Mass Reading - Sunday, 20th October 2019

FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Exodus   17:8-13
As long as Moses kept his arms raised, Israel had the advantage

The Amalekites came and attacked Israel at Rephidim. Moses said
to Joshua, ‘Pick out men for yourself, and tomorrow morning march
out to engage Amalek. I, meanwhile, will stand on the hilltop, the
staff of God in my hand.’ Joshua did as Moses told him and
marched out to engage Amalek, while Moses and Aaron and Hur
went up to the top of the hill. As long as Moses kept his arms raised,
Israel had the advantage; when he let his arms fall, the advantage
went to Amalek. But Moses’ arms grew heavy, so they took a stone
and put it under him and on this he sat, Aaron and Hur supporting
his arms, one on one side, one on the other; and his arms remained
firm till sunset. With the edge of the sword Joshua cut down Amalek
and his people.

The Word of the Lord.


Responsorial Psalm    Ps 120
Response: Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven

and earth.

1. I lift up my eyes to the mountains:
from where shall come my help?
My help shall come from the Lord
who made heaven and earth. Response

2. May he never allow you to stumble!
Let him sleep not, your guard.
No, he sleeps not nor slumbers,
Israel’s guard. Response

3. The Lord is your guard and your shade;
at your right side he stands.
By day the sun shall not smite you
nor the moon in the night. Response

4. The Lord will guard you from evil,
he will guard your soul.
The Lord will guard your going and coming

both now and for ever.  Response



SECOND READING
A reading from the second letter of St Paul to Timothy    3:14-4:2
The man who is dedicated to God becomes fully equipped and ready for any
good work.

You must keep to what you have been taught and know to be
true; remember who your teachers were, and how, ever since you
were a child, you have known the holy scriptures – from these you
can learn the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith in Christ
Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and can profitably be used for
teaching, for refuting error, for guiding people’s lives and teaching
them to be holy. This is how the man who is dedicated to God
becomes fully equipped and ready for any good work.
Before God and before Christ Jesus who is to be judge of the living
and the dead, I put this duty to you, in the name of his Appearing
and of his kingdom: proclaim the message and, welcome or
unwelcome, insist on it. Refute falsehood, correct error, call to
obedience – but do all with patience and with the intention of
teaching.

The Word of the Lord


Gospel Acclamation   Eph   1: 17

Alleluia, alleluia!
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our
mind, so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.
Alleluia!

Or 1Heb   4: 12

Alleluia, alleluia!
The word of God is something alive and active,
it can judge secret emotions and thoughts.
Alleluia!


GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke 18:1-8
God sees justice done to his chosen who cry to him.

Jesus told his disciples a parable about the need to pray
continually and never lose heart. ‘There was a judge in a certain
town’ he said ‘who had neither fear of God nor respect for man. In
the same town there was a widow who kept on coming to him and
saying, “I want justice from you against my enemy!” For a long time
he refused, but at last he said to himself, “Maybe I have neither fear
of God nor respect for man, but since she keeps pestering me I
must give this widow her just rights, or she will persist in coming and
worry me to death”.’
And the Lord said ‘You notice what the unjust judge has to say?
Now will not God see justice done to his chosen who cry to him day
and night even when he delays to help them? I promise you, he will
see justice done to them, and done speedily. But when the Son of
Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?’

The Gospel of the Lord