18th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Date: July 31, 2016

First Reading (Ecclesiastes 1:2 and 2: 21–23)
A reading from the book of Ecclesiastes.
All is meaningless — says the Teacher — meaningless, meaningless! For here was a man who toiled in all wisdom, knowledge and skill and he must leave all to someone who has not worked for it. This is meaningless and a great misfortune. For what profit is there for a man in all his work and heart-searching under the sun? All his days bring sorrow, his work grief; he has not, moreover, peaceful rest at night: that too is meaningless.

Second Reading (Colossians 3: 1–5 and 9–11)
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians.
Brothers and sisters: So then, if you are risen with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things that are above, not on earthly things. For you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, reveals himself, you also will be revealed with him in Glory. Therefore, put to death what is earthly in your life, that is immorality, impurity, inordinate passions, wicked desires and greed which is a way of worshiping idols. Do not lie to one another. You have been stripped of the old self and its way of thinking to put on the new, which is being renewed and is to reach perfect knowledge and the likeness of its creator. There, there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, circumcised and uncircumcised. There are no strangers, barbarians, slave and free, but Christ is all and is in all.

Gospel (Luke 12: 13–21)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
Someone in the crowd spoke to Jesus, "Master, tell my brother to share with me the family inheritance." Jesus replied, "My friend, who has appointed me as your judge and attorney?" Then Jesus stated to the people, "Be on your guard and avoid every kind of greed, for even though you have many possessions, it is not that which gives you life." And Jesus continued with this story, "There was a rich man and his land had produced a good harvest. He thought: 'What shall I do? For I am short of room to store my harvest.' So this is what he planned: 'I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones to store all this grain, which is my wealth. Then I may say to myself: My friend, you have a lot of good things put by for many years. Rest, eat, drink and enjoy yourself.' But God stated to him: "You fool. This very night your life will be taken from you; tell me, who shall get all you have put aside?" This is the lot of the one who stores up riches instead of amassing for God."

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Date: July 24, 2016

First Reading (Genesis 18: 20–33)
A reading from the book of Genesis.
Then the Lord stated, "How great is the cry for justice against Sodom and Gomorrah! And how grievous is their sin! I am going to see if they have done all that they are charged with in the outcry that has reached me. If it is not so, I will know." The men with him turned away and went towards Sodom, but the Lord remained standing before Abraham. Abraham went forward and stated, "Will you really let the just perish with the wicked? Perhaps there are fifty good people in the town. Are you really going to let them perish? Would you not spare the place for the sake of these fifty righteous people? It would not be at all like you to do such a thing and you cannot let the good perish with the wicked, nor treat the good and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the judge of all the earth be just?" Then the Lord stated, "If I find fifty good people in Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake." Abraham spoke up again, "I know that I am very bold to speak like this to my Lord, I who am only dust and ashes! But perhaps the number of the good is five less than fifty. Will you destroy the town because of five?" The Lord replied, "I will not destroy the town if I find forty-five good people there." Again Abraham stated to the Lord, "Perhaps there will be only forty." The Lord answered, "For the sake of forty, I will not do it." Abraham continued, stating, "May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. Maybe only thirty good people will be found in the town." The Lord answered, "I will not destroy it if I find thirty there." Abraham stated, "Now that I have been so bold as to speak to my Lord, what if only twenty can be found?" He stated, "For the speak of twenty, I will not destroy the place." But Abraham insisted, "May my Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found?" And the Lord answered, "For the sake of ten good people, I will not destroy Sodom." When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham went home.

Second Reading (Colossians 2: 12–14)
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians.
Brothers and sisters: I refer to baptism. On receiving it you were buried with Christ; and you also rose with him for having believed in the power of God who raised him from the dead. You were dead. You were in sin and uncircumcised at the same time. But God gave you life with Christ. He forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of our debts, those regulations which accused us. He did away with all that and nailed it to the cross.

Gospel (Luke 11: 1–13)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
One day Jesus was praying in a certain place and when he had finished, one of his disciples stated to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." And Jesus stated to them, "When you pray, say this: 'Father, hallowed be your name, may your kingdom come, give us each day the kind of bread we need, and forgive us our sins, for we also forgive all who do us wrong, and do not bring us to the test.'" Jesus added, stating this to his disciples, "Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to his house in the middle of the night and says: 'Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine who is traveling has just arrived and I have nothing to offer him.' Maybe your friend will answer from inside: 'Do not bother me now; the door is locked and my children and I are in bed, so I cannot get up and give you anything.' But I tell you, even though he will not get up and attend to you because you are a friend, yet he will get up because you are a bother to him, and he will give you all you need. And so I say to you, 'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For the one who asks, receives; and the one who searches, finds; and to him who knocks the door will be opened. If your child asks for a fish, will you give a snake instead? And if your child asks for an egg, will you give a scorpion? Even you evil people know how to give good gifts to your children; then how much more will the Father in heaven give holy spirit to those who ask him?"

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Date: July 17, 2016

First Reading (Genesis 18: 1–10a)
A reading from the book of Genesis.
The Lord appeared to Abraham near the oak of Mamre. Abraham was sitting at the entrance to his tent, in the heat of the day, when he looked up and saw three man standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them. He bowed to the ground and stated, "My Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought. Wash your feet and then rest under the trees. I shall fetch some bread so that you can be refreshed and continue on your way, since you have come to your servant." They then stated, "Do as you say." Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and stated to her, "Quick, take three measures of flour, knead it and make cakes." Abraham then ran to the herd, took a fine tender calf, gave it to the servant who hurried to prepare it. He took butter and milk and together with the calf he had prepared, and laid it all before them. And while he remained standing, they ate. They then asked, "Where is Sarah, your wife?" Abraham answered, "She is in the tent." And the visitor stated, "At this same time next year I will return and Sarah by then will have a son."

