Readings

First Reading
Gn 15:1-12, 17-18

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness (Romans 4:3b), and the Lord made a covenant with him.

A reading from the Book of Genesis

The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:

   “Fear not, Abram!
      I am your shield;
      I will make your reward very great.”

But Abram said,
   “O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be,
   if I keep on being childless
   and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?”
Abram continued,
   “See, you have given me no offspring,
   and so one of my servants will be my heir.”
Then the word of the LORD came to him:
   “No, that one shall not be your heir;
   your own issue shall be your heir.”
He took him outside and said:
   “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
   who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.

He then said to him,
   “I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans
   to give you this land as a possession.”
“O Lord GOD,” he asked,
   “how am I to know that I shall possess it?”
He answered him,
   “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat,
   a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.”
Abram brought him all these, split them in two,
   and placed each half opposite the other;
   but the birds he did not cut up.
Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses,
   but Abram stayed with them.
As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram,
   and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.

When the sun had set and it was dark,
   there appeared a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch,
   which passed between those pieces.
It was on that occasion that the LORD made a covenant with Abram,
   saying: “To your descendants I give this land,
   from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River the Euphrates.”

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9

R. :

℟. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
  or:
℟. Alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
   make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
   proclaim all his wondrous deeds.

℟. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
  or:
℟. Alleluia.

Glory in his holy name;
   rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
   seek to serve him constantly.

℟. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
  or:
℟. Alleluia.

You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
   sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
   throughout the earth his judgments prevail.

℟. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
  or:
℟. Alleluia.

He remembers forever his covenant
   which he made binding for a thousand generations—
Which he entered into with Abraham
   and by his oath to Isaac.

℟. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
  or:
℟. Alleluia.

Acclamation before the Gospel
Jn 15:42, 5b

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord;
whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mt 7:15-20

By their fruits you shall know them.

✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,
   but underneath are ravenous wolves.
By their fruits you will know them.
Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Just so, every good tree bears good fruit,
   and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit,
   nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down
   and thrown into the fire.
So by their fruits you will know them.”

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.