August 5, 2023

Saturday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Lv 25:1, 8-17 The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai,"Seven weeks of years shall you count–seven times seven years–so that the seven cycles amount to forty-nine years.Then, on the tenth day of the seventh month, let the trumpet resound;on this, the Day of Atonement, the trumpet blast shall re-echothroughout your land.This fiftieth year you shall make sacredby proclaiming liberty in the land for all its inhabitants.It shall be a jubilee for you,when every one of you shall return to his own property,every one to his own family estate.In this fiftieth year, your year of jubilee,you shall not sow, nor shall you reap the aftergrowthor pick the grapes from the untrimmed vines.Since this is the jubilee, which shall be sacred for you,you may not eat of its produce,except as taken directly from the field."In this year of jubilee, then,every one of you shall return to his own property.Therefore, when you sell any land to your neighboror buy any from him, do not deal unfairly.On the basis of the number of years since the last jubileeshall you purchase the land from your neighbor;and so also, on the basis of the number of years for crops,shall he sell it to you.When the years are many, the price shall be so much the more;when the years are few, the price shall be so much the less.For it is really the number of crops that he sells you.Do not deal unfairly, then; but stand in fear of your God.I, the LORD, am your God." Responsorial Psalm Ps 67:2-3, 5, 7-8 R. (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!May God have pity on us and bless us;may he let his face shine upon us.So may your way be known upon earth;among all nations, your salvation.R. O God, let all the nations praise you!May the nations be glad and exultbecause you rule the peoples in equity;the nations on the earth you guide.R. O God, let all the nations praise you!The earth has yielded its fruits;God, our God, has blessed us.May God bless us,and may all the ends of the earth fear him!R. O God, let all the nations praise you! Alleluia Mt 5:10 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousnessfor theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 14:1-12 Herod the tetrarch heard of the reputation of Jesusand said to his servants, "This man is John the Baptist.He has been raised from the dead;that is why mighty powers are at work in him."Now Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prisonon account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip,for John had said to him,"It is not lawful for you to have her."Although he wanted to kill him, he feared the people,for they regarded him as a prophet.But at a birthday celebration for Herod,the daughter of Herodias performed a dance before the guestsand delighted Herod so muchthat he swore to give her whatever she might ask for.Prompted by her mother, she said,"Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist."The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and the guests who were present,he ordered that it be given, and he had John beheaded in the prison.His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl,who took it to her mother.His disciples came and took away the corpseand buried him; and they went and told Jesus. Readings for the Optional Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome - - -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.
August 4, 2023

Memorial of Saint John Vianney, Priest

Readings for the Memorial of Saint John Vianney, PriestReading 1 Lv 23:1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37 The LORD said to Moses,"These are the festivals of the LORD which you shall celebrateat their proper time with a sacred assembly.The Passover of the LORD falls on the fourteenth day of the first month,at the evening twilight.The fifteenth day of this month is the LORD's feast of Unleavened Bread.For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.On the first of these days you shall hold a sacred assemblyand do no sort of work.On each of the seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD.Then on the seventh day you shall again hold a sacred assemblyand do no sort of work."The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the children of Israel and tell them:When you come into the land which I am giving you,and reap your harvest,you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvestto the priest, who shall wave the sheaf before the LORDthat it may be acceptable for you.On the day after the sabbath the priest shall do this."Beginning with the day after the sabbath,the day on which you bring the wave-offering sheaf,you shall count seven full weeks,and then on the day after the seventh week, the fiftieth day,you shall present the new cereal offering to the LORD."The tenth of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement,when you shall hold a sacred assembly and mortify yourselvesand offer an oblation to the LORD."The fifteenth day of this seventh month is the LORD's feast of Booths,which shall continue for seven days.On the first day there shall be a sacred assembly,and you shall do no sort of work.For seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD,and on the eighth day you shall again hold a sacred assemblyand offer an oblation to the LORD.On that solemn closing you shall do no sort of work."These, therefore, are the festivals of the LORDon which you shall proclaim a sacred assembly,and offer as an oblation to the LORD burnt offerings and cereal offerings,sacrifices and libations, as prescribed for each day." Responsorial Psalm Ps 81:3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab R. (2a) Sing with joy to God our help.Take up a melody, and sound the timbrel,the pleasant harp and the lyre.Blow the trumpet at the new moon,at the full moon, on our solemn feast.R. Sing with joy to God our help.For it is a statute in Israel,an ordinance of the God of Jacob,Who made it a decree for Josephwhen he came forth from the land of Egypt.R. Sing with joy to God our help.There shall be no strange god among younor shall you worship any alien god.I, the LORD, am your Godwho led you forth from the land of Egypt.R. Sing with joy to God our help. Alleluia 1 Pt 1:25 R. Alleluia, alleluia.The word of the Lord remains forever;this is the word that has been proclaimed to you.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 13:54-58 Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.They were astonished and said,"Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?Is he not the carpenter's son?Is not his mother named Maryand his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?Are not his sisters all with us?Where did this man get all this?"And they took offense at him.But Jesus said to them,"A prophet is not without honor except in his native placeand in his own house."And he did not work many mighty deeds therebecause of their lack of faith. - - -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.
August 3, 2023

Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Ex 40:16-21, 34-38 Moses did exactly as the LORD had commanded him.On the first day of the first month of the second yearthe Dwelling was erected.It was Moses who erected the Dwelling.He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars,and set up its columns.He spread the tent over the Dwellingand put the covering on top of the tent,as the LORD had commanded him.He took the commandments and put them in the ark;he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it.He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil,thus screening off the ark of the commandments,as the LORD had commanded him.Then the cloud covered the meeting tent,and the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.Moses could not enter the meeting tent,because the cloud settled down upon itand the glory of the LORD filled the Dwelling.Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling,the children of Israel would set out on their journey.But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward;only when it lifted did they go forward.In the daytime the cloud of the LORD was seen over the Dwelling;whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloudby the whole house of Israelin all the stages of their journey. Responsorial Psalm Ps 84:3, 4, 5-6a and 8a, 11 R. (2) How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the LORD.My heart and my fleshcry out for the living God.R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!Even the sparrow finds a home,and the swallow a nestin which she puts her young–Your altars, O LORD of hosts,my king and my God!R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!Blessed they who dwell in your house!continually they praise you.Blessed the men whose strength you are!They go from strength to strength.R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!I had rather one day in your courtsthan a thousand elsewhere;I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my Godthan dwell in the tents of the wicked.R. How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God! Alleluia See Acts 16:14b R. Alleluia, alleluia.Open our hearts, O Lord,to listen to the words of your Son.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 13:47-53 Jesus said to the disciples:"The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,which collects fish of every kind.When it is full they haul it ashoreand sit down to put what is good into buckets.What is bad they throw away.Thus it will be at the end of the age.The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteousand throw them into the fiery furnace,where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.""Do you understand all these things?"They answered, "Yes."And he replied,"Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heavenis like the head of a household who brings from his storeroomboth the new and the old."When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there. - - -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.
August 2, 2023

Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Ex 34:29-35 As Moses came down from Mount Sinaiwith the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,he did not know that the skin of his face had become radiantwhile he conversed with the LORD.When Aaron, then, and the other children of Israel saw Mosesand noticed how radiant the skin of his face had become,they were afraid to come near him.Only after Moses called to them did Aaronand all the rulers of the community come back to him.Moses then spoke to them.Later on, all the children of Israel came up to him,and he enjoined on them all that the LORDhad told him on Mount Sinai.When he finished speaking with them,he put a veil over his face.Whenever Moses entered the presence of the LORD to converse with him,he removed the veil until he came out again.On coming out, he would tell the children of Israelall that had been commanded.Then the children of Israel would seethat the skin of Moses' face was radiant;so he would again put the veil over his faceuntil he went in to converse with the LORD. Responsorial Psalm Ps 99:5, 6, 7, 9 R. (see 9c) Holy is the Lord our God.Extol the LORD, our God,and worship at his footstool;holy is he!R. Holy is the Lord our God.Moses and Aaron were among his priests,and Samuel, among those who called upon his name;they called upon the LORD, and he answered them.R. Holy is the Lord our God.From the pillar of cloud he spoke to them;they heard his decrees and the law he gave them.R. Holy is the Lord our God.Extol the LORD, our God,and worship at his holy mountain;for holy is the LORD, our God.R. Holy is the Lord our God. Alleluia Jn 15:15b R. Alleluia, alleluia.I call you my friends, says the Lord,for I have made known to you all that the Father has told me.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 13:44-46 Jesus said to his disciples:"The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,which a person finds and hides again,and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchantsearching for fine pearls.When he finds a pearl of great price,he goes and sells all that he has and buys it." Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Eusebius of Vercelli, bishopReadings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Julian Eymard, priest - - -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.