate and abhor falsehood.
I love your law.

R. Your word is a lamp to my feet.

Gospel – Luke 9.1-6

Jesus called the Twelve together and gave them power
and authority over all demons and to cure diseases.
He sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick.
He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey,
neither a walking stick, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money,
and no one shall have a second tunic.
Into whatever house you enter, stay there, and depart from there.
Those who do not receive you,
when you depart from that city,
shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.”
They departed, and went throughout the villages,
preaching the Good News, and healing everywhere.

Tuesday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Proverbs 21.1-6, 10-13

The king’s heart is in the Lord’s hand like flowing water:
he turns it wherever he desires.
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the hearts.
To do righteousness and justice
is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.
A high look, and a proud heart:
the lamp of the wicked, is sin.
The plans of the diligent surely lead to plenty,
and everyone who is hasty surely rushes to poverty.
Getting treasures by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a snare of death.

The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
When the mocker is punished, the simple gains wisdom.
When the wise is instructed, he receives knowledge.
The just man considers the house of the wicked,
and brings the wicked to ruin.
Whoever stops his ears at the cry of the poor,
will himself cry out, but shall not be heard.

Responsorial – Psalm 119.1, 27, 30, 34, 35, 44 Resp. 35

R. Lord, guide me on the path of your commandments.

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless,
who walk according to the law of the Lord.

R. Lord, guide me on the path of your commandments.

Let me understand the teaching of your precepts!
Then I will meditate on your wondrous works.

R. Lord, guide me on the path of your commandments.

I have chosen the way of truth.
I have set your ordinances before me.

R. Lord, guide me on the path of your commandments.

Give me understanding, and I will keep your law.
Yes, I will obey it with my whole heart.

R. Lord, guide me on the path of your commandments.

Guide me on the path of your commandments,
for I delight in them.

R. Lord, guide me on the path of your commandments.

So I will obey your law continually,
forever and ever.

R. Lord, guide me on the path of your commandments.

Gospel – Luke 8.19-21

Jesus’ mother and brothers came to him,
but they could not come near because of the crowd.
Someone told him,
“Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you.”
But he answered them,
“My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Proverbs 3.27-34

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in the power of your hand to do it.
Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again; I will give it tomorrow”,
when you have it next to you.
Do not devise evil against your neighbor,
since he dwells securely by you.
Do not argue with a man without cause,
if he has done you no harm.
Do not envy the man of violence.
Choose none of his ways.
For the perverse is an abomination to the Lord,
but his friendship is with the upright.
The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the habitation of the righteous.
Surely he mocks the mockers,
but he gives grace to the humble.

Responsorial – Psalm 15.2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5 Resp. 1

R. He who walks blamelessly shall dwell on your holy hill.

He who walks blamelessly and does what is right,
and speaks truth in his heart;
and does not slander with his tongue,

R. He who walks blamelessly shall dwell on your holy hill.

He who does no evil to his friend,
nor casts slurs against his fellow human;
in whose eyes a vile man is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord.

R. He who walks blamelessly shall dwell on your holy hill.

He who does not lend out his money for usury,
nor takes a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be shaken.

R. He who walks blamelessly shall dwell on your holy hill.

Gospel – Luke 8.16-18

Jesus said to the crowd:
“No one, when they have lit a lamp,
covers it with a container, or puts it under a bed,
instead they put it on a stand,
so that those who enter in may see the light.
For nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed,
nor secret, that will not be known and come to light.
Be careful therefore how you hear.
For whoever has, to them more will be given,
and whoever has not, even what they seem to have
will be taken away from them.”

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Wisdom 2.12, 17-20

For the wicked said:

Let us lie in wait for the just man,
because he is not like us, and he is contrary to our actions,
and upbraids us for transgressions of the law,
and accuses us of the sins of our way of life.

Let us see then if his words be true,
and let us test what shall happen to him,
and we shall know what his end shall be.
For if he be the true son of God, he will defend him
and will deliver him from the hands of his enemies.
Let us examine him by outrages and tortures,
that we may know his meekness and try his patience.
Let us condemn him to a most shameful death:
For by his own words, there will be a regard for him.

Responsorial – Psalm 54.3-4, 5, 6+8 Resp. 6b

R. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

Save me, God, by your name.
Vindicate me in your might.
Hear my prayer, O God.
Listen to the words of my mouth.

R. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

For strangers have risen up against me.
Violent men have sought after my soul.
They have not set God before them.

R. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

Behold, God is my helper.
The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.
With a free will offering, I will sacrifice to you.
I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.

R. The Lord is the one who sustains my soul.

Reading 2 – James 3.16-4.3

Beloved:
Where jealousy and selfish ambition are,
there is confusion and every evil deed.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, listening,
full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.
The fruit of righteousness is planted in peace, for those who make peace.

Where do the wars and battles among you come from?
Do they not come from your desires that make war among your own body parts?
You want and do not have.
You kill and envy but cannot obtain.
You fight and wage war.

You do not have, because you do not ask.
You ask and do not receive, because you ask incorrectly, to spend it for your desires.

Gospel – Mark 9.30-37

Jesus and his disciples went away from there and passed through Galilee.
He did not want anyone to know it.
For he was teaching his disciples and said to them,
“The Son of Human is being handed over into the hands of humans,
and they will kill him,
and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.”

They did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them,
“What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”
But they were silent, for they had disputed one with another on the way
about who was the greatest.
He sat down, and called the Twelve; and he said to them,
“If anyone wants to be first, they shall be last of all, and servant of all.”
He took an infant and stood him in their midst.
Taking him in his arms, he said to them,
“Whoever receives one such infant in my name,
receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

Saturday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 15.35-37, 42-49

Brothers and sisters:
Someone will say, “How are the dead raised?”
and, “With what kind of body do they come back?”
Fool, what you plant does not come alive unless it dies.
What you plant is not the body that will come to be,
but a mere grain, perhaps of wheat, or of some other kind.

So also is the resurrection of the dead.
Planted as perishable, but raised as imperishable.
Planted in dishonor, but raised in glory.
Planted in weakness, but raised in power.
Planted an ensouled body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is an ensouled body, there is also a spiritual one.

