Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: A(II).

First reading
1 Kings 21:17-29

‘You have made Israel to sin.’

After the death of Naboth, the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘Arise, go down to meet Ahab, king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. And you shall say to him, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Have you killed and also taken possession?’ ” And you shall say to him, “Thus says the Lord: ‘In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood.’ ” ’

Ahab said to Elijah, ‘Have you found me, O my enemy?’ He answered, ‘I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord. Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin. And of Jezebel the Lord also said, “The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.” Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat.’ There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited. He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord cast out before the people of Israel.

And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went about dejectedly. And the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster upon his house.’

How to listen

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 51(50):3-4. 5-6b. 11, 16. ℟ cf. 3a

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your merciful love;

according to your great compassion,

blot out my transgressions.

Wash me completely from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

My transgressions, truly I know them;

my sin is always before me.

Against you, you alone, have I sinned;

what is evil in your sight I have done.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Turn away your face from my sins,

and blot out all my guilt.

Rescue me from bloodshed, O God,

O God of my salvation,

and then my tongue shall ring out your justice.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Gospel Acclamation	John 13:34

Alleluia, alleluia.

A new commandment I give to you, says the Lord,

that you love one another, just as I have loved you.

Alleluia.

Gospel	Matthew 5:43-48

‘You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is.’

At that time: Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.’

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Christian Art

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The readings on this page are from the English Standard Version, which is used at Mass in Great Britain. The Jerusalem Bible (which is used at Mass in much of the English-speaking world) will appear instead if you set this page to use a calendar from outside Great Britain. The New American Bible readings, which are used at Mass in the United States, are available in the Universalis apps, programs and downloads.