Daily Readings

The LORD cried loud for me to hear:Come, you scourges of the city!With that I saw six men coming from the directionof the upper gate which faces the north,each with a destroying weapon in his hand.In their midst was a man dressed in linen,with a writer’s case at his waist.They entered and stood beside the bronze altar.Then he called to the man dressed in linenwith the writer’s case at his waist, saying to him:Pass through the city, through Jerusalem,and mark a “Thau” on the foreheads of those who moan and groanover all the abominations that are practiced within it.To the others I heard the LORD say:Pass through the city after him and strike!Do not look on them with pity nor show any mercy!Old men, youths and maidens, women and children–wipe them out!But do not touch any marked with the “Thau”; begin at my sanctuary.So they began with the men, the elders, who were in front of the temple.Defile the temple, he said to them, and fill the courts with the slain;then go out and strike in the city.

Then the glory of the LORD left the threshold of the templeand rested upon the cherubim.These lifted their wings, and I saw them rise from the earth,the wheels rising along with them.They stood at the entrance of the eastern gate of the Lord’s house,and the glory of the God of Israel was up above them.Then the cherubim lifted their wings, and the wheels went along with them,while up above them was the glory of the God of Israel.

R. (4b)  The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies.or:R. Alleluia.Praise, you servants of the LORD,praise the name of the LORD.Blessed be the name of the LORDboth now and forever.R. The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies.or:R.  Alleluia.From the rising to the setting of the sunis the name of the LORD to be praised.High above all nations is the LORD;above the heavens is his glory.R. The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies.or:R. Alleluia.Who is like the LORD, our God, who is enthroned on high,and looks upon the heavens and the earth below?R. The glory of the Lord is higher than the skies.or:R. Alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Jesus said to his disciples:"If your brother sins against you,go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.If he does not listen,take one or two others along with you,so that  every fact may be establishedon the testimony of two or three witnesses.If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church.If he refuses to listen even to the Church,then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.Amen, I say to you,whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earthabout anything for which they are to pray,it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.For where two or three are gathered together in my name,there am I in the midst of them."

The Lord GOD said to me:As for you, son of man, obey me when I speak to you:be not rebellious like this house of rebellion,but open your mouth and eat what I shall give you.

It was then I saw a hand stretched out to me,in which was a written scroll which he unrolled before me.It was covered with writing front and back,and written on it was: Lamentation and wailing and woe!

He said to me: Son of man, eat what is before you;eat this scroll, then go, speak to the house of Israel.So I opened my mouth and he gave me the scroll to eat.Son of man, he then said to me,feed your belly and fill your stomachwith this scroll I am giving you.I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.He said: Son of man, go now to the house of Israel,and speak my words to them.

R. (103a)  How sweet to my taste is your promise!In the way of your decrees I rejoice,as much as in all riches.R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!Yes, your decrees are my delight;they are my counselors.R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!The law of your mouth is to me more preciousthan thousands of gold and silver pieces.R. How sweet to my taste is your promise!How sweet to my palate are your promises,sweeter than honey to my mouth!R.  How sweet to my taste is your promise!Your decrees are my inheritance forever;the joy of my heart they are.R.  How sweet to my taste is your promise!I gasp with open mouth,in my yearning for your commands.R.  How sweet to my taste is your promise!

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,for I am meek and humble of heart.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The disciples approached Jesus and said,“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.Whoever becomes humble like this childis the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,for I say to you that their angels in heavenalways look upon the face of my heavenly Father.What is your opinion?If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hillsand go in search of the stray?And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over itthan over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Fatherthat one of these little ones be lost."

Brothers and sisters:Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion,for God loves a cheerful giver.Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you,so that in all things, always having all you need,you may have an abundance for every good work.As it is written:He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;his righteousness endures forever.The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for foodwill supply and multiply your seedand increase the harvest of your righteousness.

R. (5) Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.Blessed the man who fears the LORD,who greatly delights in his commands.His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth;the upright generation shall be blessed.R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.Well for the man who is gracious and lends,who conducts his affairs with justice;He shall never be moved;the just one shall be in everlasting remembrance.R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.An evil report he shall not fear;his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.His heart is steadfast; he shall not feartill he looks down upon his foes.R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.Lavishly he gives to the poor, his generosity shall endure forever;his horn shall be exalted in glory.R. Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Whoever follows me will not walk in darknessbut will have the light of life, says the Lord.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to his disciples:“Amen, amen, I say to you,unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies,it remains just a grain of wheat;but if it dies, it produces much fruit.Whoever loves his life loses it,and whoever hates his life in this worldwill preserve it for eternal life.Whoever serves me must follow me,and where I am, there also will my servant be.The Father will honor whoever serves me.”