Mass Readings - Sunday, 01st September 2019

FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Ecclesiasticus     3:17-20. 28-29
Behave humbly, and then you will find favour with the Lord.

My son, be gentle in carrying out your business,
and you will be better loved than a lavish giver.
The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly,
and then you will find favour with the Lord;
for great though the power of the Lord is,
he accepts the homage of the humble.
There is no cure for the proud man’s malady,
since an evil growth has taken root in him.
The heart of a sensible man will reflect on parables,
an attentive ear is the sage’s dream.


The Word of the Lord


Responsorial Psalm      Ps 67

Response:    In your goodness, O God, you prepared a home for the poor.

1. The just shall rejoice at the presence of God,
they shall exult and dance for joy.
O sing to the Lord, make music to his name;
rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence. Response

2. Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,
such is God in his holy place.
God gives the lonely a home to live in;
he leads the prisoners forth into freedom. Response

3. You poured down, O God, a generous rain:
when your people were starved you gave them new life.
It was there that your people found a home,

prepared in your goodness, O God, for the poor. Response



SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Hebrews    12:18-19. 22-24
You have to come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God

What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing fire, or
a gloom turning to total darkness, or a storm; or trumpeting thunder or the
great voice speaking which made everyone that heard it beg that no more
should be said to them. But what you have come to is Mount Zion and the
city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem where the millions of angels
have gathered for the festival, with the whole Church in which everyone is a
‘first-born son’ and a citizen of heaven. You have come to God himself, the
supreme Judge, and been placed with spirits of the saints who have been
made perfect; and to Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant.


The Word of the Lord



Gospel Acclamation     Jn 14: 23

Alleluia, alleluia!
If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him,
and we shall come to him.
Alleluia!

Or Mt 11: 27

Alleluia, alleluia!
Shoulder my yoke and learn from me,
for I am gentle and humble in heart.

Alleluia!



GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke      14:1. 7-14
Everyone who exalts oneself will be humbled, and the one who humbles
oneself will be exalted.

Now on a sabbath day he had gone for a meal to the house of one of the
leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the guests a
parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places of honour.
He said this, ‘When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take
your seat in the place of honour. A more distinguished person than you may
have been invited, and the person who invited you both may come and
say, “Give up your place to this man”. And then, to your embarrassment,
you would have to go and take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest,
make your way to the lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host
comes, he may say, “My friend, move up higher”. In that way, everyone with
you at the table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will
be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.’
Then he said to his host, ‘When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not ask your
friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they repay your
courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a party, invite the
poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they cannot pay you back
means that you are fortunate, because repayment will be made to you
when the virtuous rise again.’


The Gospel of the Lord