So it is written, “The first human, Adam, became a living soul.”
The last Adam comes alive in the spirit.
But the spiritual is not first, but the ensouled, then the spiritual.
The first human is from the land, made of dirt.
The second human is from heaven.
As the dirt, so are those of the dirt,
and as the heavenly, so are those of the heavenly.
Just as we have borne the image of the dirt,
Let us also bear the image of the heavenly.

Responsorial – Psalm 56.10c-12, 13-14 Resp. 14

R. I will walk before God in the light of the living.

I know this, that God is for me.
In God, whose word I praise.
I have put my trust in God; I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?

R. I will walk before God in the light of the living.

Your vows are on me, God.
I will give thank offerings to you.
For you have delivered my soul from death,
and prevented my feet from stumbling,
so that I will walk before God in the light of the living.

R. I will walk before God in the light of the living.

Gospel – Luke 8.4-15

When a great crowd came together,
and people from every city were coming to him,
he spoke in a parable: “The farmer went out to sow his seed.
As he sowed, some fell along the road,
and it was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the sky devoured it.
Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew,
it withered away, because it had no moisture.
Some other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it.
Some other fell into the good land,
and grew, and produced one hundred times as much fruit.”
As he said these things, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear!”

Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?”
He said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God,
but to the rest it is in parables, that:
'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
Those along the road are those who hear,
then the devil comes, and takes away the word from their heart,
that they may not believe and be saved.
Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy,
but these have no root, and believe for a while then fall away in time of temptation.
That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard,
and as they go on their way they are choked
with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.
As for that in the beautiful soil, they are those who, hearing the word,
embrace it with a beautiful and good heart, and bear fruit with perseverance.

Feast of Saint Matthew, Apostle and evangelist

Official Translation

Reading 1 - Ephesians 4.1-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters:
I, the prisoner in the Lord,
beg you to walk in a manner
worthy of the calling
with which you were called,
with all lowliness and humility, with patience,
bearing with one another in love;
being eager to keep
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body, and one Spirit,
even as you also were called
in one hope of your calling;
one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
one God and Father of all,
who is over all and through all and in us all.

But to each one of us was the grace given
according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

He gave some to be apostles;
and some, prophets; and some, evangelists;
and some, pastors and teachers;
for the perfecting of the saints,
to the work of serving,
to the building up of the body of Christ;
until we all attain to the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God,
to a full-grown man,
to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Responsorial – Psalm 19.2-3, 4-5 Resp. 5

R. Their sound has gone forth through all the earth.

The heavens show forth the glory of God,
and the firmament declares the work of his hands.
Day to day utters speech,
and night to night shows knowledge.

R. Their sound has gone forth through all the earth.

There are no speeches nor languages,
in which their voices are not heard.
Their sound has gone forth through all the earth,
and their words unto the ends of the world.

R. Their sound has gone forth through all the earth.

Gospel – Matthew 9.9-13

As Jesus passed by,
he saw a human called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office.
He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up and followed him.

As he sat in the house, behold,
many tax collectors and sinners came
and sat down with Jesus and his disciples.
When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples,
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
When Jesus heard it, he said to them,
“Those who are healthy have no need for a physician,
but those who are sick do.
But you go and learn what this means:
‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’
for I came not to call the righteous,
but sinners to repentance.”

Thursday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 15.1-11

Now I declare to you, brothers and sisters,
the Gospel which I preached to you,
which also you received,
in which you also stand,
by which you are saved,
if you hold firmly the word which I preached to you
—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received:
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
and that he appeared to Kephas, then to the Twelve.
Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once,
most of whom remain until now, though some have fallen asleep.
Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
and last of all, as to a preemie, he appeared to me also.

For I am the least of the Apostles, not worthy to be called an Apostle,
because I persecuted the Church of God.
But by the grace of God I am what I am.
His grace given to me was not futile,
but I worked harder than all of them;
yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
Whether then it is I or they, thus we preach, and thus you believed.

Responsorial – Psalm 118.1b-2, 16ab-17, 28 Resp. 1

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his loving kindness endures forever.
Let Israel now say
that his loving kindness endures forever.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

“The right hand of the Lord does valiantly.
The right hand of the Lord is exalted!
I will not die, but live,
and declare the works of the Lord.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you.
You are my God, I will exalt you.

R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

Gospel - Luke 7:36-50

One of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him.
He entered the Pharisee’s house, and sat at the table.
Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner,
when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house,
brought an alabaster jar of ointment.
Standing behind at his feet weeping,
she began to wet his feet with her tears,
and she wiped them with the hair of her head.
She kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself,
“If this one were a prophet, he would have perceived
who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.”

Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
He said, “Teacher, say on.”
“A certain lender had two debtors.
The one owed five hundred days’ wages, and the other fifty.
When they could not pay, he forgave them both.
Which of them therefore will love him most?”
Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.”
He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”

Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman?
I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet,
but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head.
You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.
You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much.
But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little.”
He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves,
“Who is this who even forgives sins?”
He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 12.31-13:13

Brothers and sisters:
Earnestly strive through imitation for the greater charisms.
And I will show you a way still beyond:
If I speak with the tongues of humans and angels, but do not have love,
I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge,
and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains,
but do not have love, I am nothing.
And if I donate all my possessions, and if I give my body to be burned,
but do not have love, it gains me nothing.

Love is patient; Love is kind;
Love is not jealous, nor bragging, nor proud, nor rude,
It does not seek its own way, nor is provoked to anger, nor counts up evils;
nor rejoices in unrighteousness, but rejoices together with the truth.
It bears all; believes all; hopes all; endures all.
Love never fails.

If there are prophecies, they will cease.
If tongues, they will stop.
If knowledge, it will cease.
For we know in part, and we prophesy in part;
but when the goal comes, the in part will cease.
When I was immature, I spoke immaturely,
I thought immaturely, I reasoned immaturely.
Since I have become a man, the immaturity has ceased.
For now we see in a mirror, enigmatically, but then face to face.
Now I know in part, but then I will acknowledge, just as I am acknowledged.
Now faith, hope, and love remain, these three,
and the greatest of these is love.

