Readings for the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and LazarusReading 1 Ex 24:3-8 When Moses came to the peopleand related all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all answered with one voice,"We will do everything that the LORD has told us."Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and,rising early the next day,he erected at the foot of the mountain an altarand twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having sent certain young men of the children of Israelto offer burnt offerings and sacrifice young bullsas peace offerings to the LORD,Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls;the other half he splashed on the altar.Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people,who answered, "All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do."Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying,"This is the blood of the covenantthat the LORD has made with youin accordance with all these words of his." Responsorial Psalm Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15 R. (14a) Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.God the LORD has spoken and summoned the earth,from the rising of the sun to its setting.From Zion, perfect in beauty,God shines forth.R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise."Gather my faithful ones before me,those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice."And the heavens proclaim his justice;for God himself is the judge.R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise."Offer to God praise as your sacrificeand fulfill your vows to the Most High;Then call upon me in time of distress;I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me."R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise. Alleluia Jn 8:12 R. Alleluia, alleluia.I am the light of the world, says the Lord;whoever follows me will have the light of life.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 11:19-27 Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Maryto comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,she went to meet him;but Mary sat at home.Martha said to Jesus,"Lord, if you had been here,my brother would not have died.But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,God will give you."Jesus said to her,"Your brother will rise."Martha said to him,"I know he will rise,in the resurrection on the last day."Jesus told her,"I am the resurrection and the life;whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.Do you believe this?"She said to him, "Yes, Lord.I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,the one who is coming into the world." or  Lk 10:38-42 Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.She had a sister named Marywho sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,"Lord, do you not carethat my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply,"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better partand it will not be taken from her." - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading I Ex 20:1-17 In those days: God delivered all these commandments:     “I, the LORD, am your God,      who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me. You shall not carve idols for yourselves      in the shape of anything in the sky above      or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;      you shall not bow down before them or worship them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God,      inflicting punishment for their fathers’ wickedness      on the children of those who hate me,      down to the third and fourth generation;      but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation      on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished      him who takes his name in vain. “Remember to keep holy the sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work,      but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God. No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter,      or your male or female slave, or your beast,      or by the alien who lives with you. In six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,      the sea and all that is in them;      but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. “Honor your father and your mother,      that you may have a long life in the land      which the LORD, your God, is giving you. “You shall not kill. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,      nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,      nor anything else that belongs to him.” Responsorial Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11 R.    (John 6:68c)  Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. The law of the LORD is perfect,     refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,     giving wisdom to the simple. R.    Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. The precepts of the LORD are right,     rejoicing the heart; The command of the LORD is clear,     enlightening the eye. R.    Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. The fear of the LORD is pure,     enduring forever; The ordinances of the LORD are true,     all of them just. R.    Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. They are more precious than gold,     than a heap of purest gold; Sweeter also than syrup     or honey from the comb. R.    Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. Alleluia See Lk 8:15 R. Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 13:18-23 Jesus said to his disciples: “Hear the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom without understanding it, and the Evil One comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Ex 19:1-2, 9-11, 16-20b In the third month after their departure from the land of Egypt,on its first day, the children of Israel came to the desert of Sinai.After the journey from Rephidim to the desert of Sinai,they pitched camp.While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain,the LORD told Moses,"I am coming to you in a dense cloud,so that when the people hear me speaking with you,they may always have faith in you also."When Moses, then, had reported to the LORD the response of the people,the LORD added, "Go to the peopleand have them sanctify themselves today and tomorrow.Make them wash their garments and be ready for the third day;for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinaibefore the eyes of all the people."On the morning of the third daythere were peals of thunder and lightning,and a heavy cloud over the mountain,and a very loud trumpet blast,so that all the people in the camp trembled.But Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God,and they stationed themselves at the foot of the mountain.Mount Sinai was all wrapped in smoke,for the LORD came down upon it in fire. The smoke rose from it as though from a furnace,and the whole mountain trembled violently.The trumpet blast grew louder and louder, while Moses was speakingand God answering him with thunder.When the LORD came down to the top of Mount Sinai,he summoned Moses to the top of the mountain. Responsorial Psalm Daniel 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56 R. (52b) Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;And blessed is your holy and glorious name,praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages."R. Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,praiseworthy and glorious above all forever."R. Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you on the throne of your Kingdom,praiseworthy and exalted above all forever."R. Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne upon the cherubim,praiseworthy and exalted above all forever."R. Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,praiseworthy and glorious forever."R. Glory and praise for ever! Alleluia See Mt 11:25 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 13:10-17 The disciples approached Jesus and said,"Why do you speak to the crowd in parables?"He said to them in reply,"Because knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of heavenhas been granted to you, but to them it has not been granted.To anyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away.This is why I speak to them in parables, becausethey look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:You shall indeed hear but not understand,you shall indeed look but never see.Gross is the heart of this people,they will hardly hear with their ears,they have closed their eyes,lest they see with their eyesand hear with their earsand understand with their hearts and be convertedand I heal them."But blessed are your eyes, because they see,and your ears, because they hear.Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous peoplelonged to see what you see but did not see it,and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Readings for the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne, parents of the Blessed Virgin MaryReading 1 Ex 16:1-5, 9-15 The children of Israel set out from Elim, and came into the desert of Sin,which is between Elim and Sinai,on the fifteenth day of the second monthafter their departure from the land of Egypt.Here in the desert the whole assembly of the children of Israelgrumbled against Moses and Aaron.The children of Israel said to them,"Would that we had died at the LORD's hand in the land of Egypt,as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!But you had to lead us into this desertto make the whole community die of famine!"Then the LORD said to Moses,"I will now rain down bread from heaven for you.Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion;thus will I test them,to see whether they follow my instructions or not.On the sixth day, however, when they prepare what they bring in,let it be twice as much as they gather on the other days."Then Moses said to Aaron, "Tell the whole congregation of the children of Israel:Present yourselves before the LORD,for he has heard your grumbling."When Aaron announced this to the whole assembly of the children of Israel,they turned toward the desert, and lo,the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud!The LORD spoke to Moses and said,"I have heard the grumbling of the children of Israel.Tell them: In the evening twilight you shall eat flesh,and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread,so that you may know that I, the LORD, am your God."In the evening quail came up and covered the camp.In the morning a dew lay all about the camp,and when the dew evaporated, there on the surface of the desertwere fine flakes like hoarfrost on the ground.On seeing it, the children of Israel asked one another, "What is this?"for they did not know what it was.But Moses told them,"This is the bread which the LORD has given you to eat." Responsorial Psalm Ps 78:18-19, 23-24, 25-26, 27-28 R. (24b) The Lord gave them bread from heaven.They tempted God in their heartsby demanding the food they craved.Yes, they spoke against God, saying,"Can God spread a table in the desert?"R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.Yet he commanded the skies aboveand the doors of heaven he opened;He rained manna upon them for foodand gave them heavenly bread. R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.Man ate the bread of angels,food he sent them in abundance.He stirred up the east wind in the heavens,and by his power brought on the south wind.R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.And he rained meat upon them like dust,and, like the sand of the sea, winged fowl,Which fell in the midst of their campround about their tents. R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven. Alleluia R. Alleluia, alleluia.The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;All who come to him will live for ever.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 13:1-9 On that day, Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the sea.Such large crowds gathered around himthat he got into a boat and sat down,and the whole crowd stood along the shore.And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying:"A sower went out to sow.And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path,and birds came and ate it up.Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil.It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep,and when the sun rose it was scorched,and it withered for lack of roots.Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it.But some seed fell on rich soil, and produced fruit,a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.Whoever has ears ought to hear." - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.