Mass Readings - Sunday, 14th July 2019

FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy 30: 10-14
The Word is very near to you for your observance.

Moses said to the people: ‘Obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping
those commandments and laws of his that are written in the Book of this
Law, and if you return to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.

‘For this Law that I enjoin on you today is not beyond your strength or
beyond your reach. It is not in heaven, so that you need to wonder, “Who
will go up to heaven for us and bring it down to us, so that we may hear it
and keep it?” Nor is it beyond the seas, so that you need to wonder, “Who
will cross the seas for us and bring it back to us, so that we may hear it and
keep it?” No, the Word is very near to you, it is in your mouth and in your
heart for your observance.’

The word of the Lord.


Responsorial Psalm     Ps 68

Response : Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive.

1. This is my prayer to you,
my prayer for your favour.
In your great love, answer me, O God,
with your help that never fails:
Lord, answer, for your love is kind;
in your compassion, turn towards me.                                       Response

2. As for me in my poverty and pain
let your help, O God, lift me up.
I will praise God’s name with a song;
I will glorify him with thanksgiving.                                          Response

3. The poor when they see it will be glad
and God-seeking hearts will revive;
for the Lord listens to the needy
and does not spurn his servants in their chains.                           Response

4. For God will bring help to Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
The sons of his servants shall inherit it;
those who love his name shall dwell there.                                  Response



SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians 1: 15-20
All things were created through Christ and for him.

Christ Jesus is the image of the unseen God
and the first-born of all creation,
for in him were created
all things in heaven and on earth:
everything visible and everything invisible,
Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers –
all things were created through him and for him.
Before anything was created, he existed,
and he holds all things in unity.
Now the Church is his body, he is its head
As he is the Beginning,
he was first to be born from the dead,
so that he should be first in every way;
because God wanted all perfection
to be found in him
and all things to be reconciled through him and for him,
everything in heaven and everything on earth,
when he made peace
by his death on the cross..

The Word of the Lord



Gospel Acclamation     Jn 15: 15
Alleluia, alleluia!
The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice,
says the Lord,
I know them and they follow me.
Alleluia!
Or                                  Jn : 63.68
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your words are spirit and they are life:
you have the message of eternal life.
Alleluia!



GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke 10: 25-37
Who is my neighbour?

There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus, stood up and said to him,
‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ He said to him, ‘What is
written in the Law? What do you read there?’ He replied, ‘You must love the
Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength,
and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself’. ‘You have
answered right,’ said Jesus ‘do this and life is yours.’

But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, ‘And who is
my neighbour?’ Jesus replied, ‘A man was once on his way down from
Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he
had, beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest
happened to be travelling down the same road, but when he saw the man,
he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite who came to the
place saw him, and passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan traveller
who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw him. He
went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then
lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him.
Next day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. “Look
after him,” he said “and on my way back I will make good any extra expense
you have.” Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour
to the man who fell into the brigands` hands?’ ‘The one who took pity on
him’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.’

The Gospel of the Lord