Responsorial – Psalm 33.2-3, 4-5, 12+22 Resp. 12

R. Blessed is the people whom the Lord has chosen as his inheritance.

Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre.
Sing praises to him with the ten-stringed harp.
Sing to him a new song.
Play skillfully, with a shout of joy!

R. Blessed is the people whom the Lord has chosen as his inheritance.

The word of the Lord is right.
All his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice.
The earth is full of the loving kindness of the Lord.

R. Blessed is the people whom the Lord has chosen as his inheritance.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.
Let your loving kindness be on us, O Lord,
since we have hoped in you.

R. Blessed is the people whom the Lord has chosen as his inheritance.

Gospel – Luke 7.31-35

Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare the humans of this kind?
What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace, and call to one another, saying,
‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, and you did not weep.’
For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine,
and you say, ‘He has a demon.’
The Son of Human has come eating and drinking,
and you say, ‘Behold the human, a glutton and a drunk;
a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
Wisdom is justified by all her children.”

Tuesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 12.12-14, 27-31a

Brothers and sisters:
just as the body is one and has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, being many, are one body;
thus also is Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free,
and we all were given to drink one Spirit.
For the body is not one part but many.

Now you are the body of Christ, and parts by shares.
God has set some in the Church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers,
then miracles, then gifts of healings, helping,
administering, and various kinds of tongues.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Are all miracle workers? 30 Do all have gifts of healings?
Do all speak with various tongues? Do all interpret?
But earnestly strive through imitation for the greater charisms.

Responsorial – Psalm 100.1b-2, 3, 4, 5 Resp. 3

R. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Shout for joy to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before his presence with singing.

R. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who has made us, and we are his.
We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

R. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, and bless his name.

R. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

For the Lord is good.
His loving kindness endures forever,
his faithfulness to all generations.

R. We are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Gospel – Luke 7.11-17

Jesus went to a city called Nain.
Many of his disciples, along with a great crowd, went with him.
When he came near to the gate of the city,
behold, one who was dead was carried out,
the only son of his mother, and she was a widow.
Many people of the city were with her.
When the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her,
and said to her, “Do not cry.”
He came near and touched the coffin, and the bearers stood still.
He said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!”
He who was dead sat up, and began to speak.
And he gave him to his mother.
Fear took hold of all, and they glorified God, saying,
“A great prophet has arisen among us!” and, “God has visited his people!”
This report went out concerning him
in the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.

Monday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 11.17-26, 33

Brothers and sisters:
In giving you this command, I do not praise you,
for you come together not for the better but for the worse.
First of all, when you come together in the Church,
I hear that divisions exist among you, and I partly believe it.
For there must be factions among you,
that those who are approved may be revealed among you.
When therefore you assemble yourselves together,
it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat.
For in your eating each one takes his own supper first:
one goes hungry while another is drunken.
Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?
Or do you despise the Church of God,
and put to shame those who do not have?
What shall I tell you? Shall I praise you? In this I do not praise you.

I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you:
that the Lord Jesus, on the night in which he was betrayed, took bread.
When he had given thanks, he broke it and said,
“This is my body, which is for you. Do this in memory of me.”
In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in memory of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

Responsorial – Psalm 40.7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17 Resp. 1 Corinthians 11:26b

R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Sacrifice and offering you did not desire.
You have opened my ears.
You have not required burnt offering and sin offering.
Then I said, “Behold, I have come.

R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

It is written about me in the scroll:
“I delight to do your will, my God.
Yes, your law is within my heart.”

R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

I have proclaimed glad news of righteousness in the vast assembly.
Behold, you know I will not seal my lips, O Lord.

R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Let all those who seek you
rejoice and be glad in you.
May those who love your salvation
say continually, “Let the Lord be exalted!”

R. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Gospel – Luke 7.1-10

After Jesus had finished speaking in the hearing of the people,
he entered into Capernaum.
A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him,
was sick and at the point of death.
When he heard about Jesus,
he sent to him elders of the Jews,
asking him to come and save his servant.
When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying,
“He is worthy for you to do this for him,
for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.”
Jesus went with them.

When he was not far from the house,
the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him,
“Lord, do not trouble yourself,
for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.
Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to you,
but say the word, and my servant will be healed.
For I also am a man placed under authority,
having under myself soldiers.
I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes;
and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him,
and turned and said to the crowd who followed him,
“I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.”
Those who were sent, returning to the house,
found that the servant who had been sick was well.

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Isaiah 50.5-9a

The Lord God has opened my ear to hear,
and I was not rebellious, nor have I turned back.

I gave my back to the strikers,
and my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
I did not hide my face from shame and spitting.
For the Lord God will help me;
therefore I have not been confounded:
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be disappointed.
He is near who justifies me;
who will bring charges against me?
Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.
Behold, the Lord God will help me.
Who shall condemn me?

Responsorial – Psalm 116.1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 Resp. 9

R. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. or R. Alleluia!

I love the Lord, because he listens
to my voice and my cries for mercy.
Because he has turned his ear to me,
when I call on him.

R. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. or R. Alleluia!

The cords of death surrounded me,
the pains of Sheol got hold of me.
I found trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I beg you, deliver my soul.”

R. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. or R. Alleluia!

The Lord is gracious and righteous.
Yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple.
I was brought low, and he saved me.

R. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. or R. Alleluia!

For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.

R. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. or R. Alleluia!

Reading 2 – James 2.14-18

What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says they have faith but not works?
Faith cannot save them, can it?
And if a brother or sister is naked and lacks basic food,
and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, keep warm and well-fed”,
but you do not give them the things the body needs,
what good is that?
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead according to its own nature.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”
Show me your faith separate from works,
and I will show you, by my works, my faith.

Gospel – Mark 8.27-35

Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do humans say that I am?”
They told him, “John the Baptist, and others, Elijah, and others, one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.

He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things,
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and after three days rise again.
He spoke to them openly.
Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him.
But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples,
rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan!
For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of humans.”

Jesus called the crowd to himself with his disciples, and said to them:
“Whoever wants to come after me,
let them deny themself, and take up their cross, and follow me.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it;
and whoever will lose their life
for my sake and the sake of the Gospel
will save it.”

