Readings for the Memorial of Saint John of the Cross, priest and doctor of the Church Reading 1 Sir 48:1-4, 9-11 In those days,like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijahwhose words were as a flaming furnace.Their staff of bread he shattered,in his zeal he reduced them to straits;By the Lord's word he shut up the heavensand three times brought down fire.How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!Whose glory is equal to yours?You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire,in a chariot with fiery horses.You were destined, it is written, in time to cometo put an end to wrath before the day of the LORD,To turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons,and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob.Blessed is he who shall have seen you and who falls asleep in your friendship. Responsorial Psalm Ps 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16, 18-19 R. (4) Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.O shepherd of Israel, hearken,From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forth.Rouse your power.R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.Once again, O LORD of hosts,look down from heaven, and see;Take care of this vine,and protect what your right hand has plantedthe son of man whom you yourself made strong.R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved.May your help be with the man of your right hand,with the son of man whom you yourself made strong.Then we will no more withdraw from you;give us new life, and we will call upon your name.R. Lord, make us turn to you; let us see your face and we shall be saved. Alleluia Lk 3:4, 6 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths:All flesh shall see the salvation of God.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 17:9a, 10-13 As they were coming down from the mountain,the disciples asked Jesus,"Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"He said in reply, "Elijah will indeed come and restore all things;but I tell you that Elijah has already come,and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased. So also will the Son of Man suffer at their hands."Then the disciples understoodthat he was speaking to them of John the Baptist. - - - 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 Lucy, Virgin and Martyr Reading 1 Is 48:17-19 Thus says the LORD, your redeemer,the Holy One of Israel:I, the LORD, your God,teach you what is for your good,and lead you on the way you should go.If you would hearken to my commandments,your prosperity would be like a river,and your vindication like the waves of the sea;Your descendants would be like the sand,and those born of your stock like its grains,Their name never cut offor blotted out from my presence. Responsorial Psalm Ps 1:1-2, 3, 4 and 6 R. (see John 8:12) Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.Blessed the man who follows notthe counsel of the wickedNor walks in the way of sinners,nor sits in the company of the insolent,But delights in the law of the LORDand meditates on his law day and night.R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.He is like a treeplanted near running water,That yields its fruit in due season,and whose leaves never fade.Whatever he does, prospers.R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.Not so the wicked, not so;they are like chaff which the wind drives away.For the LORD watches over the way of the just,but the way of the wicked vanishes.R. Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life. Alleluia R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Lord will come; go out to meet him!He is the prince of peace.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 11:16-19 Jesus said to the crowds:"To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another,'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance,we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said,'He is possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said,'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,a friend of tax collectors and sinners.' But wisdom is vindicated by her works." - - - 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 ZEC 2:14-17 Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion!  See, I am coming to dwell among you, says the LORD. Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and they shall be his people, and he will dwell among you, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. The LORD will possess Judah as his portion in the holy land, and he will again choose Jerusalem. Silence, all mankind, in the presence of the LORD! For he stirs forth from his holy dwelling. or 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.” Responsorial Psalm JUDITH 13:18BCDE, 19 R. (15:9d)  You are the highest honor of our race.Blessed are you, daughter, by the Most High God,above all the women on earth;and blessed be the LORD God, the creator of heaven and earth.R. You are the highest honor of our race.Your deed of hope will never be forgottenby those who tell of the might of God.R. You are the highest honor of our race.   Alleluia  R. Alleluia, alleluia.Blessed are you, holy Virgin Mary, deserving of all praise;from you rose the sun of justice, Christ our God.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel LK 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.” But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.” Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her. or Lk 1:39-47 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, “Most 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.” - - - 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 40:25-31 To whom can you liken me as an equal?says the Holy One.Lift up your eyes on highand see who has created these things:He leads out their army and numbers them,calling them all by name.By his great might and the strength of his powernot one of them is missing!Why, O Jacob, do you say,and declare, O Israel,"My way is hidden from the LORD,and my right is disregarded by my God"?Do you not knowor have you not heard?The LORD is the eternal God,creator of the ends of the earth.He does not faint nor grow weary,and his knowledge is beyond scrutiny.He gives strength to the fainting;for the weak he makes vigor abound.Though young men faint and grow weary,and youths stagger and fall,They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength,they will soar as with eagles' wings;They will run and not grow weary,walk and not grow faint. Responsorial Psalm Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 8 and 10 R. (1) O bless the Lord, my soul!Bless the LORD, O my soul;and all my being, bless his holy name.Bless the LORD, O my soul,and forget not all his benefits. R. O bless the Lord, my soul!He pardons all your iniquities,he heals all your ills.He redeems your life from destruction,he crowns you with kindness and compassion.R. O bless the Lord, my soul!Merciful and gracious is the LORD,slow to anger and abounding in kindness.Not according to our sins does he deal with us,nor does he requite us according to our crimes.R. O bless the Lord, my soul! Alleluia R. Alleluia, alleluia.Behold, the Lord comes to save his people;blessed are those prepared to meet him.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 11:28-30 Jesus said to the crowds:"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,for I am meek and humble of heart;and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light." Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Damasus I, pope - - - 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.