Saints
Daily Readings:
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First Reading
1 Thessalonians 1:1-5, 8-10
1Paul, Silva'nus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalo'nians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. 2We give thanks to God always for you all, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4For we know, brethren beloved by God, that he has chosen you; 5for our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 8For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedo'nia and Acha'ia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, 10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. -
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 149:1-6, 9
1Praise the LORD! Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful! 2Let Israel be glad in his Maker, let the sons of Zion rejoice in their King! 3Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with timbrel and lyre! 4For the LORD takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory. 5Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their couches. 6Let the high praises of God be in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands, 9to execute on them the judgment written! This is glory for all his faithful ones. Praise the LORD! -
Gospel
Matthew 23:13-22
13"But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. 15Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. 16"Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' 17You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18And you say, `If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' 19You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; 21and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; 22and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.