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Hebrews 5.7-9

Christ Jesus, in the days of his flesh,
having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears
to him who was able to save him from death,
and having been heard for his godly fear,
Son though he was, still he learned obedience by what he suffered.
Having been made perfect,
he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation.

Responsorial – Psalm 31.2+3b, 3cd-4, 5-6, 15-16, 20 Resp. 17

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

In you, O Lord, I take refuge.
Let me never be disappointed.
Deliver me in your righteousness.
Rescue me speedily!

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

Be to me a strong rock,
a house of defense to save me.
For you are my rock and my fortress,
for your name’s sake, lead me and guide me.

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

Pluck me out of the net that they have laid secretly for me,
for you are my stronghold.
Into your hand I commend my spirit.
You redeem me, O Lord, God of truth.

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

But I trust in you, O Lord.
I said, “You are my God.”
My fate is in your hand: deliver me
from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

How great is your goodness,
which you have laid up for those who fear you,
which you have, for those who take refuge in you,
worked before the sons of men!

R. Save me, O Lord, in your loving kindness.

Sequence – Stabat Mater Dolorosa

At the cross her station keeping,
Stood the mournful Mother weeping,
Close to Jesus to the last.

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing,
All His bitter anguish bearing,
Now at length the sword had pass'd.

Oh, how sad and sore distress'd
Was that Mother highly blest
Of the sole-begotten One!

Christ above in torment hangs;
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying glorious Son.

Is there one who would not weep,
Whelm'd in miseries so deep
Christ's dear Mother to behold?

Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain,
In that Mother's pain untold?

Bruis'd, derided, curs'd, defil'd,
She beheld her tender child
All with bloody scourges rent.

For the sins of His own nation,
Saw Him hang in desolation,
Till His spirit forth He sent.

O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above;
Make my heart with thine accord.

Make me feel as thou hast felt;
Make my soul to glow and melt
With the love of Christ our Lord.

Holy Mother! pierce me through;
In my heart each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified.

Let me share with thee His pain,
Who for all my sins was slain,
Who for me in torments died.

Let me mingle tears with thee,
Mourning Him who mourn'd for me,
All the days that I may live.

By the cross with thee to stay,
There with thee to weep and pray,
Is all I ask of thee to give.

Virgin of all virgins best,
Listen to my fond request
Let me share thy grief divine.

Let me, to my latest breath,
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of thine.

Wounded with His every wound,
Steep my soul till it hath swoon'd
In His very blood away.

Be to me, O Virgin, nigh,
Lest in flames I burn and die,
In His awful Judgment day.

Christ, when Thou shalt call me hence,
Be Thy Mother my defence,
Be Thy cross my victory.

While my body here decays,
May my soul Thy goodness praise,
Safe in Paradise with Thee.
Amen. Alleluia.

Gospel – John 19:25-27

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother,
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there,
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!”
Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!”
From that hour, the disciple took her into his own home.

Or Luke 2.33-35

Joseph and his mother were marveling at the things
which were spoken concerning him,
and Simeon blessed them,
and said to Mary, his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the falling and the rising of many in Israel,
and for a sign which will be contradicted.
(Indeed, a sword will pierce through your own soul)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Numbers 21.4b-9

They traveled from Mount Hor by the way to the Red Sea,
to go around the land of Edom.
The soul of the people was very discouraged because of the journey.
The people spoke against God and against Moses,
“Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?
For there is no bread, and there is no water,
and our soul loathes this worthless food.”

The Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people.
Many people of Israel died.
The people came to Moses, and said, “We have sinned,
because we have spoken against the Lord, and against you.
Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.”
Moses prayed for the people.
The Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent, and set it on a pole.
It shall happen that everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.”
Moses made a serpent of bronze, and set it on the pole.
If a serpent had bitten anyone, when they looked at the serpent of bronze, they lived.

Responsorial – Psalm 78.1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38 Resp. 7b

R. Do not forget God’s deeds.

Hear my teaching, my people.
Turn your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable.
I will utter dark sayings of old.

R. Do not forget God’s deeds.

When he killed them, then they sought him.
They returned and inquired after God earnestly.
They remembered that God was their rock,
that the Most High God was their redeemer.

R. Do not forget God’s deeds.

But they flattered him with their mouth,
and lied to him with their tongue.
For their heart was not right with him,
neither were they faithful to his covenant.

R. Do not forget God’s deeds.

But he, being merciful, forgave their iniquity,
and did not destroy them.
Yes, many times he turned his anger away,
and did not stir up all his wrath.

R. Do not forget God’s deeds.

Reading 2 – Philippians 2.6-11

Brothers and sisters:
Christ Jesus,
though existing in the form of God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,
being made in the likeness of humans.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death,
yes, the death of the cross.

Therefore God also highly exalted him,
and gave to him the name which is above every name;
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord
to the glory of God the Father.

Gospel – John 3.13-17

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
No one has ascended into heaven,
except he who descended out of heaven:
the Son of Human.

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,
even so must the Son of Human be lifted up,
that whoever believes in him
should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

For God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world,
but that the world should be saved through him.

Thursday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 8.1b-7, 11-13

Brothers and sisters:
Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.
But if anyone thinks that they knows anything,
they do not yet know as they ought to know.
But if anyone loves God, he is known by them.

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols:
we know that no idol is anything in the world,
and that there is no other God but one.
For though there are things that are called “gods”,
whether in the heavens or on earth
(there are many “gods” and many “lords”),
yet to us there is one God: the Father,
of whom all things are, and for whom we are;
and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom are all things, and through whom we are.

However, this knowledge is not in all,
but some, through association with the idol until now,
eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol,
and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

Thus, through your knowledge, someone who is weak perishes,
a brother for whose sake Christ died.
Thus, sinning against the brothers,
and wounding their conscience when it is weak,
you sin against Christ.
Therefore if food causes my brother to stumble,
I will not eat meat in this age,
lest I cause my brother to stumble.

Responsorial – Psalm 139.1b-3, 13-14ab, 23-24 Resp. 24b

R. Lead me, Lord, in the eternal way.

O Lord, you have searched me and known me;
you know my sitting down and my rising up.
You understood my thoughts from afar;
my resting and my rising you have searched out.
And you have understood all my ways.

