Reading 1 IS 40:1-5, 9-11 Comfort, give comfort to my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her service is at an end, her guilt is expiated; indeed, she has received from the hand of the LORD double for all her sins. A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill shall be made low; the rugged land shall be made a plain, the rough country, a broad valley. Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. Go up on to a high mountain, Zion, herald of glad tidings; cry out at the top of your voice, Jerusalem, herald of good news! Fear not to cry out and say to the cities of Judah: Here is your God! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by his strong arm; here is his reward with him, his recompense before him. Like a shepherd he feeds his flock; in his arms he gathers the lambs, carrying them in his bosom, and leading the ewes with care. Responsorial Psalm PS 85:9-10-11-12, 13-14 R. (8) Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.I will hear what God proclaims;the LORD—for he proclaims peace to his people.Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,glory dwelling in our land.R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.Kindness and truth shall meet;justice and peace shall kiss.Truth shall spring out of the earth,and justice shall look down from heaven.R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.The LORD himself will give his benefits;our land shall yield its increase.Justice shall walk before him,and prepare the way of his steps.R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation. Reading 2 2 PT 3:8-14 Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some regard “delay,” but he is patient with you, not wishing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a mighty roar and the elements will be dissolved by fire, and the earth and everything done on it will be found out. Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be, conducting yourselves in holiness and devotion, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flames and the elements melted by fire. But according to his promise we await new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you await these things, be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace. 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 MK 1:1-8 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet:Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way. A voice of one crying out in the desert: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Readings for the Optional Memorial of Our Lady of Loreto - - -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 Optional Memorial of Saint Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin Reading 1 Is 30:19-21, 23-26 Thus says the Lord GOD,the Holy One of Israel:O people of Zion, who dwell in Jerusalem,no more will you weep;He will be gracious to you when you cry out,as soon as he hears he will answer you.The Lord will give you the bread you needand the water for which you thirst.No longer will your Teacher hide himself,but with your own eyes you shall see your Teacher,While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:"This is the way; walk in it,"when you would turn to the right or to the left.He will give rain for the seedthat you sow in the ground,And the wheat that the soil produceswill be rich and abundant.On that day your flock will be given pastureand the lamb will graze in spacious meadows;The oxen and the asses that till the groundwill eat silage tossed to themwith shovel and pitchfork.Upon every high mountain and lofty hillthere will be streams of running water.On the day of the great slaughter,when the towers fall,The light of the moon will be like that of the sunand the light of the sun will be seven times greaterlike the light of seven days.On the day the LORD binds up the wounds of his people,he will heal the bruises left by his blows. Responsorial Psalm Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. (see Isaiah 30:18d) Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.Praise the LORD, for he is good;sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;it is fitting to praise him.The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;the dispersed of Israel he gathers. R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.He heals the brokenheartedand binds up their wounds.He tells the number of the stars;he calls each by name.R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.Great is our LORD and mighty in power:to his wisdom there is no limit.The LORD sustains the lowly;the wicked he casts to the ground.R. Blessed are all who wait for the Lord. Alleluia Is 33:22 R. Alleluia, alleluia.The LORD is our Judge, our Lawgiver, our King;he it is who will save us.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 9:35–10:1, 5a, 6-8 Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,teaching in their synagogues,proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for thembecause they were troubled and abandoned,like sheep without a shepherd.Then he said to his disciples,"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;so ask the master of the harvestto send out laborers for his harvest." Then he summoned his Twelve disciplesand gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them outand to cure every disease and every illness. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,"Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Cure the sick, raise the dead,cleanse lepers, drive out demons.Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give." - - - 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 Gn 3:9-15, 20 After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the LORD God called to the man and asked him, "Where are you?" He answered, "I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself." Then he asked, "Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!" The man replied, "The woman whom you put here with me-- she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it." The LORD God then asked the woman, "Why did you do such a thing?" The woman answered, "The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it." Then the LORD God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; on your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel." The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living. Responsorial Psalm PS 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 R. (1) Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.Sing to the LORD a new song,for he has done wondrous deeds;His right hand has won victory for him,his holy arm.R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.The LORD has made his salvation known:in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulnesstoward the house of Israel.R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.All the ends of the earth have seenthe salvation by our God.Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;break into song; sing praise.R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds. Reading 2 Eph 1:3-6, 11-12 Brothers and sisters:Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,who has blessed us in Christwith every spiritual blessing in the heavens,as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,to be holy and without blemish before him. In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,in accord with the favor of his will,for the praise of the glory of his gracethat he granted us in the beloved.In him we were also chosen,destined in accord with the purpose of the Onewho accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,we who first hoped in Christ. Alleluia See Lk 1:28 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you;blessed are you among women.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Lk 1:26-38 The angel Gabriel was sent from Godto 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 saidand 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 bornwill 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. - - - 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 Ambrose, bishop and doctor of the ChurchReading 1 Is 26:1-6 On that day they will sing this song in the land of Judah:"A strong city have we;he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us.Open up the gatesto let in a nation that is just,one that keeps faith.A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace;in peace, for its trust in you."Trust in the LORD forever!For the LORD is an eternal Rock.He humbles those in high places,and the lofty city he brings down;He tumbles it to the ground,levels it with the dust.It is trampled underfoot by the needy,by the footsteps of the poor. Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:1 and 8-9, 19-21, 25-27a R. (26a) Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.or:R. Alleluia.Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever.It is better to take refuge in the LORDthan to trust in man.It is better to take refuge in the LORDthan to trust in princes. R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.or:R. Alleluia.Open to me the gates of justice;I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.This gate is the LORD's;the just shall enter it.I will give thanks to you, for you have answered meand have been my savior.R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.or:R. Alleluia.O LORD, grant salvation!O LORD, grant prosperity!Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD;we bless you from the house of the LORD.The LORD is God, and he has given us light.R. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.or:R. Alleluia. Alleluia Is 55:6 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Seek the LORD while he may be found;call him while he is near.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 7:21, 24-27 Jesus said to his disciples:"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,'will enter the Kingdom of heaven,but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on themwill be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came,and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. And everyone who listens to these words of minebut does not act on themwill be like a fool who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the floods came,and the winds blew and buffeted the house. And it collapsed and was completely ruined." - - -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.