Reading 1 Rv 7:2-4, 9-14 I, John, saw another angel come up from the East,holding the seal of the living God.He cried out in a loud voice to the four angelswho were given power to damage the land and the sea,"Do not damage the land or the sea or the treesuntil we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,one hundred and forty-four thousand markedfrom every tribe of the children of Israel.After this I had a vision of a great multitude,which no one could count,from every nation, race, people, and tongue.They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.They cried out in a loud voice:"Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,and from the Lamb."All the angels stood around the throneand around the elders and the four living creatures.They prostrated themselves before the throne,worshiped God, and exclaimed:"Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,honor, power, and mightbe to our God forever and ever. Amen."Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,"Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?"I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows."He said to me,"These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;they have washed their robesand made them white in the Blood of the Lamb." Responsorial Psalm Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6 R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;the world and those who dwell in it.For he founded it upon the seasand established it upon the rivers.R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?or who may stand in his holy place?One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,who desires not what is vain.R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,a reward from God his savior.Such is the race that seeks him,that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face. Reading 2 1 Jn 3:1-3 Beloved:See what love the Father has bestowed on usthat we may be called the children of God.Yet so we are.The reason the world does not know usis that it did not know him.Beloved, we are God's children now;what we shall be has not yet been revealed.We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,for we shall see him as he is.Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,as he is pure. Alleluia Mt 11:28 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,And I will give you rest, says the Lord.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 5:1-12a When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:"Blessed are the poor in spirit,for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.Blessed are they who mourn,for they will be comforted.Blessed are the meek,for they will inherit the land.Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,for they will be satisfied.Blessed are the merciful,for they will be shown mercy.Blessed are the clean of heart,for they will see God.Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called children of God.Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute youand utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.Rejoice and be glad,for your reward will be great in heaven." - - -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 Rom 8:18-25 Brothers and sisters:I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothingcompared with the glory to be revealed for us.For creation awaits with eager expectationthe revelation of the children of God;for creation was made subject to futility,not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it,in hope that creation itselfwould be set free from slavery to corruptionand share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;and not only that, but we ourselves,who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,we also groan within ourselvesas we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.For in hope we were saved.Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees?But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance. Responsorial Psalm Ps 126:1b-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6 R. (3a) The Lord has done marvels for us.When the LORD brought back the captives of Zion,we were like men dreaming.Then our mouth was filled with laughter,and our tongue with rejoicing.R. The Lord has done marvels for us.Then they said among the nations,"The LORD has done great things for them."The LORD has done great things for us;we are glad indeed.R. The Lord has done marvels for us.Restore our fortunes, O LORD,like the torrents in the southern desert.Those that sow in tearsshall reap rejoicing.R. The Lord has done marvels for us.Although they go forth weeping,carrying the seed to be sown,They shall come back rejoicing,carrying their sheaves.R. The Lord has done marvels for us. 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 Lk 13:18-21 Jesus said, "What is the Kingdom of God like?To what can I compare it?It is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in the garden.When it was fully grown, it became a large bushand the birds of the sky dwelt in its branches."Again he said, "To what shall I compare the Kingdom of God?It is like yeast that a woman tookand mixed in with three measures of wheat flouruntil the whole batch of dough was leavened." - - -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 Rom 8:12-17 Brothers and sisters,we are not debtors to the flesh,to live according to the flesh.For if you live according to the flesh, you will die,but if by the spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,you will live.For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,but you received a spirit of adoption,through which we cry, "Abba, Father!"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spiritthat we are children of God,and if children, then heirs,heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,if only we suffer with himso that we may also be glorified with him. Responsorial Psalm Ps 68:2 and 4, 6-7ab, 20-21 R. (21a) Our God is the God of salvation.God arises; his enemies are scattered,and those who hate him flee before him.But the just rejoice and exult before God;they are glad and rejoice.R. Our God is the God of salvation.The father of orphans and the defender of widowsis God in his holy dwelling.God gives a home to the forsaken;he leads forth prisoners to prosperity.R. Our God is the God of salvation.Blessed day by day be the Lord,who bears our burdens; God, who is our salvation.God is a saving God for us;the LORD, my Lord, controls the passageways of death.R. Our God is the God of salvation. Alleluia Jn 17:17b, 17a R. Alleluia, alleluia.Your word, O Lord, is truth;consecrate us in the truth.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 13:10-17 Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the sabbath.And a woman was there who for eighteen yearshad been crippled by a spirit;she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect.When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said,"Woman, you are set free of your infirmity."He laid his hands on her,and she at once stood up straight and glorified God.But the leader of the synagogue,indignant that Jesus had cured on the sabbath,said to the crowd in reply,"There are six days when work should be done.Come on those days to be cured, not on the sabbath day."The Lord said to him in reply, "Hypocrites!Does not each one of you on the sabbathuntie his ox or his ass from the mangerand lead it out for watering?This daughter of Abraham,whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now,ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath dayfrom this bondage?"When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated;and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him. - - -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 22:20-26 Thus says the LORD:"You shall not molest or oppress an alien,for you were once aliens yourselves in the land of Egypt. You shall not wrong any widow or orphan. If ever you wrong them and they cry out to me,I will surely hear their cry. My wrath will flare up, and I will kill you with the sword;then your own wives will be widows, and your children orphans."If you lend money to one of your poor neighbors among my people,you shall not act like an extortioner toward himby demanding interest from him. If you take your neighbor's cloak as a pledge,you shall return it to him before sunset;for this cloak of his is the only covering he has for his body. What else has he to sleep in?If he cries out to me, I will hear him; for I am compassionate." Responsorial Psalm Ps 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51 R. (2) I love you, Lord, my strength.I love you, O LORD, my strength,O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.R. I love you, Lord, my strength.My God, my rock of refuge,my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,and I am safe from my enemies.R. I love you, Lord, my strength.The LORD lives and blessed be my rock!Extolled be God my savior.You who gave great victories to your kingand showed kindness to your anointed.R. I love you, Lord, my strength. Reading 2 1 Thes 1:5c-10 Brothers and sisters:You know what sort of people we were among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord,receiving the word in great affliction, with joy from the Holy Spirit,so that you became a model for all the believersin Macedonia and in Achaia.For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forthnot only in Macedonia and in Achaia,but in every place your faith in God has gone forth,so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves openly declare about uswhat sort of reception we had among you,and how you turned to God from idolsto serve the living and true Godand to await his Son from heaven,whom he raised from the dead,Jesus, who delivers us from the coming wrath. Alleluia Jn 14:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord,and my Father will love him and we will come to him.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 22:34-40 When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,they gathered together, and one of them,a scholar of the law tested him by asking,"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him,"You shall love the Lord, your God,with all your heart,with all your soul,and with all your mind.This is the greatest and the first commandment.The second is like it:You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments." - - -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.