R. Lead me, Lord, in the eternal way.

For you formed my inmost being.
You knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Your works are wonderful.

R. Lead me, Lord, in the eternal way.

Search me, God, and know my heart.
Try me, and know my thoughts.
See if there is any wicked way in me,
and lead me in the eternal way.

R. Lead me, Lord, in the eternal way.

Gospel – Luke 6.27-38

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you who hear: love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you.
To the one who strikes you on the cheek, offer also the other;
and from the one who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your coat as well.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes your stuff, do not demand it back.

As you would like humans to do to you, do exactly the same to them.
If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners love those who love them.
If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you?
For even sinners do the same.
If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive back as much.
But love your enemies, and do good,
and lend, expecting nothing back,
and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High;
for he is kind toward the ungrateful and evil.
Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Judge not and you will not be judged.
Condemn not, and you will not be condemned.
Release, and you will be released.
Give, and it will be given to you:
good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over,
will be given to you.
For with the same measure you measure, will it be measured back to you.”

Wednesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 7.25-31

Brothers and sisters:
Concerning virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord,
but I give my judgment as one who is, by the Lord’s mercy, trustworthy.
I think that it is good therefore, because of the distress that is on us,
that it is good for a human to be as they are.
Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be freed.
Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
But if you marry, you have not sinned.
If a virgin marries, she has not sinned.
Yet such will have oppression in the flesh, and I want to spare you.

I say this, brothers and sisters: the time is short.
From now on, those who have wives should be as though they had none;
and those who weep, as though they do not weep;
and those who rejoice, as though they do not rejoice;
and those who buy, as though they do not possess;
and those who use the world, as not using it to the fullest.
For the form of this world passes away.

Responsorial – Psalm 45.11-12, 14-15, 16-17 Resp. 11

R. Listen, daughter; consider and turn your ear.

Listen, daughter; consider and turn your ear.
Forget your own people and your father’s house.
So will the king desire your beauty,
honor him, for he is your lord.

R. Listen, daughter; consider and turn your ear.

The princess enters entirely glorious.
Her clothing is interwoven with gold.
She shall be led to the king in embroidered work.
The virgins, her companions who follow her, shall be brought to you.

R. Listen, daughter; consider and turn your ear.

With gladness and rejoicing they shall be led.
They shall enter into the king’s palace.
Your sons will take the place of your fathers.
You shall make them princes over all the earth.

R. Listen, daughter; consider and turn your ear.

Gospel – Luke 6.20-26

Jesus lifted up his eyes to his disciples, and said,
“Blessed are you who are poor; the Kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be filled.
Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when men hate you,
and when they exclude and mock you,
and throw out your name as evil,
for the sake of the Son of Human.
Rejoice on that day, and leap for joy,
for behold, your reward is great in heaven,
for their fathers did the same thing to the prophets.

But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.
Woe to you, you who are full now, for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep.
Woe to you, when humans speak well of you,
for their fathers did the same thing to the false prophets.

Tuesday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 6:1-11

Brothers and Sisters:
How do any of you, having a case against their neighbor,
dare to go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?
If the world is judged by you,
are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
Do you not know that we will judge angels?
How much more, things that pertain to this life?
If then, you have to judge things pertaining to this life,
do you seat judges who are of no account in the Church?
I say this to shame you.
Is there not even someone wise among you
who would be able to decide between their brothers?
Instead brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers!
Therefore it is already altogether a defect in you,
that you have lawsuits one with another.
Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?
No, but you yourselves do wrong, and defraud,
and that against your brothers.
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God?
Do not be deceived. Neither the perverse, nor idolaters, nor adulterers,
nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy,
nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor swindlers,
will inherit the Kingdom of God.
Such were some of you,
but you were washed; you were sanctified; you were justified
in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.

Responsorial – Psalm 149.1b-2,3-4,5-6a+9b Resp. 4

R. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people.

Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise in the assembly of the saints.
Let Israel rejoice in him who made them.
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

R. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people.

Let them praise his name in the dance!
Let them sing praises to him with tambourine and harp!
For the Lord takes pleasure in his people.
He crowns the humble with salvation.

R. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people.

Let the saints rejoice in honor.
Let them sing for joy on their beds.
May the high praises of God be in their mouths.
All his saints have this honor. Alleluia.

R. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people.

Gospel – Luke 6.12-19

Jesus went up the mountain to pray,
and he continued all night in prayer to God.
When it was day, he called his disciples,
and from them he chose twelve, whom he also named apostles:
Simon, whom he also named Peter; Andrew, his brother;
James; John; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew;
Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus;
Simon, who was called the Zealot; Judas the son of James;
and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

He came down with them, and stood on a level place,
with a crowd of his disciples, and a great number of the people
from all Judea and Jerusalem, and the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon,
who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;
and those who were troubled by unclean spirits were being healed.
All the crowd sought to touch him,
for power came out of him and healed them all.

Monday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 5.1-8

Brothers and sisters:
It is actually reported that there is perversion among you,
and such perversion as is not even tolerated among the Gentiles:
someone has taken his father’s wife.
You are puffed up. Should you not rather mourn?
He who had done this deed shall be removed from among you.

For I most certainly, as being absent in body but present in spirit,
have already, as though I were present, judged him who has done this thing.
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
you being gathered together, and my spirit,
with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
are to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh,
that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Your boasting is not good.
Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole loaf?
Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new loaf,
since you are unleavened.

For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed.
Therefore let us keep the feast,
not with old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness,
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Responsorial – Psalm 5.5-6, 7, 12 Resp. 9

R. Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness.

For you are not a God who has pleasure in wickedness.
Evil cannot coexist with you.
The arrogant shall not stand in your sight.
You hate all workers of iniquity.

R. Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness.

You will destroy those who speak lies.
The bloodthirsty and deceitful man
is abhorred by the Lord.

R. Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness.

But let all those who take refuge in you
rejoice, let them always shout for joy,
because you defend them.
Let those who love your name be joyful in you.

R. Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness.

Gospel – Luke 6.6-11

On another Sabbath, Jesus entered into the synagogue and taught.
There was a man there, and his right hand was withered.
The scribes and the Pharisees watched him,
to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath,
that they might find an accusation against him.
But he knew their thoughts,
and he said to the man who had the withered hand,
“Rise up, and stand in the center.” He arose and stood.

Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you something:
Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good, or to do harm?
To save a life, or to kill?”
He looked around at them all,
and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.”
He did, and his hand was restored as sound as the other.
But they were filled with rage
and spoke with one another about what they might do to Jesus.

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Isaiah 35.4-7a

Thus says the LORD:
“Tell those who have a fearful heart,
‘Be strong. Be not afraid.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance, divine retribution.
He will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
and the ears of the deaf will be unclogged.
Then the lame man will leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute will sing;
for waters will break out in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water.’”

Responsorial – Psalm 146.7, 8-9, 9-10 Resp. 1b

R. Praise the Lord, O my soul! or R. Alleluia.

The God of Jacob is true forever.
He executes justice for the oppressed.
He gives food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners.

R. Praise the Lord, O my soul! or R. Alleluia.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord raises up those who are bowed down.
The Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord protects immigrants.

R. Praise the Lord, O my soul! or R. Alleluia.

He upholds the fatherless and widow,
but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.
The Lord will reign forever;
Your God, O Zion, for all generations.

R. Praise the Lord, O my soul! or R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 – James 2.1-5

My brothers and sisters,
do not hold the faith of our Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ,
with partiality.
For if someone with a gold ring, in fine clothing,
comes into your synagogue,
and a poor person in filthy clothing also comes in;
and you pay special attention
to the one who wears the fine clothing,
and say, “Sit here in a good place”;
and you tell the poor person,
“Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”;
have you not shown partiality among yourselves,
and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my beloved brothers.
Did God not choose those who are poor in this world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom
which he promised to those who love him?

Gospel – Mark 7.31-37

Jesus departed from the borders of Tyre,
and came through Sidon to the sea of Galilee,
in the middle of the region of Decapolis.

They brought to him a deaf man who had trouble speaking,
and they begged him to lay his hand on him.

He took him by himself, away from the crowd,
and put his fingers into his ears,
and he spat and touched his tongue.
Looking up into heaven, he sighed, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”
Immediately his ears were opened,
and the bond on his tongue was undone,
and he spoke clearly.
He commanded them that they should tell no one,
but the more he commanded them,
so much more widely they proclaimed it.
They were astonished beyond measure, saying,
“He has done all things beautifully.
He both makes the deaf hear and the unspeaking speak!”

Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Micah 5.1-4a

The LORD says:
You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah,
too small to be among the clans of Judah,
from you one will come for me
who is to be ruler in Israel;
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.

Therefore the Lord will abandon them
until the time when she who is in labor gives birth.
Then the rest of his brothers will return to the children of Israel.
He shall stand, and shall shepherd in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God:
and they will remain, for then he will be great
even to the ends of the earth.
He shall be peace.

Or Romans 8.28-30

Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God,
to those who are called according to his purpose.
For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined
to be conformed to the image of his Son,
that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
Those whom he predestined, he also called.
Those whom he called, he also justified.
Those whom he justified, he also glorified.

Responsorial – Psalm 13:6ab, 6c Resp. Isaiah 61:10

R. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord.

I trust in your loving kindness;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

R. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord.

I will sing to the Lord, because he has been good to me.

R. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord.

Gospel – Matthew 1.1-16, 18-23 or 18-23

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

Abraham became the father of Isaac.
Isaac became the father of Jacob.
Jacob became the father of Judah and his brothers.
Judah became the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar.
Perez became the father of Hezron.
Hezron became the father of Ram.
Ram became the father of Amminadab.
Amminadab became the father of Nahshon.
Nahshon became the father of Salmon.
Salmon became the father of Boaz by Rahab.
Boaz became the father of Obed by Ruth.
Obed became the father of Jesse.
Jesse became the father of King David.
David became the father of Solomon
by her who had been the wife of Uriah.
Solomon became the father of Rehoboam.
Rehoboam became the father of Abijah.
Abijah became the father of Asa.
Asa became the father of Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat became the father of Joram.
Joram became the father of Uzziah.
Uzziah became the father of Jotham.
Jotham became the father of Ahaz.
Ahaz became the father of Hezekiah.
Hezekiah became the father of Manasseh.
Manasseh became the father of Amon.
Amon became the father of Josiah.
Josiah became the father of Jechoniah and his brothers,
at the time of the exile to Babylon.
After the exile to Babylon,
Jechoniah became the father of Shealtiel.
Shealtiel became the father of Zerubbabel.
Zerubbabel became the father of Abiud.
Abiud became the father of Eliakim.
Eliakim became the father of Azor.
Azor became the father of Zadok.
Zadok became the father of Achim.
Achim became the father of Eliud.
Eliud became the father of Eleazar.
Eleazar became the father of Matthan.
Matthan became the father of Jacob.
Jacob became the father of Joseph,
the husband of Mary,
from whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

Now the birth of Jesus Christ happened in this way:
After his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph,
but before they came together,
she was found pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man,
and unwilling to shame her,
resolved to divorce her secretly.
But while he thought about these things,
behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to him in a dream, saying,
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid
to take in Mary, your wife,
for that which is conceived in her
is of the Holy Spirit.
She shall give birth to a son.
You shall call his name Jesus,
for it is he who shall save his people from their sins.”
Now all this has happened,
that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet,
might be fulfilled:
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child,
and shall give birth to a son.
They shall call his name Emmanuel”;
which means “God with us.”

Friday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 4:1-5

Brothers and sisters:
So let a human think of us as Christ’s servants
and stewards of the mysteries of God.
Moreover, it is required of stewards to be found faithful.
But with me it is a very small thing
that I should be judged by you or by human judgment.
I do not even judge myself, though I know nothing against myself.
Yet I am not justified by this, but he who judges me is the Lord.
Therefore judge nothing before the time when the Lord comes.
He will bring to light the hidden things of darkness
and reveal the intentions of hearts.
Then each will receive their praise from God.

Responsorial – Psalm 37.3-4, 5-6, 27-28, 39-40 Resp. 39a

R. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.

Trust in the Lord, and do good.
Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

R. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.

