Readings

Proper readings

First Reading
Nm 21:4b–9

Whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

A reading from the Book of Numbers

With their patience worn out by the journey,
   the people complained against God and Moses,
“Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert,
   where there is no food or water?
We are disgusted with this wretched food!”

In punishment the Lord sent among the people saraph serpents,
   which bit the people so that many of them died.
Then the people came to Moses and said,
   “We have sinned in complaining against the Lord and you.
Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us.”
So Moses prayed for the people, and the Lord said to Moses,
   “Make a saraph and mount it on a pole,
   and if any who have been bitten look at it, they will live.”
Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole,
   and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent
   looked at the bronze serpent, he lived.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38

R. :

℟. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Hearken, my people, to my teaching;
   incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable,
   I will utter mysteries from of old.

℟. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

While he slew them they sought him
   and inquired after God again,
Remembering that God was their rock
   and the Most High God, their redeemer.

℟. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

But they flattered him with their mouths
   and lied to him with their tongues,
Though their hearts were not steadfast toward him,
   nor were they faithful to his covenant.

℟. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

But he, being merciful, forgave their sin
   and destroyed them not;
Often he turned back his anger
   and let none of his wrath be roused.

℟. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Second Reading
Phil 2:6–11

He humbled himself; because of this God greatly exalted him.

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians

Brothers and sisters:
Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
   did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself,
   taking the form of a slave,
   coming in human likeness;
   and found human in appearance,
   he humbled himself,
   becoming obedient to death,
   even death on a cross.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
   and bestowed on him the name
   that is above every name,
   that at the name of Jesus
   every knee should bend,
   of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
   and every tongue confess that
   Jesus Christ is Lord,
   to the glory of God the Father.

The word of the Lord.

Acclamation before the Gospel

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you,
because by your Cross you have redeemed the world.

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Jn 3:13–17

So the Son of Man must be lifted up.

✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

Jesus said to Nicodemus:
“No one has gone up to heaven
   except the one who has come down from heaven, the Son of Man.
And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert,
   so must the Son of Man be lifted up,
   so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son,
   so that everyone who believes in him might not perish
   but might have eternal life.
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
   but that the world might be saved through him.

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.

Weekday readings

First Reading
1 Cor 11:17-26, 33

If there are divisions among you, then you do not eat the Lord’s supper.

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

Brothers and sisters:
In giving this instruction, I do not praise the fact
   that your meetings are doing more harm than good.
First of all, I hear that when you meet as a Church
   there are divisions among you,
   and to a degree I believe it;
   there have to be factions among you
   in order that also those who are approved among you
   may become known.
When you meet in one place, then,
   it is not to eat the Lord’s supper,
   for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own supper,
   and one goes hungry while another gets drunk.
Do you not have houses in which you can eat and drink?
Or do you show contempt for the Church of God
   and make those who have nothing feel ashamed?
What can I say to you? Shall I praise you?
In this matter I do not praise you.

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,
   that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,
   took bread and, after he had given thanks,
   broke it and said, “This is my Body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,
   “This cup is the new covenant in my Blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
   you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.

Therefore, my brothers and sisters,
   when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17

R. :

℟. (1 Cor 11:26b) Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
   but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin‑offerings you sought not;
   then said I, “Behold I come.”

℟. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
   and your law is within my heart!”

℟. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
   I did not restrain my lips, as you, O Lord, know.

℟. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

May all who seek you
   exult and be glad in you
And may those who love your salvation
   say ever, “The LORD be glorified.”

℟. Proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes again.

Acclamation before the Gospel
Jn 3:16

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son,
so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.

℟. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel
Lk 7:1-10

Not even in Israel have I found such faith.

✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

When Jesus had finished all his words to the people,
   he entered Capernaum.
A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die,
   and he was valuable to him.
When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him,
   asking him to come and save the life of his slave.
They approached Jesus and strongly urged him to come, saying,
   “He deserves to have you do this for him,
   for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.”
And Jesus went with them,
   but when he was only a short distance from the house,
   the centurion sent friends to tell him,
   “Lord, do not trouble yourself,
   for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof.
Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you;
   but say the word and let my servant be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
   with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;
   and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes;
   and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him
   and, turning, said to the crowd following him,
   “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.”
When the messengers returned to the house,
   they found the slave in good health.

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.