Mass Readings - Sunday, 21st July 2019

FIRST READING

A reading from the Book of Genesis 18: 1-10
Lord, do not pass your servant by.

The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre while he was
sitting by the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day.
He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As
soon as he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet
them and bowed to the ground. ‘My lord,’ he said ‘I beg you, if I find
favour with you kindly do not pass your servant by. A little water
shall be brought; you shall wash your feet and lie down under the
tree Let me fetch a little bread and you shall refresh yourselves
before going further. That is why you have come in your servant’s
direction.’ They replied ‘Do as you say.’

Abraham hastened to the tent to find Sarah. ‘Hurry’ he said ‘knead
three bushels of flour and make loaves.’ Then running to the cattle
Abraham took a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who
hurried to prepare it. Then taking cream, milk and the calf he had
prepared, he laid all before them, and they ate while he remained
standing near them under the tree.

‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ they asked him. ‘She is in the tent’ he
replied. Then his guest said, ‘I shall visit you again next year without
fail, and your wife will then have a son. ‘

The Word of the Lord.


Responsorial           Ps 14

Response: The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

I. Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart;
he who does not slander with his tongue.          Response

2. He who does no wrong to his brother,
who casts no slur on his neighbour,
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honours those who fear the Lord.                Response

3. He who keeps his pledge, come what may;
who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.

Such a man will stand firm for ever.                  Response



SECOND READING

A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Colossians 1: 24-28
A mystery hidden for generations has now been revealed to his saints.

It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in
my own body to do what I can to make up all that has still to be
undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church. I became
the servant of the Church when God made me responsible for
delivering God’s message to you, the message which was a mystery
hidden for generations and centuries and has now been revealed to
his saints. It was God’s purpose to reveal it to them and to show all
the rich glory of this mystery to pagans. The mystery is Christ
among you, your hope of glory: this is the Christ we proclaim, this is
the wisdom in which we thoroughly train everyone and instruct
everyone, to make them all perfect in Christ.


The Word of the Lord



Gospel Acclamation            Acts 16: 14

Alleluia, alleluia!
Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son.
Alleluia!

or Lk 8: 15. 16

Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are those who with a noble and generous heart
have heard the word and take it to themselves
and yield a harvest through their perseverance.
Alleluia!




GOSPEL

A reading from the Gospel according to Luke 10: 38-42
Martha welcomed him into her house. Mary has chosen the better
part.

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him
into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the
Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was
distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my
sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to
help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you
worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed
only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be
taken from her.’


The Gospel of the Lord