Commit your way to the Lord.
Trust also in him, and he will do this:
he will make your righteousness come out as the light,
and your justice as the noon day sun.

R. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.

Depart from evil, and do good.
Live securely forever.
For the Lord loves justice,
and does not forsake his saints, preserving them forever.
The unjust are punished,
and the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

R. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.

The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.
He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
The Lord helps them, and rescues them.
He rescues them from the wicked, and saves them,
Because they have taken refuge in him.

R. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.

Gospel – Luke 5.33-39

The scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,
“Why do John’s disciples often fast and pray,
and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees,
but yours eat and drink?”

He said to them, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast,
while the bridegroom is with them?
But the days will come
when the bridegroom will be taken away from them.
Then they will fast in those days.”

He also told a parable to them.
“No one sews a piece from a new garment on an old garment,
else they will tear the new,
and the piece from the new will not match the old.
No one puts new wine into old wine skins,
else the new wine will burst the skins and be spilled,
and the skins will be destroyed.
But new wine must be put into fresh wine skins.
Then both are preserved.
No one having drunk old wine desires new,
for they say, ‘The old is better.’”

Thursday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 3.18-23

Brothers and sisters:
Let no one deceive themself.
If anyone among you thinks that they are wise in this world,
let them become a fool, that they may become wise.
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.
For it is written,
“He has caught the wise in their cleverness.”
And again,
“The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise, that it is worthless.”

Therefore let no one boast in humans. For all things are yours,
whether Paul, or Apollos, or Kephas, or the world, or life, or death,
or things present, or things to come.
All are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.

Responsorial – Psalm 24.1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 Resp. 1

R. The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness.

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness,
the world and its inhabitants.
For he founded it upon the seas;
and upon the rivers made it firm.

R. The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness.

Who shall ascend the mountain of the Lord?
Who shall stand in his holy place?
He who, with innocent hands and a clean of heart,
has not lifted up his soul to useless things.

R. The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness.

He shall receive a blessing from the Lord,
and righteousness from God his Savior.
This is the nature of those who seek him,
who seek the face of the God of Jacob.

R. The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness.

Gospel – Luke 5.1-11

While the crowd pressed in on Jesus and heard the word of God,
he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret.
He saw two boats standing by the lake,
but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.
He entered into one of the boats, which was Simon’s,
and asked him to put out a little from the shore.
He sat down and taught the crowds from the boat.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon,
“Put out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.”
Simon answered him, “Master, we worked all night, and caught nothing,
but at your word I will let down the net.”
When they had done this, they caught a great multitude of fish,
and their net was breaking.
They beckoned to their partners in the other boat,
that they should come and help them.
They came, and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.

Simon Peter, when he saw it, fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying,
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord.”
For he was amazed, and all who were with him,
at the catch of fish which they had caught,
and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee,
who were partners with Simon.
Jesus said to Simon, “Be not afraid.
From now on you will be catching humans.”
When they had brought their boats to shore,
they left everything and followed him.

Wednesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Brothers and sisters,
I could not speak to you as to the spiritual,
but as to the fleshly, as to babes in Christ.
I fed you with milk, not with meat; for you were not yet ready.
Indeed, even now you are not ready, for you are still fleshly.
For insofar as there is jealousy, strife, and factions among you,
Are you not fleshly, and do you not walk in the ways of humans?

For when one says, “I follow Paul,”
and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not human?
For who is Apollos, and who is Paul,
except servants through whom you believed,
each as the Lord gave to him?
I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase.
So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters,
but God who gives the increase.
Now he who plants and he who waters are one,
but each will receive their own reward according to their own labor.
For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s farm, God’s building.

Responsorial – Psalm 33.12-13, 14-15, 20-21 Resp. 12

R. Blessed is the people whom the Lord has chosen for his own.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.
The Lord looks from heaven.
He sees all the sons of men.

R. Blessed is the people whom the Lord has chosen for his own.

From the place where he dwells he looks out
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
he who fashions all of their hearts,
and considers all of their works.

R. Blessed is the people whom the Lord has chosen for his own.

Our soul has waited for the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart rejoices in him,
because we have trusted in his holy name.

R. Blessed is the people whom the Lord has chosen for his own.

Gospel – Luke 4.38-44

Jesus left the synagogue, and entered Simon’s house.
Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a great fever,
and they begged him for her.
He stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her.
Immediately she rose up and served them.
When the sun was setting,
all those who had any sick with various diseases brought them to him,
and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.
Demons also came out of many, crying out, and saying,
“You are the Christ, the Son of God!”
Rebuking them, he did not allow them to speak,
because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, he departed and went into an uninhabited place,
and the crowds looked for him, and came to him, and held on to him,
so that he would not go away from them.
But he said to them,
“I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God
to the other cities also.
For this reason I have been sent.”
He was preaching into the synagogues of Judea.

Tuesday of the Twenty-second Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – 1 Corinthians 2.10b-16

Brothers and sisters:
The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God.
For who among humans knows that of a human,
except the spirit of the human which is in them?
Even so, no one knows the things of God, except the Spirit of God.

But we received, not the spirit of the world,
but the Spirit who is from God,
that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.
And we speak about them, not in words which human wisdom teaches,
but those which the Holy Spirit teaches,
evaluating the spiritual things spiritually.

Now the natural human does not accept the things of the Spirit of God,
for these are folly to them,
and they cannot know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Whereas the spiritual one discerns all things,
but they themself are judged by no one.
“For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him?”
But we have the mind of Christ.

Responsorial – Psalm 145.8-9, 10-11, 12-13ab, 13cd-14 Resp. 17

R. The Lord is righteous in all his ways.

The Lord is gracious, merciful,
slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.
The Lord is good to all.
His tender mercies are upon all his works.

R. The Lord is righteous in all his ways.

Let all your works, O Lord, praise you,
and let your holy ones bless you.
They will speak of the glory of your kingdom:
and tell of your power.

R. The Lord is righteous in all his ways.

To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts,
the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.
Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

R. The Lord is righteous in all his ways.

The Lord is faithful in all his words,
and loving in all his deeds.
The Lord upholds all who fall,
and raises up all those who are bowed down.

