Mass Readings - Sunday, 16th February 2020

FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Ecclesiasticus    15:15-20
He never commanded anyone to be godless

If you wish, you can keep the commandments,
to behave faithfully is within your power.
He has set fire and water before you;
put out your hand to whichever you prefer.
Man has life and death before him;
whichever a man likes better will be given him.
For vast is the wisdom of the Lord;
he is almighty and all-seeing.
His eyes are on those who fear him,
he notes every action of man.
He never commanded anyone to be godless,
he has given no one permission to sin.

The Word of the Lord


Responsorial Psalm    Ps 118
Response: They are happy who follow God’s law!

1. They are happy whose life is blameless,
who follow God’s law!
They are happy those who do his will,
seeking him with all their hearts.

2. You have laid down your precepts
to be obeyed with care.
May my footsteps be firm
to obey your statutes.

3. Bless your servant and I shall live
and obey your word.
Open my eyes that I may consider
the wonders of your law.

4. Teach me the demands of your statutes
and I will keep them to the end.
Train me to observe your law,
to keep it with my heart.



SECOND READING
A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Corinthians    2:6-10
God predestined to be for our glory before the ages began.

We have a wisdom to offer those who have reached maturity: not a
philosophy of our age, it is true, still less of the masters of our age,
which are coming to their end. The hidden wisdom of God which we
teach in our mysteries is the wisdom that God predestined to be for
our glory before the ages began. lt is a wisdom that none of the
masters of this age have ever known, or they would not have
crucified the Lord of Glory; we teach what scripture calls: the things
that no eye has seen and no ear has heard, things beyond the mind
of man, all that God has prepared for those who love him.
These are the very things that God has revealed to us through the
Spirit, for the Spirit reaches the depths of everything, even the depths
of God.

The Word of the Lord 


Gospel Acclamation    1 Sam 3:9
Alleluia, alleluia!
Speak, Lord, your servant is listening:
you have the message of eternal life.
Alleluia!

or    Mt 11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children.
Alleluia! 



GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew    5:17-37
You have learnt how it was said to your ancestors; but I say this to you.

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Do not imagine that I have come to
abolish the Law or the Prophets. I have come not to abolish them
but to complete them. I tell you solemnly, till heaven and earth
disappear, not one dot, one little stroke, shall disappear from the
Law until its purpose is achieved. Therefore, the man who infringes
even one of the least of these commandments and teaches others
to do the same will be considered the least in the kingdom of
heaven; but the man who keeps them and teaches them will be
considered great in the kingdom of heaven.

‘For I tell you, if your virtue goes no deeper than that of the scribes
and Pharisees, you will never get into the kingdom of heaven.
‘You have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must not kill;
and if anyone does kill he must answer for it before the court. But I
say this to you: anyone who is angry with his brother will answer for it
before the court; if a man calls his brother “Fool” he will answer for it
before the Sanhedrin; and if a man calls him “Renegade” he will
answer for it in hell fire. So then, if you are bringing your offering to
the altar and there remember that your brother has something
against you, leave your offering there before the altar, go and be
reconciled with your brother first, and then come back and present
your offering. Come to terms with your opponent in good time while
you are still on the way to the court with him, or he may hand you
over to the judge and the judge to the officer, and you will be
thrown into prison. I tell you solemnly, you will not get out till you have
paid the last penny.

‘You have learnt how it was said: You must not commit adultery. But I
say this to you: if a man looks at a woman lustfully, he has already
committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye should
cause you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; for it will do you less
harm to lose one part of you than to have your whole body thrown
into hell. And if your right hand should cause you to sin, cut it off and
throw it away; for it will do you less harm to lose one part of you than
to have your whole body go to hell.

‘It has also been said: Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a
writ of dismissal. But I say this to you: everyone who divorces his wife,
except for the case of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and
anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

‘Again, you have learnt how it was said to our ancestors: You must
not break your oath, but must fulfill your oaths to the Lord. But I say
this to you: do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God’s
throne; or by the earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem,
since that is the city of the great king. Do not swear by your own
head either, since you cannot turn a single hair white or black. All
you need say is “Yes” if you mean yes, “No” if you mean no;
anything more than this comes from the evil one.’

The Gospel of the Lord