Daily Readings

Let me now sing of my friend,my friend's song concerning his vineyard.My friend had a vineyardon a fertile hillside;he spaded it, cleared it of stones,and planted the choicest vines;within it he built a watchtower,and hewed out a wine press.Then he looked for the crop of grapes,but what it yielded was wild grapes.Now, inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah,judge between me and my vineyard:What more was there to do for my vineyardthat I had not done?Why, when I looked for the crop of grapes,did it bring forth wild grapes?Now, I will let you knowwhat I mean to do with my vineyard:take away its hedge, give it to grazing,break through its wall, let it be trampled!Yes, I will make it a ruin:it shall not be pruned or hoed,but overgrown with thorns and briers;I will command the cloudsnot to send rain upon it.The vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel,and the people of Judah are his cherished plant;he looked for judgment, but see, bloodshed!for justice, but hark, the outcry! 

R. (Is 5:7a) The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.A vine from Egypt you transplanted;you drove away the nations and planted it.It put forth its foliage to the Sea,its shoots as far as the River.R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.Why have you broken down its walls,so that every passer-by plucks its fruit,The boar from the forest lays it waste,and the beasts of the field feed upon it?R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.Once again, O LORD of hosts,look down from heaven, and see;take care of this vine,and protect what your right hand has planted,the son of man whom you yourself made strong.R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.Then we will no more withdraw from you;give us new life, and we will call upon your name.O LORD, God of hosts, restore us;if your face shine upon us, then we shall be saved.R. The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Brothers and sisters:Have no anxiety at all, but in everything,by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,make your requests known to God.Then the peace of God that surpasses all understandingwill guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.Finally, brothers and sisters,whatever is true, whatever is honorable,whatever is just, whatever is pure,whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious,if there is any excellenceand if there is anything worthy of praise,think about these things.Keep on doing what you have learned and receivedand heard and seen in me.Then the God of peace will be with you. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.I have chosen you from the world, says the Lord,to go and bear fruit that will remain.R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Jesus said to the chief priests and the elders of the people:"Hear another parable.There was a landowner who planted a vineyard,put a hedge around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went on a journey.When vintage time drew near,he sent his servants to the tenants to obtain his produce. But the tenants seized the servants and one they beat,another they killed, and a third they stoned. Again he sent other servants, more numerous than the first ones,but they treated them in the same way. Finally, he sent his son to them, thinking,'They will respect my son.'But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another,'This is the heir.Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.'They seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to those tenants when he comes?"They answered him,"He will put those wretched men to a wretched deathand lease his vineyard to other tenantswho will give him the produce at the proper times." Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures:The stone that the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone;by the Lord has this been done,and it is wonderful in our eyes?Therefore, I say to you,the kingdom of God will be taken away from youand given to a people that will produce its fruit." 

Job answered the LORD and said:

I know that you can do all things,and that no purpose of yours can be hindered.I have dealt with great things that I do not understand;things too wonderful for me, which I cannot know.I had heard of you by word of mouth,but now my eye has seen you.Therefore I disown what I have said,and repent in dust and ashes.

Thus the LORD blessed the latter days of Jobmore than his earlier ones.For he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels,a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she-asses.And he had seven sons and three daughters,of whom he called the first Jemimah,the second Keziah, and the third Kerenhappuch.In all the land no other women were as beautifulas the daughters of Job;and their father gave them an inheritancealong with their brothers.After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years;and he saw his children, his grandchildren,and even his great-grandchildren.Then Job died, old and full of years. 

R. (135) Lord, let your face shine on me.Teach me wisdom and knowledge,for in your commands I trust.R. Lord, let your face shine on me.It is good for me that I have been afflicted,that I may learn your statutes.R. Lord, let your face shine on me.I know, O LORD, that your ordinances are just,and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.R. Lord, let your face shine on me.According to your ordinances they still stand firm:all things serve you.R. Lord, let your face shine on me.I am your servant; give me discernmentthat I may know your decrees.R. Lord, let your face shine on me.The revelation of your words sheds light,giving understanding to the simple.R. Lord, let your face shine on me.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The seventy-two disciples returned rejoicing and said to Jesus,“Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.”Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.Behold, I have given you the power‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpionsand upon the full force of the enemyand nothing will harm you.Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you,but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.

”At that very moment he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said,“I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,for although you have hidden these thingsfrom the wise and the learnedyou have revealed them to the childlike.Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.All things have been handed over to me by my Father.No one knows who the Son is except the Father,and who the Father is except the Sonand anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.”

Turning to the disciples in private he said,“Blessed are the eyes that see what you see.For I say to you,many prophets and kings desired to see what you see,but did not see it,and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.”

The LORD addressed Job out of the storm and said:

Have you ever in your lifetime commanded the morningand shown the dawn its placeFor taking hold of the ends of the earth,till the wicked are shaken from its surface?The earth is changed as is clay by the seal,and dyed as though it were a garment;But from the wicked the light is withheld,and the arm of pride is shattered.

Have you entered into the sources of the sea,or walked about in the depths of the abyss?Have the gates of death been shown to you,or have you seen the gates of darkness?Have you comprehended the breadth of the earth?Tell me, if you know all:Which is the way to the dwelling place of light,and where is the abode of darkness,That you may take them to their boundariesand set them on their homeward paths?You know, because you were born before them,and the number of your years is great!

Then Job answered the LORD and said:

Behold, I am of little account; what can I answer you?I put my hand over my mouth.Though I have spoken once, I will not do so again;though twice, I will do so no more.

R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;you know when I sit and when I stand;you understand my thoughts from afar.My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,with all my ways you are familiar.R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.Where can I go from your spirit?From your presence where can I flee?If I go up to the heavens, you are there;if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.If I take the wings of the dawn,if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,Even there your hand shall guide me,and your right hand hold me fast.R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.Truly you have formed my inmost being;you knit me in my mother’s womb.I give you thanks that I am fearfully, wonderfully made; wonderful are your works.R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Bless the LORD, all you angels,you ministers, who do his will.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 humbles himself 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.”