R. The Lord is righteous in all his ways.

Gospel – Luke 4.31-37

Jesus came down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee.
He was teaching them on the Sabbath,
and they were astonished at his teaching,
for his word was in authority.

In the synagogue there was a human
who had the spirit of an unclean demon,
and it cried out with a loud voice, saying,
“Hey! What are we and you, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know you who you are: the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked it, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!”
When the demon had thrown him down in the middle of them,
It came out of him, having done him no harm.
Amazement came on all, and they spoke together, one with another,
saying, “What is this word that in authority and power
he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!”
News about him went out into every place of the surrounding region.

Labor Day: For the Blessing of Human Labor (Masses for Various Needs and Occasions)

Reading 1 – Genesis 1.26-2.3

God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:
and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea,
and over the birds of the sky,
and over the livestock,
and over all the earth,
and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
God created man in his own image.
In God’s image he created him;
male and female he created them.
God blessed them.
God said to them,
“Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it.
Have dominion over the fish of the sea,
over the birds of the sky,
and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
God said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed,
which is on the surface of all the earth,
and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed.
It will be your food.
To every animal of the earth,
and to every bird of the sky,
and to everything that creeps on the earth,
in which there is life,
I have given every green herb for food;”
and it was so.
God saw everything that he had made,
and, behold, it was very good.
There was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

The heavens, the earth, and all their vast array were finished.
On the seventh day God finished his work which he had done;
and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done.
God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy,
because he rested in it from all his work of creation which he had done.

OR Genesis 2.4b-9, 15

On the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,
no plant of the field was yet in the earth,
and no herb of the field had yet sprung up,
for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the earth.

There was no man to till the ground,
but a mist went up from the earth,
and watered the whole surface of the ground.
The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground,
and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,
and man became a living soul.

The Lord God planted a garden in the east, in Eden,
and there he put the man whom he had formed.
Out of the ground the Lord God made every tree to grow
that is pleasant to the sight and good for food,
including the tree of life in the middle of the garden
and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The Lord God took the man,
and put him in the garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it.

OR 1 Thessalonians 4.1b-2, 9-12

Brothers and sisters, we beg and urge you in the Lord Jesus,
that as you received from us how you ought to act and to please God,
just as you are doing,
that you do it more and more.
For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

But concerning brotherly love, you have no need that one write to you.
For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another,
for indeed you do it toward
all the brothers and sisters throughout Macedonia.
But we urge you, brothers and sisters, that you abound more and more,
and that you make it your ambition to lead a quiet life,
to mind your own business,
and to work with your own hands,
as we instructed you,
that you may act properly toward the outsiders,
and have need of no one.

OR 2 Thessalonians 3.6-12, 16

Now we command you, brothers,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that you withdraw yourselves
from every brother who acts in idleness,
and not after the tradition which they received from us.

For you know how you ought to imitate us.
For we were not idle among you,
nor did we freely eat bread from anyone,
but in labor and toil worked night and day,
that we might not burden any of you,
not that we do not have the right,
but to make ourselves an example to you,
that you should imitate us.
For even when we were with you,
we commanded you that
if anyone does not want to work, neither should they eat.”
For we hear of some who walk among you in idleness,
Not busy working but busybodies.
To these we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ,
that work quietly and eat their own bread.

Now may the Lord of peace himself
give you peace at all times in all ways.
The Lord be with you all.

Responsorial – Psalm 90.2, 3-5a, 12-13, 14+16 Resp. 17b

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.

Before the mountains were born,
before you had formed the earth and the world,
even from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.

You turn man to dust, saying,
“Return, you children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are just like yesterday when it is past,
like a watch in the night.
You sweep them away as they sleep.

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.

So teach us to number our days,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Relent, Lord! How long?
Have compassion on your servants!

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.

Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness,
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Let your work appear to your servants;
your glory to their children.

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.

OR Psalm 127.1, 2 Resp. 1ac

R. The Lord builds the house and watches over the city.

Unless the Lord builds the house,
they labor in vain who build it.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman guards it in vain.

R. The Lord builds the house and watches over the city.

It is vain for you to rise up early,
to stay up late,
eating the bread of toil;
for he gives to his loved ones in their sleep.

R. The Lord builds the house and watches over the city.

Gospel – Matthew 6.21-34

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not be anxious, saying,
‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’
or, ‘With what will we be clothed?’
For the Gentiles seek after all these things;
but your heavenly Father knows
that you need all these things.
But seek first the Kingdom of God,
and his righteousness;
and all these things
will be given to you as well.
Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow,
for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.
Each day’s own evil is enough.

OR Matthew 25.14-30

Jesus said to his disciples:
The kingdom of heaven is like a human going away,
who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.
To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one,
to each according to his abilities.
Then he went away.

Immediately, he who had received the five talents
went and traded with them and earned another five.
and likewise, he who had received two earned another two,
but he who had received one
went away and dug in the ground, and hid his master's money.

After a long time,
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
So he who had received five talents came forward
and brought the other five talents,
saying, ‘Master, you entrusted me with five talents.
Behold, I have earned another five talents.’
His master said to him,
‘Well done, good and faithful servant.
you have been faithful over a few things,
I will make you ruler over many things.
Enter into your master’s joy!’

And he who had received two talents came forward
saying, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents.
Behold, I have earned another two talents.’
His master said to him,
‘Well done, good and faithful servant.
you have been faithful over a few things,
I will make you ruler over many things.
Enter into your master’s joy!’

And he who had received one talent came forward,
saying, ‘Master, I knew you, that you are a hard human,
reaping where you had not planted,
and gathering from where you had not scattered,
and I was afraid, so I went away
and hid your talent in the ground.
Behold, you have what is yours.’

Answering, his master said to him,
‘You useless and cowardly servant.
So you knew that I reap where I had not planted
and gather where I had not scattered, did you?
The you should have put my money in the bank,
and then, when I came back,
I would have received mine plus interest.

Therefore, take the talent from him,
and give it to the one who has ten talents.
For all who have will be rewarded,
and have an abundance,
but the one who does not have,
that which they have will be taken from them.
And expel the unprofitable servant
into the darkness outside,
where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.