Readings for Thursday 13th Week in Ordinary Time

Year 1

First Reading
Am 7:10-17

Go. prophesy to my people Israel.

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Amos

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam,
   king of Israel:
   “Amos has conspired against you here within Israel;
   the country cannot endure all his words.
For this is what Amos says:
   Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
   and Israel shall surely be exiled from its land.”
 
To Amos, Amaziah said:
   “Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!
There earn your bread by prophesying,
   but never again prophesy in Bethel;
   for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.”
Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet,
   nor have I belonged to a company of prophets;
   I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores.
The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,
   ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
Now hear the word of the LORD!”
 
   You say: prophesy not against Israel,
      preach not against the house of Isaac.
         Now thus says the LORD:
   Your wife shall be made a harlot in the city,
      and your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword;
   Your land shall be divided by measuring line,
      and you yourself shall die in an unclean land;
         Israel shall be exiled far from its land.


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 11

R. :

R. (10cd) The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

The law of the LORD is perfect,
   refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
   giving wisdom to the simple.

R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

The precepts of the LORD are right,
   rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
   enlightening the eye.

R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

The fear of the LORD is pure,
   enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
   all of them just.

R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

They are more precious than gold,
   than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
   or honey from the comb.

R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

Year 2

First Reading
Gn 22:1b-19

The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith.

A reading from the Book of Genesis

God put Abraham to the test.
He called to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love,
   and go to the land of Moriah.
There you shall offer him up as a burnt offering
   on a height that I will point out to you.”
Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey,
   took with him his son Isaac, and two of his servants as well,
   and with the wood that he had cut for the burnt offering,
   set out for the place of which God had told him.

On the third day Abraham got sight of the place from afar.
Then he said to his servants: “Both of you stay here with the donkey,
   while the boy and I go on over yonder.
We will worship and then come back to you.”
Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering
   and laid it on his son Isaac’s shoulders,
   while he himself carried the fire and the knife.
As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham:
   “Father!” he said.
“Yes, son,” he replied.
Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood,
   but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?”
“Son,” Abraham answered,
   “God himself will provide the sheep for the burnt offering.”
Then the two continued going forward.

When they came to the place of which God had told him,
   Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it.
Next he tied up his son Isaac,
   and put him on top of the wood on the altar.
Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven,
   “Abraham, Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he answered.
“Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger.
“Do not do the least thing to him.
I know now how devoted you are to God,
   since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”
As Abraham looked about,
   he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket.
So he went and took the ram
   and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son.
Abraham named the site Yahweh-yireh;
   hence people now say, “On the mountain the LORD will see.”
Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said:
   “I swear by myself, declares the LORD,
   that because you acted as you did
   in not withholding from me your beloved son,
   I will bless you abundantly
   and make your descendants as countless
   as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore;
   your descendants shall take possession
   of the gates of their enemies,
   and in your descendants all the nations of the earth
   shall find blessing—all this because you obeyed my command.”

Abraham then returned to his servants,
   and they set out together for Beer-sheba,
   where Abraham made his home.


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 115:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

R. :

R. (9) I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
  or:
R. Alleluia.

Not to us, O LORD, not to us
   but to your name give glory
   because of your kindness, because of your truth.
Why should the pagans say,
   “Where is their God?”

R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
  or:
R. Alleluia.

Our God is in heaven;
   whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
   the handiwork of men.

R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
  or:
R. Alleluia.

They have mouths but speak not;
   they have eyes but see not;
They have ears but hear not;
   they have noses but smell not.

R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
  or:
R. Alleluia.

Their makers shall be like them,
   everyone who trusts in them.
The house of Israel trusts in the LORD;
   he is their help and their shield.

R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
  or:
R. Alleluia.


Gospel Acclamation
2 Cor 5:19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel
Mt 9:1-8

They glorified God who had given such authority to men.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town.
And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
   “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”
At that, some of the scribes said to themselves,
   “This man is blaspheming.”
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said,
   “Why do you harbor evil thoughts?
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
   or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man
   has authority on earth to forgive sins”—
   he then said to the paralytic,
   “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
He rose and went home.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe
   and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims:

The Gospel of the Lord.

All reply:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Then he kisses the book, saying quietly:

Through the words of the Gospel
may our sins be wiped away.


Homilies / Gospel Reflections





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