Reading 1 1 Cor 7:25-31 Brothers and sisters:In regard to virgins, I have no commandment from the Lord,but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.So this is what I think best because of the present distress:that it is a good thing for a person to remain as he is.Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a separation.Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife.If you marry, however, you do not sin,nor does an unmarried woman sin if she marries;but such people will experience affliction in their earthly life,and I would like to spare you that.I tell you, brothers, the time is running out.From now on, let those having wives act as not having them,those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing,those buying as not owning,those using the world as not using it fully.For the world in its present form is passing away. Responsorial Psalm Ps 45:11-12, 14-15, 16-17 R. (11) Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.Hear, O daughter, and see; turn your ear,forget your people and your father’s house.So shall the king desire your beauty;for he is your lord, and you must worship him.R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.All glorious is the king’s daughter as she enters;her raiment is threaded with spun gold.In embroidered apparel she is borne in to the king;behind her the virgins of her train are brought to you.R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear.They are borne in with gladness and joy;they enter the palace of the king.The place of your fathers your sons shall have;you shall make them princes through all the land.R. Listen to me, daughter; see and bend your ear. Alleluia Lk 6:23ab R. Alleluia, alleluia.Rejoice and leap for joy!Your reward will be great in heaven.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 6:20-26 Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:“Blessed are you who are poor,for the Kingdom of God is yours.Blessed are you who are now hungry,for you will be satisfied.Blessed are you who are now weeping,for you will laugh.Blessed are you when people hate you,and when they exclude and insult you,and denounce your name as evilon account of the Son of Man.Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!Behold, your reward will be great in heaven. For their ancestors treated the prophetsin the same way.But woe to you who are rich,for you have received your consolation.But woe to you who are filled now,for you will be hungry.Woe to you who laugh now,for you will grieve and weep.Woe to you when all speak well of you,for their ancestors treated the false prophets in this way.” - - -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 6:1-11 Brothers and sisters:How can any one of you with a case against anotherdare to bring it to the unjust for judgmentinstead of to the holy ones?Do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world?If the world is to be judged by you,are you unqualified for the lowest law courts?Do you not know that we will judge angels?Then why not everyday matters?If, therefore, you have courts for everyday matters,do you seat as judges people of no standing in the Church?I say this to shame you.Can it be that there is not one among you wise enoughto be able to settle a case between brothers?But rather brother goes to court against brother,and that before unbelievers?Now indeed then it is, in any case,a failure on your part that you have lawsuits against one another.Why not rather put up with injustice?Why not rather let yourselves be cheated?Instead, you inflict injustice and cheat, and this to brothers.Do you not know that the unjust will not inherit the Kingdom of God?Do not be deceived;neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterersnor boy prostitutes nor sodomites nor thievesnor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor robberswill inherit the Kingdom of God.That is what some of you used to be;but now you have had yourselves washed, you were sanctified,you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christand in the Spirit of our God. Responsorial Psalm Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b R. (see 4) The Lord takes delight in his people.Sing to the LORD a new songof praise in the assembly of the faithful.Let Israel be glad in their maker,let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.R. The Lord takes delight in his people.Let them praise his name in the festive dance,let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.For the LORD loves his people,and he adorns the lowly with victory.R. The Lord takes delight in his people.Let the faithful exult in glory;let them sing for joy upon their couches;Let the high praises of God be in their throats.This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.R. The Lord takes delight in his people. Alleluia See Jn 15:16 R. Alleluia, alleluia.I chose you from the world,That you may go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 6:12-19 Jesus departed to the mountain to pray,and he spent the night in prayer to God.When day came, he called his disciples to himself,and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles:Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew,James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus,Simon who was called a Zealot,and Judas the son of James,and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground.A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalemand the coastal region of Tyre and Sidoncame to hear him and to be healed of their diseases;and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured.Everyone in the crowd sought to touch himbecause power came forth from him and healed them all. - - -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 Peter Claver, priestReading 1 1 COR 5:1-8 Brothers and sisters: It is widely reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of a kind not found even among pagans– a man living with his father’s wife. And you are inflated with pride. Should you not rather have been sorrowful? The one who did this deed should be expelled from your midst. I, for my part, although absent in body but present in spirit, have already, as if present, pronounced judgment on the one who has committed this deed, in the name of our Lord Jesus: when you have gathered together and I am with you in spirit with the power of the Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not appropriate.  Do you not know that a little yeast leavens all the dough? Clear out the old yeast, so that you may become a fresh batch of dough, inasmuch as you are unleavened. For our Paschal Lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore, let us celebrate the feast, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Responsorial Psalm PS 5:5-6, 7, 12 R. Lead me in your justice, Lord. For you, O God, delight not in wickedness; no evil man remains with you; the arrogant may not stand in your sight. You hate all evildoers. R. Lead me in your justice, Lord. You destroy all who speak falsehood; The bloodthirsty and the deceitful the LORD abhors. R. Lead me in your justice, Lord. But let all who take refuge in you be glad and exult forever. Protect them, that you may be the joy of those who love your name. R. Lead me in your justice, Lord. Alleluia Jn 10:27 R. Alleluia, alleluia.My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;I know them, and they follow me.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 6:6-11 On a certain sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and taught, and there was a man there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees watched him closely to see if he would cure on the sabbath so that they might discover a reason to accuse him. But he realized their intentions and said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up and stand before us." And he rose and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" Looking around at them all, he then said to him, "Stretch out your hand." He did so and his hand was restored. But they became enraged and discussed together what they might do to Jesus. - - -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 Is 35:4-7a Thus says the LORD:Say to those whose hearts are frightened:Be strong, fear not!Here is your God,he comes with vindication;with divine recompensehe comes to save you.Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,the ears of the deaf be cleared;then will the lame leap like a stag,then the tongue of the mute will sing.Streams will burst forth in the desert,and rivers in the steppe.The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water. Responsorial Psalm Ps 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 R. (1b) Praise the Lord, my soul!or:R. Alleluia.The God of Jacob keeps faith forever,secures justice for the oppressed,gives food to the hungry.The LORD sets captives free.R. Praise the Lord, my soul!or:R. Alleluia.The LORD gives sight to the blind;the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.The LORD loves the just;the LORD protects strangers.R. Praise the Lord, my soul!or:R. Alleluia.The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains,but the way of the wicked he thwarts.The LORD shall reign forever;your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia.R. Praise the Lord, my soul!or:R. Alleluia. Reading 2 Jas 2:1-5 My brothers and sisters, show no partialityas you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.For if a man with gold rings and fine clothescomes into your assembly,and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in,and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothesand say, “Sit here, please, ”while you say to the poor one, “Stand there, ” or “Sit at my feet, ”have you not made distinctions among yourselvesand become judges with evil designs?Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.Did not God choose those who are poor in the worldto be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdomthat he promised to those who love him? Alleluia Cf. Mt 4:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdomand cured every disease among the people.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 7:31-37 Again Jesus left the district of Tyreand went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee,into the district of the Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impedimentand begged him to lay his hand on him.He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s earsand, spitting, touched his tongue;then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him,“Ephphatha!”— that is, “Be opened!” —And immediately the man’s ears were opened,his speech impediment was removed,and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to,the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said,“He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” - - -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.