Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Philippians 3.3-8a

Brothers and sisters:
We are the circumcision, we who worship God in the Spirit,
and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,
though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh.
If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I have yet more:
circumcised on the eighth day, of the race of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews;
concerning the law: a Pharisee;
concerning zeal: persecuting the Church;
concerning the righteousness according to the law: blameless.

But I consider those things that were gain for me as a loss because of Christ.
Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be a loss
because of the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord.

Responsorial – Psalm 105.2-3, 4-5, 6-7 Resp. 3b

R. Rejoice, O hearts of those who seek the Lord. or R. Alleluia

Sing to him, sing praises to him!
Tell of all his marvelous works.
Glory in his holy name.
Let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

R. Rejoice, O hearts of those who seek the Lord. or R. Alleluia

Seek the Lord and his strength.
Seek his face forever more.
Remember his marvelous works that he has done;
his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

R. Rejoice, O hearts of those who seek the Lord. or R. Alleluia

You offspring of Abraham, his servant,
you children of Jacob, his chosen ones.
He is the Lord, our God.
His judgments prevail in all the earth.

R. Rejoice, O hearts of those who seek the Lord. or R. Alleluia

Gospel - Luke 15.1-10

Now the tax collectors and sinners, draw near to Jesus, heard him,
and the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man welcomes sinners, and eats with them.”

So he told them this parable, saying:
Which of you humans, having one hundred sheep, and losing one of them,
would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness,
and go after that the lost one until you find it,
and when you find it, put it on your shoulders, rejoicing,
and, coming home, call together your friends and neighbors,
saying to them, “Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep”?

I say to you that, just so, there shall be more joy in heaven for one sinner who reconsiders,
than for ninety-nine righteous ones who have no use for reconsideration.

Or which woman, having ten dollars [drachmas], if she were to lose one dollar,
would not light a lamp and search the house and look carefully until she found it,
and, having found it, call together her friends and neighbors, saying,
“Rejoice with me, because I have found the dollar which I lost.”

Just so, I say to you, there will be joy in the sight of the angels of God upon one sinner reconsidering.