Reading 1 Ez 18:1-10, 13b, 30-32 The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, what is the meaning of this proverb that you recite in the land of Israel: “Fathers have eaten green grapes, thus their children’s teeth are on edge”? As I live, says the Lord GOD: I swear that there shall no longer be anyone among you who will repeat this proverb in Israel. For all lives are mine; the life of the father is like the life of the son, both are mine; only the one who sins shall die. If a man is virtuous—if he does what is right and just, if he does not eat on the mountains, nor raise his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel; if he does not defile his neighbor’s wife, nor have relations with a woman in her menstrual period; if he oppresses no one, gives back the pledge received for a debt, commits no robbery; if he gives food to the hungry and clothes the naked; if he does not lend at interest nor exact usury; if he holds off from evildoing, judges fairly between a man and his opponent; if he lives by my statutes and is careful to observe my ordinances, that man is virtuous—he shall surely live, says the Lord GOD. But if he begets a son who is a thief, a murderer, or lends at interest and exacts usury– this son certainly shall not live. Because he practiced all these abominations, he shall surely die; his death shall be his own fault. Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways, says the Lord GOD. Turn and be converted from all your crimes, that they may be no cause of guilt for you. Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, and make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. Why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, says the Lord GOD. Return and live! Responsorial Psalm Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19 R. (12a) Create a clean heart in me, O God. A clean heart create for me, O God; and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. R. Create a clean heart in me, O God. Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners shall return to you. R. Create a clean heart in me, O God. For you are not pleased with sacrifices; should I offer a burnt offering, you would not accept it. My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn. R. Create a clean heart in me, O God. 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 19:13-15 Children were brought to Jesus that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked them, but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” After he placed his hands on them, he 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 Ez 16:1-15, 60, 63 The word of the LORD came to me: Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations.Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem:By origin and birth you are of the land of Canaan;your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.As for your birth, the day you were born your navel cord was not cut;you were neither washed with water nor anointed,nor were you rubbed with salt, nor swathed in swaddling clothes.No one looked on you with pity or compassionto do any of these things for you.Rather, you were thrown out on the ground as something loathsome,the day you were born.Then I passed by and saw you weltering in your blood.I said to you: Live in your blood and grow like a plant in the field.You grew and developed, you came to the age of puberty;your breasts were formed, your hair had grown,but you were still stark naked.Again I passed by you and saw that you were now old enough for love.So I spread the corner of my cloak over you to cover your nakedness;I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you;you became mine, says the Lord GOD.Then I bathed you with water, washed away your blood,and anointed you with oil.I clothed you with an embroidered gown,put sandals of fine leather on your feet;I gave you a fine linen sash and silk robes to wear.I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms, a necklace about your neck, a ring in your nose,pendants in your ears, and a glorious diadem upon your head.Thus you were adorned with gold and silver;your garments were of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth.Fine flour, honey, and oil were your food.You were exceedingly beautiful, with the dignity of a queen.You were renowned among the nations for your beauty, perfect as it was,because of my splendor which I had bestowed on you,says the Lord GOD. But you were captivated by your own beauty,you used your renown to make yourself a harlot,and you lavished your harlotry on every passer-by,whose own you became.Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you,that you may remember and be covered with confusion,and that you may be utterly silenced for shamewhen I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD. Or: Ez 16:59-63 Thus says the LORD:I will deal with you according to what you have done,you who despised your oath, breaking a covenant.Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you when you were a girl,and I will set up an everlasting covenant with you.Then you shall remember your conduct and be ashamedwhen I take your sisters, those older and younger than you,and give them to you as daughters,even though I am not bound by my covenant with you.For I will re-establish my covenant with you,that you may know that I am the LORD,that you may remember and be covered with confusion,and that you may be utterly silenced for shamewhen I pardon you for all you have done, says the Lord GOD. Responsorial Psalm Isaiah 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 R. (1c) You have turned from your anger.God indeed is my savior;I am confident and unafraid.My strength and my courage is the LORD,and he has been my savior.With joy you will draw waterat the fountain of salvation.R. You have turned from your anger.Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;among the nations make known his deeds,proclaim how exalted is his name.R. You have turned from your anger.Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;let this be known throughout all the earth.Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,for great in your midstis the Holy One of Israel!R. You have turned from your anger. Alleluia See 1 Thes 2:13 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,but, as it truly is, the word of God.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 19:3-12 Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying,"Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?"He said in reply, "Have you not read that from the beginningthe Creator made them male and female and said,For this reason a man shall leave his father and motherand be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?So they are no longer two, but one flesh.Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate." They said to him, "Then why did Moses commandthat the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?"He said to them, "Because of the hardness of your heartsMoses allowed you to divorce your wives,but from the beginning it was not so.I say to you, whoever divorces his wife(unless the marriage is unlawful)and marries another commits adultery."His disciples said to him,"If that is the case of a man with his wife,it is better not to marry."He answered, "Not all can accept this word,but only those to whom that is granted.Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so;some, because they were made so by others;some, because they have renounced marriagefor the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.Whoever can accept this ought to accept it." Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Stephen of Hungary - - - 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 Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin MaryReadings for the VigilReading 1 Rv 11:19A; 12:1-6A, 10AB God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant could be seen in the temple. A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was with child and wailed aloud in pain as she labored to give birth. Then another sign appeared in the sky; it was a huge red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadems. Its tail swept away a third of the stars in the sky and hurled them down to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman about to give birth, to devour her child when she gave birth. She gave birth to a son, a male child, destined to rule all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was caught up to God and his throne. The woman herself fled into the desert where she had a place prepared by God. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have salvation and power come, and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Anointed One.” Responsorial Psalm PS 45:10, 11, 12, 16 R. (10bc)  The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. The queen takes her place at your right hand in gold of Ophir. R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear, forget your people and your father’s house. R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. So shall the king desire your beauty; for he is your lord. R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. They are borne in with gladness and joy; they enter the palace of the king. R. The queen stands at your right hand, arrayed in gold. Reading II 1 Cor 15:20-27 Brothers and sisters: Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through man, the resurrection of the dead came also through man. For just as in Adam all die, so too in Christ shall all be brought to life, but each one in proper order: Christ the firstfruits; then, at his coming, those who belong to Christ; then comes the end, when he hands over the Kingdom to his God and Father, when he has destroyed every sovereignty and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death, for “he subjected everything under his feet.” Alleluia R. Alleluia, alleluia. Mary is taken up to heaven; a chorus of angels exults. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 1:39-56 Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.” And Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Savior for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed: the Almighty has done great things for me and holy is his Name. He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation. He has shown the strength of his arm, and has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has come to the help of his servant Israel for he has remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.” Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her home. - - -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 Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Priest and MartyrReading 1 EZ 9:1-7; 10:18-22 The LORD cried loud for me to hear: Come, you scourges of the city! With that I saw six men coming from the direction of the upper gate which faces the north, each with a destroying weapon in his hand. In their midst was a man dressed in linen, with a writer’s case at his waist. They entered and stood beside the bronze altar. Then he called to the man dressed in linen with the writer’s case at his waist, saying to him: Pass through the city, through Jerusalem, and mark a “Thau” on the foreheads of those who moan and groan over all the abominations that are practiced within it. To the others I heard the LORD say: Pass through the city after him and strike! Do not look on them with pity nor show any mercy! Old men, youths and maidens, women and children–wipe them out! But do not touch any marked with the “Thau”; begin at my sanctuary. So they began with the men, the elders, who were in front of the temple. Defile the temple, he said to them, and fill the courts with the slain; then go out and strike in the city. Then the glory of the LORD left the threshold of the temple and rested upon the cherubim. These lifted their wings, and I saw them rise from the earth, the wheels rising along with them. They stood at the entrance of the eastern gate of the Lord’s house, and the glory of the God of Israel was up above them. Then the cherubim lifted their wings, and the wheels went along with them, while up above them was the glory of the God of Israel. Responsorial Psalm PS 113:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. (4b)  The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies. or: R. Alleluia. Praise, you servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. Blessed be the name of the LORD both now and forever. R. The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies. or: R.  Alleluia. From the rising to the setting of the sun is the name of the LORD to be praised. High above all nations is the LORD; above the heavens is his glory. R. The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies. or: R. Alleluia. Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high, and looks upon the heavens and the earth below? R. The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies. or: R. Alleluia. Alleluia 2 Cor 5:19 R. Alleluia, alleluia.God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 18:15-20 Jesus said to his disciples: "If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that  every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church. If he refuses to listen even to the Church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." - - -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.