Daily Readings

A new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to power in Egypt. He said to his subjects, "Look how numerous and powerful the people of the children of Israel are growing, more so than we ourselves! Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase; otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemies to fight against us, and so leave our country." Accordingly, taskmasters were set over the children of Israel to oppress them with forced labor. Thus they had to build for Pharaoh the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses. Yet the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread. The Egyptians, then, dreaded the children of Israel and reduced them to cruel slavery, making life bitter for them with hard work in mortar and brick and all kinds of field work—the whole cruel fate of slaves. Pharaoh then commanded all his subjects, "Throw into the river every boy that is born to the Hebrews, but you may let all the girls live."

R. (8a) Our help is in the name of the Lord. Had not the LORD been with us– let Israel say, had not the LORD been with us– When men rose up against us, then would they have swallowed us alive, When their fury was inflamed against us. R. Our help is in the name of the Lord. Then would the waters have overwhelmed us; The torrent would have swept over us; over us then would have swept the raging waters. Blessed be the LORD, who did not leave us a prey to their teeth. R. Our help is in the name of the Lord. We were rescued like a bird from the fowlers' snare; Broken was the snare, and we were freed. Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth. R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

R. Alleluia, alleluia. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to his Apostles: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth. I have come to bring not peace but the sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one's enemies will be those of his household. "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. "Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and whoever receives a righteous man because he is righteous will receive a righteous man's reward. And whoever gives only a cup of cold water to one of these little ones to drink because he is a disciple– amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward." When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples, he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.  

Moses said to the people: "If only you would heed the voice of the LORD, your God, and keep his commandments and statutes that are written in this book of the law, when you return to the LORD, your God, with all your heart and all your soul. "For this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky, that you should say, 'Who will go up in the sky to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?' Nor is it across the sea, that you should say, 'Who will cross the sea to get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out?' No, it is something very near to you, already in your mouths and in your hearts; you have only to carry it out."

R. (cf. 33)  Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.I pray to you, O LORD, for the time of your favor, O God!In your great kindness answer me with your constant help.Answer me, O LORD, for bounteous is your kindness: in your great mercy turn toward me.R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.I am afflicted and in pain; let your saving help, O God, protect me.I will praise the name of God in song, and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live."See, you lowly ones, and be glad; you who seek God, may your hearts revive!For the LORD hears the poor, and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.For God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah.The descendants of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall inhabit it.R. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.

R.(9a) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. The law of the LORD is perfect,  refreshing the soul; the decree of the LORD is trustworthy,  giving wisdom to the simple. R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. The precepts of the LORD are right,  rejoicing the heart; the command of the LORD is clear,  enlightening the eye. R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. The fear of the LORD is pure,  enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true,  all of them just. R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. They are more precious than gold,  than a heap of purest gold; sweeter also than syrup  or honey from the comb. R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

Christ Jesus is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For in him were created all things in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things were created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he himself might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things for him, making peace by the blood of his cross through him, whether those on earth or those in heaven.

R. Alleluia, alleluia. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

There was a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,"Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"Jesus said to him, "What is written in the law?How do you read it?"He said in reply,"You shall love the Lord, your God,with all your heart,with all your being,with all your strength,and with all your mind,and your neighbor as yourself."He replied to him, "You have answered correctly;do this and you will live."But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,"And who is my neighbor?"Jesus replied,"A man fell victim to robbersas he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.A priest happened to be going down that road,but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.Likewise a Levite came to the place,and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.But a Samaritan traveler who came upon himwas moved with compassion at the sight.He approached the victim,poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.Then he lifted him up on his own animal,took him to an inn, and cared for him.The next day he took out two silver coinsand gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,'Take care of him.If you spend more than what I have given you,I shall repay you on my way back.'Which of these three, in your opinion,was neighbor to the robbers' victim?"He answered, "The one who treated him with mercy."Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise." 

Jacob gave his sons this charge: “Since I am about to be taken to my people, bury me with my fathers in the cave that lies in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, facing on Mamre, in the land of Canaan, the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial ground. There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, and so are Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there, too, I buried Leah– the field and the cave in it that had been purchased from the Hittites.”

Now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful and thought, “Suppose Joseph has been nursing a grudge against us and now plans to pay us back in full for all the wrong we did him!” So they approached Joseph and said: “Before your father died, he gave us these instructions: ‘You shall say to Joseph, Jacob begs you to forgive the criminal wrongdoing of your brothers, who treated you so cruelly.’ Please, therefore, forgive the crime that we, the servants of your father’s God, committed.” When they spoke these words to him, Joseph broke into tears. Then his brothers proceeded to fling themselves down before him and said, “Let us be your slaves!” But Joseph replied to them: “Have no fear.  Can I take the place of God? Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his present end, the survival of many people. Therefore have no fear. I will provide for you and for your children.” By thus speaking kindly to them, he reassured them.

Joseph remained in Egypt, together with his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years. He saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation, and the children of Manasseh’s son Machir were also born on Joseph’s knees.

Joseph said to his brothers: “I am about to die. God will surely take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land that he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” Then, putting the sons of Israel under oath, he continued, “When God thus takes care of you, you must bring my bones up with you from this place.” Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten.

R.    (see Psalm 69:33) Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad! Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;     make known among the nations his deeds. Sing to him, sing his praise,     proclaim all his wondrous deeds. R.    Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad! Glory in his holy name;     rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! Look to the LORD in his strength;     seek to serve him constantly. R.    Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad! You descendants of Abraham, his servants,     sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the LORD, is our God;     throughout the earth his judgments prevail. R.    Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!

R. Alleluia, alleluia. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of God rests upon you. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to his Apostles:  “No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!

“Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”