Readings for Thursday 23rd Week in Ordinary Time

Year 2

First Reading
1 Cor 8:1b-7, 11-13

When you sin against your brothers, weak as they are, you are sinning against Christ.

A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians

Brothers and sisters:
Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.
If anyone supposes he knows something,
   he does not yet know as he ought to know.
But if one loves God, one is known by him.

So about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols:
   we know that there is no idol in the world,
   and that there is no God but one.
Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth
   (there are, to be sure, many “gods” and many “lords”),
   yet for us there is

      one God, the Father,
         from whom all things are and for whom we exist,
      and one Lord, Jesus Christ,
         through whom all things are and through whom we exist.

But not all have this knowledge.
There are some who have been so used to idolatry up until now
   that, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols,
   their conscience, which is weak, is defiled.

Thus, through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction,
   the brother for whom Christ died.
When you sin in this way against your brothers
   and wound their consciences, weak as they are,
   you are sinning against Christ.
Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin,
   I will never eat meat again,
   so that I may not cause my brother to sin.


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 139:1b-3, 13-14ab, 23-24

R. :

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.

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.

Probe me, O God, and know my heart;
   try me, and know my thoughts;
See if my way is crooked,
   and lead me in the way of old.

R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Year 1

First Reading
Col 3:12-17

Put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians

Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
   heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
   bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
   if one has a grievance against another;
   as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
   that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
   the peace into which you were also called in one Body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
   as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
   singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
   with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
   do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
   giving thanks to God the Father through him.


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 150:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6

R. :

R. (6) Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!

Praise the LORD in his sanctuary,
   praise him in the firmament of his strength.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
   praise him for his sovereign majesty.

R. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!

Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
   praise him with lyre and harp,
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
   praise him with strings and pipe.

R. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!

Praise him with sounding cymbals,
   praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
   praise the LORD! Alleluia.

R. Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!


Gospel Acclamation
1 Jn 4:12

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

If we love one another,
God remains in us,
and his love is brought to perfection in us.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel
Lk 6:27-38

Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

Jesus said to his disciples:
“To you who hear I say, love your enemies,
   do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,
   pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
   offer the other one as well,
   and from the person who takes your cloak,
   do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
   and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
   what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
   what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
   what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
   and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
   and lend expecting nothing back;
   then your reward will be great
   and you will be children of the Most High,
   for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
   a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
   will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
   will in return be measured out to you.”

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.

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