Reading 1 1 Kgs 11:4-13 When Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods,and his heart was not entirely with the LORD, his God,as the heart of his father David had been.By adoring Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians,and Milcom, the idol of the Ammonites,Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD;he did not follow him unreservedly as his father David had done.Solomon then built a high place to Chemosh, the idol of Moab,and to Molech, the idol of the Ammonites,on the hill opposite Jerusalem.He did the same for all his foreign wiveswho burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.The LORD, therefore, became angry with Solomon,because his heart was turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel,who had appeared to him twice(for though the LORD had forbidden him this very act of following strange gods,Solomon had not obeyed him).So the LORD said to Solomon: "Since this is what you want,and you have not kept my covenant and my statuteswhich I enjoined on you,I will deprive you of the kingdom and give it to your servant.I will not do this during your lifetime, however,for the sake of your father David;it is your son whom I will deprive.Nor will I take away the whole kingdom.I will leave your son one tribe for the sake of my servant Davidand of Jerusalem, which I have chosen." Responsorial Psalm PS 106:3-4, 35-36, 37 and 40 R. (4a) Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.Blessed are they who observe what is right,who do always what is just.Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people;visit us with your saving help. R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.But they mingled with the nationsand learned their works.They served their idols,which became a snare for them. R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.They sacrificed their sonsand their daughters to demons.And the LORD grew angry with his people,and abhorred his inheritance. R. Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people. Alleluia Jas 1:21bc R. Alleluia, alleluia.Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in youand is able to save your souls.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 7:24-30 Jesus went to the district of Tyre.He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it,but he could not escape notice.Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him.She came and fell at his feet.The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth,and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter.He said to her, “Let the children be fed first.For it is not right to take the food of the childrenand throw it to the dogs.”She replied and said to him,“Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.”Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go.The demon has gone out of your daughter.”When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bedand the demon gone. Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Jerome Emiliani, priestReadings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Josephine Bakhita, Virgin - - -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 Kgs 10:1-10 The queen of Sheba, having heard of Solomon's fame,came to test him with subtle questions.She arrived in Jerusalem with a very numerous retinue,and with camels bearing spices,a large amount of gold, and precious stones.She came to Solomon and questioned him on every subjectin which she was interested.King Solomon explained everything she asked about,and there remained nothing hidden from himthat he could not explain to her.When the queen of Sheba witnessed Solomon's great wisdom,the palace he had built, the food at his table,the seating of his ministers, the attendance and garb of his waiters,his banquet service,and the burnt offerings he offered in the temple of the LORD,she was breathless."The report I heard in my countryabout your deeds and your wisdom is true," she told the king."Though I did not believe the report until I came and saw with my own eyes,I have discovered that they were not telling me the half.Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report I heard.Blessed are your men, blessed these servants of yours,who stand before you always and listen to your wisdom.Blessed be the LORD, your God,whom it has pleased to place you on the throne of Israel.In his enduring love for Israel,the LORD has made you king to carry out judgment and justice."Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty gold talents,a very large quantity of spices, and precious stones.Never again did anyone bring such an abundance of spicesas the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. Responsorial Psalm PS 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40 R. (30a) The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom.Commit to the LORD your way;trust in him, and he will act.He will make justice dawn for you like the light;bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.R. The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom.The mouth of the just man tells of wisdomand his tongue utters what is right.The law of his God is in his heart,and his steps do not falter.R. The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom.The salvation of the just is from the LORD;he is their refuge in time of distress.And the LORD helps them and delivers them;he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,because they take refuge in him.R. The mouth of the just murmurs wisdom. Alleluia See Jn 17:17b, 17a R. Alleluia, alleluia.Your word, O Lord, is truth:consecrate us in the truth.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 7:14-23 Jesus 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.” When he got home away from the crowdhis disciples questioned him about the parable.He said to them,“Are even you likewise without understanding?Do you not realize that everythingthat goes into a person from outside cannot defile,since it enters not the heart but the stomachand passes out into the latrine?”(Thus he declared all foods clean.)“But what comes out of the man, that is what defiles him.From within the man, from his heart,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.

Readings for the Memorial of Saint Paul Miki, priest and martyr, and his companions, martyrsReading 1 1 Kgs 8:22-23, 27-30 Solomon stood before the altar of the LORDin the presence of the whole community of Israel,and stretching forth his hands toward heaven,he said, “LORD, God of Israel,there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below;you keep your covenant of mercy with your servantswho are faithful to you with their whole heart.“Can it indeed be that God dwells on earth?If the heavens and the highest heavens cannot contain you,how much less this temple which I have built! Look kindly on the prayer and petition of your servant, O LORD, my God,and listen to the cry of supplication which I, your servant,utter before you this day.May your eyes watch night and day over this temple,the place where you have decreed you shall be honored;may you heed the prayer which I, your servant, offer in this place.Listen to the petitions of your servant and of your people Israelwhich they offer in this place.Listen from your heavenly dwelling and grant pardon.” Responsorial psalm PS 84:3, 4, 5 and 10, 11 R. (2) How lovely is your dwelling place, 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, 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, Lord, mighty God!Blessed they who dwell in your house!continually they praise you.O God, behold our shield,and look upon the face of your anointed.R. How lovely is your dwelling place, 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, Lord, mighty God! Alleluia  Ps 119:36, 29b R. Alleluia, alleluia.Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees;and favor me with your law.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 7:1-13 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 marketplacethey 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 went on to say,"How well you have set aside the commandment of Godin order to uphold your tradition!For Moses said,Honor your father and your mother,and Whoever curses father or mother shall die.Yet you say,'If someone says to father or mother,"Any support you might have had from me is qorban"'(meaning, dedicated to God),you allow him to do nothing more for his father or mother.You nullify the word of Godin favor of your tradition that you have handed on.And you do many such things." - - -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 Agatha, virgin and martyr Reading 1 1 Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13 The elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes,the princes in the ancestral houses of the children of Israel,came to King Solomon in Jerusalem,to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenantfrom the City of David, which is Zion.All the people of Israel assembled before King Solomonduring the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month).When all the elders of Israel had arrived,the priests took up the ark;they carried the ark of the LORDand the meeting tent with all the sacred vesselsthat were in the tent.(The priests and Levites carried them.)King Solomon and the entire community of Israelpresent for the occasionsacrificed before the ark sheep and oxentoo many to number or count.The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORDto its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary,the holy of holies of the temple.The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark,sheltering the ark and its poles from above.There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tabletswhich Moses had put there at Horeb,when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israelat their departure from the land of Egypt.When the priests left the holy place,the cloud filled the temple of the LORDso that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud,since the LORD's glory had filled the temple of the LORD.Then Solomon said, "The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud;I have truly built you a princely house,a dwelling where you may abide forever." Responsorial Psalm PS 132:6-7, 8-10 R. (8a) Lord, go up to the place of your rest!Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;we found it in the fields of Jaar.Let us enter into his dwelling,let us worship at his footstool.R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest!Advance, O LORD, to your resting place,you and the ark of your majesty.May your priests be clothed with justice;let your faithful ones shout merrily for joy.For the sake of David your servant,reject not the plea of your anointed.R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest! Alleluia See Mt 4:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdomand cured every disease among the people.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel MK 6:53-56 After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaretand tied up there.As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.They scurried about the surrounding country and began to bring in the sick on matsto wherever they heard he was.Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,they laid the sick in the marketplacesand begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;and as many as touched it were healed. - - - 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.