Second Reading (Colossians 1: 24–28)
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians.
Brothers and sisters: At present I rejoice when I suffer for you; I complete in my own flesh what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of his body, which is the Church. For I am serving the Church since God entrusted to me the ministry of bringing into effect his design for you. I mean that mysterious plan that for centuries and generations remained secret, and which God has now revealed to his holy ones. God willed to make known to them the riches and even the Glory that his mysterious plan reserved for the pagan nations: Christ is in your and you may hope God's Glory. This is Christ we preach. We warn and teach everyone true wisdom, aiming to make everyone perfect in Christ.

Gospel (Luke 10: 38–42)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he entered a village and a woman called Martha welcomed him to her house. She had a sister named Mary who sat down at the Lord's feet to listen to his words. Martha, meanwhile, was busy with all the serving and finally she stated, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving?" However, the Lord answered, "Martha, Martha, you worry and are troubled about many things, whereas only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen the better part, and it will not be taken away from her."

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Date: July 10, 2016

First Reading (Deuteronomy 30: 10–14)
A reading from the book of Deuteronomy.
Moses stated this to the people: "You shall turn to the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul, and observe his commandments and norms, in a word, everything written in his book of the Law. These commandments that I give you today are neither too high nor too far for you. They are not in heaven that you should say: 'Who will go up to heaven to get these commandments, so that we may hear them and put them into practice?' Neither are they at the other side of the sea for you to say: 'Who will cross to the other side and bring them to us, so that we may hear them and put them into practice?' On the contrary, my word is very near you; it is already in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can put it into practice."

Second Reading (Colossians 1: 15–20)
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians.
He is the image of the unseen God, and for all creation he is the first-born, for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible: thrones, rulers, authorities, powers... All was made through him and for him. He is before all and all things hold together in him. And he is the head of the body, that is the Church, for he is the first, the first raised from the dead that he may be the first in everything, for God was pleased to let fullness dwell in him. Through him God willed to reconcile all things to himself, and through him, through his blood shed on the cross. God establishes peace, on earth as in heaven.

Gospel (Luke 10: 25–37)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
Then a teacher of the Law came and began putting Jesus to the test. And he asked, "Master, what shall I do to obtain eternal life?" Jesus replied, "What is written in the Scripture? How do you understand it?" The man answered, "It is written: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind. And you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus replied, "That is a good answer. If you do this, you shall live." The man wanted to keep appearances, so he replied, "But, who is my neighbor?" Jesus then stated this, "There was a man going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him and went off leaving him half-dead. It happened that a priest was going along that road and saw the man, but passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite saw the man and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, too, was going that way, and when he came upon the man, he was moved with compassion. He went over to him and treated his wounds with oil and wine and wrapped them with bandages. Then he put him on his own mount and brought him to an inn where he took care of him. The next day he had to set off, but he gave two silver coins to the innkeeper and told him: 'Take care of him and whatever you spend on him, I will repay when I come back.'" Jesus then asked, "Which of these three, do you think, made himself neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?" The teacher of the Law answered, "The one who had mercy on him." And Jesus replied, "Go then, and do the same."

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Date: July 3, 2016

First Reading (Isaiah 66: 10–14c)
A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah.
Thus states the Lord: "Rejoice for Jerusalem and be glad for her, all you who love her. Be glad with her, rejoice with her, all you who were in grief over her, that you may suck of the milk from her comforting breasts, that you may drink deeply from the abundance of her glory." For this is what the Lord states: "I will send her peace, overflowing like a river; and the nations' wealth, rushing like a torrent towards her. And you will be nursed and carried in her arms and fondled upon her lap. As a son comforted by his mother, so will I comfort you. At the sight of this, your heart will rejoice; like grass, your bones will flourish. For it shall be known that the Lord's hand is with his servant."

Second Reading (Galatians 6: 14–18)
A reading from the letter of Saint Paul to the Galatians.
Brothers and sisters: For me, I do not wish to take pride in anything except in the cross of Christ Jesus our Lord. Through him the world has been crucified to me and I to the world. Let us no longer speak of the circumcised and of non-Jews, but of a new creation. Let those who live according to this rule receive peace and mercy: they are the Israel of God. Let no one trouble me any longer: for my part, I bear in my body the marks of Jesus. May the grace of Christ Jesus our Lord be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Gospel (Luke 10: 1–12 and 17–20)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke.
At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place, where he himself was to go. And he stated to them, "The harvest is rich, but the workers are few. So you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to his harvest. Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know. Whatever house you enter, first bless them stating: 'Peace to this house.' If a friend of peace lives there, the peace shall rest upon that person. But if not, the blessing will return to you. Stay in that house eating and drinking at their table, for the worker deserves to be paid. Do not move from house to house. When they welcome you in any town, eat what they offer you. Heal the sick who are there and say to them: 'The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.' But in any town where you are not welcome, go to the marketplace and proclaim: 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off and leave with you. But know and be sure that the kingdom of God had come to you.' I tell you that on the Judgment Day it will be better for Sodom than for this town." Then the seventy-two disciples returned full of joy. They exclaimed, "Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we called on your name." Then Jesus replied, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. You see, I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy, so that nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the evil spirits submit to you; rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven."