July 31, 2023

Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Priest

Readings for the Memorial of Saint Ignatius of Loyola, priestReading 1 Ex 32:15-24, 30-34 Moses turned and came down the mountainwith the two tablets of the commandments in his hands,tablets that were written on both sides, front and back;tablets that were made by God,having inscriptions on them that were engraved by God himself.Now, when Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting,he said to Moses, "That sounds like a battle in the camp."But Moses answered, "It does not sound like cries of victory,nor does it sound like cries of defeat;the sounds that I hear are cries of revelry."As he drew near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing.With that, Moses' wrath flared up, so that he threw the tablets downand broke them on the base of the mountain.Taking the calf they had made, he fused it in the fireand then ground it down to powder,which he scattered on the water and made the children of Israel drink.Moses asked Aaron, "What did this people ever do to youthat you should lead them into so grave a sin?"Aaron replied, "Let not my lord be angry.You know well enough how prone the people are to evil.They said to me, 'Make us a god to be our leader;as for the man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt,we do not know what has happened to him.'So I told them, 'Let anyone who has gold jewelry take it off.'They gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out."On the next day Moses said to the people,"You have committed a grave sin.I will go up to the LORD, then;perhaps I may be able to make atonement for your sin."So Moses went back to the LORD and said,"Ah, this people has indeed committed a grave sinin making a god of gold for themselves!If you would only forgive their sin!If you will not, then strike me out of the book that you have written."The LORD answered, "Him only who has sinned against mewill I strike out of my book.Now, go and lead the people to the place I have told you.My angel will go before you.When it is time for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin." Responsorial Psalm Ps 106:19-20, 21-22, 23 R. (1a) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.Our fathers made a calf in Horeband adored a molten image;They exchanged their gloryfor the image of a grass-eating bullock.R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.They forgot the God who had saved them,who had done great deeds in Egypt,Wondrous deeds in the land of Ham,terrible things at the Red Sea.R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.Then he spoke of exterminating them,but Moses, his chosen one,Withstood him in the breachto turn back his destructive wrath.R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. Alleluia Jas 1:18 R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truththat we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 13:31-35 Jesus proposed a parable to the crowds."The Kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seedthat a person took and sowed in a field.It is the smallest of all the seeds,yet when full-grown it is the largest of plants.It becomes a large bush,and the birds of the sky come and dwell in its branches."He spoke to them another parable."The Kingdom of heaven is like yeastthat a woman took and mixed with three measures of wheat flouruntil the whole batch was leavened."All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables.He spoke to them only in parables, to fulfill what had been said through the prophet:I will open my mouth in parables,I will announce what has lain hidden from the foundation of the world. - - -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.
July 30, 2023

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 1 Kgs 3:5, 7-12 The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, "Ask something of me and I will give it to you." Solomon answered:"O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, kingto succeed my father David;but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heartto judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?"The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request. So God said to him:"Because you have asked for this—not for a long life for yourself,nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies,but for understanding so that you may know what is right—I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understandingthat there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you." Responsorial Psalm Ps 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130 R. (97a) Lord, I love your commands. I have said, O LORD, that my part is to keep your words. The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces. R. Lord, I love your commands. Let your kindness comfort me according to your promise to your servants. Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight. R. Lord, I love your commands. For I love your commands more than gold, however fine. For in all your precepts I go forward; every false way I hate. R. Lord, I love your commands. Wonderful are your decrees; therefore I observe them. The revelation of your words sheds light, giving understanding to the simple. R. Lord, I love your commands. Reading 2 Rom 8:28-30 Brothers and sisters:We know that all things work for good for those who love God,who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestinedto be conformed to the image of his Son,so that he might be the firstbornamong many brothers and sisters.And those he predestined he also called;and those he called he also justified;and those he justified he also glorified. Alleluia Cf. Mt 11:25 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;for you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 13:44-52 Jesus said to his disciples:"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,which a person finds and hides again,and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchantsearching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price,he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,which collects fish of every kind. When it is full they haul it ashoreand sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteousand throw them into the fiery furnace,where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth."Do you understand all these things?" They answered, "Yes." And he replied,"Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heavenis like the head of a householdwho brings from his storeroom both the new and the old." or Mt 13:44-46 Jesus said to his disciples:"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,which a person finds and hides again,and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchantsearching for fine pearls. When he finds a pearl of great price,he goes and sells all that he has and buys it." Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Peter Chrysologus, bishop and doctor of the Church - - -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.
July 29, 2023

Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus

Readings for the Memorial of Saints Martha, Mary, and LazarusReading 1 Ex 24:3-8 When Moses came to the peopleand related all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all answered with one voice,"We will do everything that the LORD has told us."Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and,rising early the next day,he erected at the foot of the mountain an altarand twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having sent certain young men of the children of Israelto offer burnt offerings and sacrifice young bullsas peace offerings to the LORD,Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls;the other half he splashed on the altar.Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people,who answered, "All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do."Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying,"This is the blood of the covenantthat the LORD has made with youin accordance with all these words of his." Responsorial Psalm Ps 50:1b-2, 5-6, 14-15 R. (14a) Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.God the LORD has spoken and summoned the earth,from the rising of the sun to its setting.From Zion, perfect in beauty,God shines forth.R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise."Gather my faithful ones before me,those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice."And the heavens proclaim his justice;for God himself is the judge.R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise."Offer to God praise as your sacrificeand fulfill your vows to the Most High;Then call upon me in time of distress;I will rescue you, and you shall glorify me."R. Offer to God a sacrifice of praise. Alleluia Jn 8:12 R. Alleluia, alleluia.I am the light of the world, says the Lord;whoever follows me will have the light of life.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Jn 11:19-27 Many of the Jews had come to Martha and Maryto comfort them about their brother [Lazarus, who had died].When Martha heard that Jesus was coming,she went to meet him;but Mary sat at home.Martha said to Jesus,"Lord, if you had been here,my brother would not have died.But even now I know that whatever you ask of God,God will give you."Jesus said to her,"Your brother will rise."Martha said to him,"I know he will rise,in the resurrection on the last day."Jesus told her,"I am the resurrection and the life;whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,and anyone who lives and believes in me will never die.Do you believe this?"She said to him, "Yes, Lord.I have come to believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God,the one who is coming into the world." or  Lk 10:38-42 Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him.She had a sister named Marywho sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said,"Lord, do you not carethat my sister has left me by myself to do the serving? Tell her to help me." The Lord said to her in reply,"Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better partand it will not be taken 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.
July 28, 2023

Friday of the Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading I Ex 20:1-17 In those days: God delivered all these commandments:     “I, the LORD, am your God,      who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that place of slavery. You shall not have other gods besides me. You shall not carve idols for yourselves      in the shape of anything in the sky above      or on the earth below or in the waters beneath the earth;      you shall not bow down before them or worship them. For I, the LORD, your God, am a jealous God,      inflicting punishment for their fathers’ wickedness      on the children of those who hate me,      down to the third and fourth generation;      but bestowing mercy down to the thousandth generation      on the children of those who love me and keep my commandments. “You shall not take the name of the LORD, your God, in vain. For the LORD will not leave unpunished      him who takes his name in vain. “Remember to keep holy the sabbath day. Six days you may labor and do all your work,      but the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD, your God. No work may be done then either by you, or your son or daughter,      or your male or female slave, or your beast,      or by the alien who lives with you. In six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,      the sea and all that is in them;      but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the LORD has blessed the sabbath day and made it holy. “Honor your father and your mother,      that you may have a long life in the land      which the LORD, your God, is giving you. “You shall not kill. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal. “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,      nor his male or female slave, nor his ox or ass,      nor anything else that belongs to him.” Responsorial Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 11 R.    (John 6:68c)  Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. The law of the LORD is perfect,     refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,     giving wisdom to the simple. R.    Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. The precepts of the LORD are right,     rejoicing the heart; The command of the LORD is clear,     enlightening the eye. R.    Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. The fear of the LORD is pure,     enduring forever; The ordinances of the LORD are true,     all of them just. R.    Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. They are more precious than gold,     than a heap of purest gold; Sweeter also than syrup     or honey from the comb. R.    Lord, you have the words of everlasting life. Alleluia See Lk 8:15 R. Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mt 13:18-23 Jesus said to his disciples: “Hear the parable of the sower. The seed sown on the path is the one who hears the word of the Kingdom without understanding it, and the Evil One comes and steals away what was sown in his heart. The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and receives it at once with joy. But he has no root and lasts only for a time. When some tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he immediately falls away. The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but then worldly anxiety and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. But the seed sown on rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold.” - - -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.