Readings

First Reading
Jer 28:1-17

The LORD has not sent you, and you have raised false confidence in this people.

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah

In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah,
   in the fifth month of the fourth year,
   the prophet Hananiah, son of Azzur, from Gibeon,
   said to me in the house of the LORD
   in the presence of the priests and all the people:
   “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
   ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Within two years I will restore to this place
   all the vessels of the temple of the LORD which Nebuchadnezzar,
   king of Babylon, took away from this place to Babylon.
And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah,
   son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
   and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the LORD,
   ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”

The prophet Jeremiah answered the prophet Hananiah
   in the presence of the priests and all the people assembled
   in the house of the LORD, and said:
   Amen! thus may the LORD do!
May he fulfill the things you have prophesied
   by bringing the vessels of the house of the LORD
   and all the exiles back from Babylon to this place!
But now, listen to what I am about to state in your hearing
   and the hearing of all the people.
From of old, the prophets who were before you and me prophesied
   war, woe, and pestilence against many lands and mighty kingdoms.
But the prophet who prophesies peace
   is recognized as truly sent by the LORD
   only when his prophetic prediction is fulfilled.

Thereupon the prophet Hananiah took the yoke
   from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it,
   and said in the presence of all the people:
   “Thus says the LORD:  ‘Even so, within two years
   I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
   from off the neck of all the nations.’”
At that, the prophet Jeremiah went away.

Some time after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke
   from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah,
The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:
   Go tell Hananiah this:
   Thus says the LORD:
   By breaking a wooden yoke, you forge an iron yoke!
For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
   A yoke of iron I will place on the necks
   of all these nations serving Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
   and they shall serve him; even the beasts of the field I give him.

To the prophet Hananiah the prophet Jeremiah said:
   Hear this, Hananiah!
The LORD has not sent you,
   and you have raised false confidence in this people.
For this, says the LORD, I will dispatch you from the face of the earth;
   this very year you shall die,
   because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.
That same year, in the seventh month, Hananiah the prophet died.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 119:29, 43, 79, 80, 95, 102

R. :

℟. (68b) Lord, teach me your statutes.

Remove from me the way of falsehood,
   and favor me with your law.

℟. Lord, teach me your statutes.

Take not the word of truth from my mouth,
   for in your ordinances is my hope.

℟. Lord, teach me your statutes.

Let those turn to me who fear you
   and acknowledge your decrees.

℟. Lord, teach me your statutes.

Let my heart be perfect in your statutes,
   that I be not put to shame.

℟. Lord, teach me your statutes.

Sinners wait to destroy me,
   but I pay heed to your decrees.

℟. Lord, teach me your statutes.

From your ordinances I turn not away,
   for you have instructed me.

℟. Lord, teach me your statutes.

Acclamation before the Gospel
Jn 1:49b

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel.

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Mt 14:13-21

Looking up to heaven, he said the blessing and gave the loaves to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds.

✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
   he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
   his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
   “This is a deserted place and it is already late;
   dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
   and buy food for themselves.”
He said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
   give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
   “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me,”
   and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
   he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
   and gave them to the disciples,
   who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
   and they picked up the fragments left over—
   twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
   not counting women and children.

In Year A, the following is read:

Mt 14:22-36
Command me to come to you on the water.

✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
  and precede him to the other side of the sea,
  while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
   was being tossed about by the waves,
   for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
   he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
   ”Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
   and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
   and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
   ”Truly, you are the Son of God.”

After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him,
   they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought to him all those who were sick
   and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak,
   and as many as touched it were healed.

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.