Daily Readings

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.”

Job said:

Pity me, pity me, O you my friends,for the hand of God has struck me!Why do you hound me as though you were divine,and insatiably prey upon me?

Oh, would that my words were written down!Would that they were inscribed in a record:That with an iron chisel and with leadthey were cut in the rock forever!But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives,and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust;Whom I myself shall see:my own eyes, not another’s, shall behold him,And from my flesh I shall see God;my inmost being is consumed with longing.

R. (13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;have pity on me, and answer me.Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.Your presence, O LORD, I seek.Hide not your face from me;do not in anger repel your servant.You are my helper: cast me not off.R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORDin the land of the living.Wait for the LORD with courage;be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Kingdom of God is at hand;repent and believe in the Gospel.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus appointed seventy-two other discipleswhom he sent ahead of him in pairsto every town and place he intended to visit.He said to them,“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;so ask the master of the harvestto send out laborers for his harvest.Go on your way;behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves.Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals;and greet no one along the way.Into whatever house you enter, first say,‘Peace to this household.’If a peaceful person lives there,your peace will rest on him;but if not, it will return to you.Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you,for the laborer deserves his payment.Do not move about from one house to another.Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,eat what is set before you,cure the sick in it and say to them,‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you,go out into the streets and say,‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet,even that we shake off against you.’Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand.I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”