Daily Readings

First the Lord degraded the land of Zebulunand the land of Naphtali;but in the end he has glorified the seaward road,the land west of the Jordan,the District of the Gentiles.

Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness:for there is no gloom where but now there was distress.The people who walked in darknesshave seen a great light;upon those who dwelt in the land of glooma light has shone.You have brought them abundant joyand great rejoicing,as they rejoice before you as at the harvest,as people make merry when dividing spoils.For the yoke that burdened them,the pole on their shoulder,and the rod of their taskmasteryou have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation.The LORD is my light and my salvation;whom should I fear?The LORD is my life’s refuge;of whom should I be afraid?R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.One thing I ask of the LORD;this I seek:To dwell in the house of the LORDall the days of my life,That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORDand contemplate his temple.R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.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. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,that all of you agree in what you say,and that there be no divisions among you,but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters,by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you.I mean that each of you is saying,“I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,”or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.”Is Christ divided?Was Paul crucified for you?Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel,and not with the wisdom of human eloquence,so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdomand cured every disease among the people.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,he withdrew to Galilee.He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,that what had been said through Isaiah the prophetmight be fulfilled:Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,Galilee of the Gentiles,the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by deathlight has arisen.From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers,Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew,casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen.He said to them,“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”At once they left their nets and followed him.He walked along from there and saw two other brothers,James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets.He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their fatherand followed him.He went around all of Galilee,teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom,and curing every disease and illness among the people.

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When Jesus heard that John had been arrested,he withdrew to Galilee.He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea,in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,that what had been said through Isaiah the prophetmight be fulfilled:Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali,the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan,Galilee of the Gentiles,the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by deathlight has arisen.From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

David returned from his defeat of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag.On the third day a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.Going to David, he fell to the ground in homage.David asked him, “Where do you come from?”He replied, “I have escaped from the camp of the children of Israel.”“Tell me what happened,” David bade him.He answered that many of the soldiers had fled the battle and that many of them had fallen and were dead, among them Saul and his son Jonathan.David seized his garments and rent them, and all the men who were with him did likewise.They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the soldiers of the LORD of the clans of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.“Alas! the glory of Israel, Saul, slain upon your heights;how can the warriors have fallen!“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished,separated neither in life nor in death,swifter than eagles, stronger than lions!Women of Israel, weep over Saul,who clothed you in scarlet and in finery,who decked your attire with ornaments of gold.“How can the warriors have fallen– in the thick of the battle,slain upon your heights!“I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother!most dear have you been to me;more precious have I held love for you than love for women.“How can the warriors have fallen,the weapons of war have perished!” 

R. (4b) Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.O shepherd of Israel, hearken,O guide of the flock of Joseph!From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forthbefore Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.Rouse your power, and come to save us.R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.O LORD of hosts, how long will you burn with angerwhile your people pray?You have fed them with the bread of tearsand given them tears to drink in ample measure.You have left us to be fought over by our neighbors, and our enemies mock us.R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Open our hearts, O Lord,to listen to the words of your Son.R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Jesus came with his disciples into the house.Again the crowd gathered,making it impossible for them even to eat.When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 

Saul took three thousand picked men from all Israel and went in search of David and his men in the direction of the wild goat crags.When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he found a cave, which he entered to relieve himself.David and his men were occupying the inmost recesses of the cave.David's servants said to him, "This is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'I will deliver your enemy into your grasp; do with him as you see fit.'"So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul's mantle.Afterward, however, David regretted that he had cut off an end of Saul's mantle.He said to his men,"The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, as to lay a hand on him, for he is the LORD's anointed."With these words David restrained his men and would not permit them to attack Saul.Saul then left the cave and went on his way.David also stepped out of the cave, calling to Saul, "My lord the king!"When Saul looked back, David bowed to the ground in homage and asked Saul:"Why do you listen to those who say, 'David is trying to harm you'?You see for yourself today that the LORD just now delivered you into my grasp in the cave.I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead.I decided, 'I will not raise a hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed and a father to me.'Look here at this end of your mantle which I hold.Since I cut off an end of your mantle and did not kill you, see and be convinced that I plan no harm and no rebellion.I have done you no wrong, though you are hunting me down to take my life.The LORD will judge between me and you, and the LORD will exact justice from you in my case.I shall not touch you.The old proverb says, 'From the wicked comes forth wickedness.'So I will take no action against you.Against whom are you on campaign, O king of Israel?Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, or a single flea!The LORD will be the judge; he will decide between me and you.May he see this, and take my part,and grant me justice beyond your reach!"When David finished saying these things to Saul, Saul answered, "Is that your voice, my son David?"And Saul wept aloud.Saul then said to David: "You are in the right rather than I; you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm.Great is the generosity you showed me today, when the LORD delivered me into your graspand you did not kill me.For if a man meets his enemy, does he send him away unharmed?May the LORD reward you generously for what you have done this day.And now, I know that you shall surely be king and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession." 

R. (2a) Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.Have mercy on me, O God; have mercy on me,for in you I take refuge.In the shadow of your wings I take refuge,till harm pass by.R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.I call to God the Most High,to God, my benefactor.May he send from heaven and save me;may he make those a reproach who trample upon me;may God send his mercy and his faithfulness.R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.Be exalted above the heavens, O God;above all the earth be your glory!For your mercy towers to the heavens,and your faithfulness to the skies.R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy. 

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

Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,that they might be with himand he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons:He appointed the Twelve:Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder;Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.