Readings for the Memorial of Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church Reading 1 1 COR 2:10B-16 Brothers and sisters: The Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. Among men, who knows what pertains to the man except his spirit that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms. Now the natural man does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. The one who is spiritual, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone. For “who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?” But we have the mind of Christ. Responsorial Psalm PS 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13AB, 13CD-14 R. (17) The Lord is just in all his ways. The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. The LORD is good to all and compassionate toward all his works. R. The Lord is just in all his ways. Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might. R. The Lord is just in all his ways. Making known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. R. The Lord is just in all his ways. The LORD is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works. The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. R. The Lord is just in all his ways. Alleluia Lk 7:16 R. Alleluia, alleluia.A great prophet has arisen in our midstand God has visited his people.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 4:31-37 Jesus went down to Capernaum, a town of Galilee. He taught them on the sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching because he spoke with authority. In the synagogue there was a man with the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out in a loud voice, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!" Jesus rebuked him and said, "Be quiet! Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down in front of them and came out of him without doing him any harm. They were all amazed and said to one another, "What is there about his word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out." And news of him spread everywhere in the surrounding region. - - - 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 1 COR 2:1-5 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, proclaiming the mystery of God, I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling, and my message and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of spirit and power, so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. Responsorial Psalm PS 119:97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102  R. (97) Lord, I love your commands. How I love your law, O LORD! It is my meditation all the day. R. Lord, I love your commands. Your command has made me wiser than my enemies,  for it is ever with me. R. Lord, I love your commands. I have more understanding than all my teachers when your decrees are my meditation. R.  Lord, I love your commands. I have more discernment than the elders, because I observe your precepts. R. Lord, I love your commands. From every evil way I withhold my feet, that I may keep your words. R. Lord, I love your commands. From your ordinances I turn not away, for you have instructed me. R. Lord, I love your commands.     Alleluia LK 4:18 R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 4:16-30 Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had grown up, and went according to his custom into the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord. Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down, and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them, “Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They also asked, “Is this not the son of Joseph?” He said to them, “Surely you will quote me this proverb, ‘Physician, cure yourself,’ and say, ‘Do here in your native place the things that we heard were done in Capernaum.’” And he said, “Amen, I say to you, no prophet is accepted in his own native place. Indeed, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah when the sky was closed for three and a half years and a severe famine spread over the entire land. It was to none of these that Elijah was sent, but only to a widow in Zarephath in the land of Sidon. Again, there were many lepers in Israel during the time of Elisha the prophet; yet not one of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When the people in the synagogue heard this, they were all filled with fury. They rose up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town had been built, to hurl him down headlong. But he passed through the midst of them and went away. - - -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 Dt 4:1-2, 6-8 Moses said to the people:"Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decreeswhich I am teaching you to observe,that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the landwhich the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. In your observance of the commandments of the LORD, your God,which I enjoin upon you,you shall not add to what I command you nor subtract from it. Observe them carefully,for thus will you give evidenceof your wisdom and intelligence to the nations,who will hear of all these statutes and say,'This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.'For what great nation is therethat has gods so close to it as the LORD, our God, is to uswhenever we call upon him? Or what great nation has statutes and decreesthat are as just as this whole lawwhich I am setting before you today?" Responsorial Psalm Ps 15:2-3, 3-4, 4-5 R. (1a) The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.Whoever walks blamelessly and does justice;who thinks the truth in his heartand slanders not with his tongue.R. The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.Who harms not his fellow man,nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;by whom the reprobate is despised,while he honors those who fear the LORD.R. The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.Who lends not his money at usuryand accepts no bribe against the innocent.Whoever does these thingsshall never be disturbed.R. The one who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord. Reading 2 Jas 1:17-18, 21b-22, 27 Dearest brothers and sisters:All good giving and every perfect gift is from above,coming down from the Father of lights,with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. He willed to give us birth by the word of truththat we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in youand is able to save your souls.Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves.Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this:to care for orphans and widows in their afflictionand to keep oneself unstained by the world. Alleluia Jas 1:18 R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truththat we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 When the Pharisees with some scribes who had come from Jerusalemgathered around Jesus,they observed that some of his disciples ate their mealswith unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. —For the Pharisees and, in fact, all Jews,do not eat without carefully washing their hands,keeping the tradition of the elders.And on coming from the marketplace they do not eat without purifying themselves. And there are many other things that they have traditionally observed,the purification of cups and jugs and kettles and beds. —So the Pharisees and scribes questioned him,"Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the eldersbut instead eat a meal with unclean hands?" He responded,"Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written:This people honors me with their lips,but their hearts are far from me;in vain do they worship me,teaching as doctrines human precepts.You disregard God's commandment but cling to human tradition."He summoned the crowd again and said to them,"Hear me, all of you, and understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person;but the things that come out from within are what defile."From within people, from their hearts,come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder,adultery, greed, malice, deceit,licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly.All these evils come from within and they defile." - - -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 1 Cor 1:26-31 Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters.Not many of you were wise by human standards,not many were powerful,not many were of noble birth.Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,those who count for nothing,to reduce to nothing those who are something,so that no human being might boast before God.It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus,who became for us wisdom from God,as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,so that, as it is written,Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord. Responsorial Psalm Ps 33:12-13, 18-19, 20-21 R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.From heaven the LORD looks down;he sees all mankind.R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,upon those who hope for his kindness,To deliver them from deathand preserve them in spite of famine.R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.Our soul waits for the LORD,who is our help and our shield,For in him our hearts rejoice;in his holy name we trust.R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own. Alleluia Jn 13:34 R. Alleluia, alleluia.I give you a new commandment:love one another as I have loved you.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 25:14-30 Jesus told his disciples this parable:"A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– to each according to his ability.Then he went away.Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,and made another five.Likewise, the one who received two made another two.But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the groundand buried his master's money.After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.The one who had received five talentscame forward bringing the additional five.He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.See, I have made five more.'His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.Since you were faithful in small matters,I will give you great responsibilities.Come, share your master's joy.'Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,'Master, you gave me two talents.See, I have made two more.'His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.Since you were faithful in small matters,I will give you great responsibilities.Come, share your master's joy.'Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,harvesting where you did not plantand gathering where you did not scatter;so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.Here it is back.'His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!So you knew that I harvest where I did not plantand gather where I did not scatter?Should you not then have put my money in the bankso that I could have got it back with interest on my return?Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.For to everyone who has,more will be given and he will grow rich;but from the one who has not,even what he has will be taken away.And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'" - - -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.