Daily Readings

In those days, the Israelites came to the desert of Sinai and pitched camp.While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain,Moses went up the mountain to God.Then the LORD called to him and said,“Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob;tell the Israelites:You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptiansand how I bore you up on eagle wingsand brought you here to myself. Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant,you shall be my special possession,dearer to me than all other people,though all the earth is mine.You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”

R. (3c) We are his people: the sheep of his flock.Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;    serve the LORD with gladness;    come before him with joyful song.R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.Know that the LORD is God;    he made us, his we are;    his people, the flock he tends.R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.The LORD is good:    his kindness endures forever,    and his faithfulness to all generations.R. We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

Brothers and sisters:Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly.Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,though perhaps for a good personone might even find courage to die.But God proves his love for usin that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood,will we be saved through him from the wrath.Indeed, if, while we were enemies,we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,how much more, once reconciled,will we be saved by his life.Not only that,but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,through whom we have now received reconciliation.

R.    Alleluia, alleluia.The kingdom of God is at hand.Repent and believe in the Gospel. R.   Alleluia, alleluia. 

At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because 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 spiritsto drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.The names of the twelve apostles are these:first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus,“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.Go rather 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.”

Elijah set out, and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat,as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen;he was following the twelfth.Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him.Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said,"Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,and I will follow you."Elijah answered, "Go back! Have I done anything to you?"Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them;he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh,and gave it to his people to eat.Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant. 

R. (see 5a) You are my inheritance, O Lord.Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,you it is who hold fast my lot.R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.I bless the LORD who counsels me;even in the night my heart exhorts me.I set the LORD ever before me;with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,my body, too, abides in confidence;Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.R. You are my inheritance, O Lord. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Incline my heart, O God, to your decrees;and favor me with your law.R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Jesus said to his disciples:"You have heard that it was said to your ancestors,Do not take a false oath,but make good to the Lord all that you vow.But I say to you, do not swear at all;not by heaven, for it is God's throne;nor by the earth, for it is his footstool;nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.Do not swear by your head,for you cannot make a single hair white or black.Let your 'Yes' mean 'Yes,' and your 'No' mean 'No.'Anything more is from the Evil One." 

Elijah set out, and came upon Elisha, son of Shaphat,as he was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen;he was following the twelfth.Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak over him.Elisha left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said,"Please, let me kiss my father and mother goodbye,and I will follow you."Elijah answered, "Go back!Have I done anything to you?"Elisha left him and, taking the yoke of oxen, slaughtered them;he used the plowing equipment for fuel to boil their flesh,and gave it to his people to eat.Then he left and followed Elijah as his attendant. 

R. (see 5a) You are my inheritance, O Lord.Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge;I say to the LORD, "My Lord are you."O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup,you it is who hold fast my lot.R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.I bless the LORD who counsels me;even in the night my heart exhorts me.I set the LORD ever before me;with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed. R. You are my inheritance, O Lord.Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices,my body, too, abides in confidence;Because you will not abandon my soul to the nether world,nor will you suffer your faithful one to undergo corruption.R. You are my inheritance, O Lord. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Blessed is the Virgin Mary who kept the word of Godand pondered it in her heart.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Each year Jesus' parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,and when he was twelve years old,they went up according to festival custom.After they had completed its days, as they were returning,the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,but his parents did not know it.Thinking that he was in the caravan,they journeyed for a dayand looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,but not finding him,they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.After three days they found him in the temple,sitting in the midst of the teachers,listening to them and asking them questions,and all who heard him were astoundedat his understanding and his answers.When his parents saw him,they were astonished,and his mother said to him,"Son, why have you done this to us?Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety."And he said to them,"Why were you looking for me?Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?"But they did not understand what he said to them.He went down with them and came to Nazareth,and was obedient to them;and his mother kept all these things in her heart.