DR Squared: Solemnity Of The Assumption Of The Blessed Virgin Mary--Vigil

First Reading:  1 Chronicles 15:3-4, 15-16; 16:1-2

And he gathered all Israel together into Jerusalem, that the ark of God might be brought into its place, which he had prepared for it. And the sons of Aaron also, and the Levites. And the sons of Levi took the ark of God as Moses had commanded, according to the word of the Lord, upon their shoulders, with the staves. And David spoke to the chiefs of the Levites, to appoint some of their brethren to be singers with musical instruments, to wit, on psalteries, and harps, and cymbals, that the joyful noise might resound on high. So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent, which David had pitched for it: and they offered holocausts, and peace offerings before God. And when David had made an end of offering holocausts, and peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 132 (131):8; V. 6-7, 9-10, 13-14

R.  Arise, O Lord, into thy resting place: thou and the ark, which thou hast sanctified.

V.  Behold we have heard of it in Ephrata:

     we have found it in the fields of the wood.

     We will go into his tabernacle:

     We will adore in the place where his feet stood.

V.  Let thy priests be clothed with justice:

     and let thy saints rejoice.

     For thy servant David's sake,

     turn not away the face of thy anointed.

V.  For the Lord hath chosen Sion:

     he hath chosen it for his dwelling.

     This is my rest for ever and ever:

     here will I dwell, for I have chosen it.

Second Reading:  1 Corinthians 15:54b-57

And when this mortal hath put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy sting? Now the sting of death is sin: and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel Reading:  Luke 11:27-28

And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 8/14/2025.

DR Squared: Memorial Of Saint Maximilian Mary Kolbe, Priest And Martyr

First Reading:  Wisdom 3:1-9

But the souls of the just are in the hand of God, and the torment of death shall not touch them. In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure was taken for misery:  And their going away from us, for utter destruction: but they are in peace. And though in the sight of men they suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality. Afflicted in few things, in many they shall be well rewarded: because God hath tried them, and found them worthy of himself. As gold in the furnace he hath proved them, and as a victim of a holocaust he hath received them, and in time there shall be respect had to them. The just shall shine, and shall run to and fro like sparks among the reeds. They shall judge nations, and rule over people, and their Lord shall reign for ever. They that trust in him, shall understand the truth: and they that are faithful in love shall rest in him: for grace and peace is to his elect. 

OR

1 John  3:14-18

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not, abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in himself. In this we have known the charity of God, because he hath laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. He that hath the substance of this world, and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels from him: how doth the charity of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word, nor in tongue, but in deed, and in truth.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 116 (115):15; V. 10-11, 12-13, 16ac-17

R.  Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

V.  I have believed, therefore have I spoken;

     but I have been humbled exceedingly.

     I said in my excess:

     Every man is a liar.

V.  What shall I render to the Lord,

     for all the things he hath rendered unto me?

     I will take the chalice of salvation;

     and I will call upon the name of the Lord.

V.  O Lord, for I am thy servant:

     Thou hast broken my bonds:

     I will sacrifice to thee the sacrifice of praise,

     and I will call upon the name of the Lord. 

Gospel Reading:  John 15:12-16

This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends, if you do the things that I command you. I will not now call you servants: for the servant knoweth not what his lord doth. But I have called you friends: because all things whatsoever I have heard of my Father, I have made known to you. You have not chosen me: but I have chosen you; and have appointed you, that you should go, and should bring forth fruit; and your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 8/14/2025.

DR Squared: Friday Of The Nineteenth Week In Ordinary Time (Year II)

First Reading:  Ezekiel 16:1-15, 60, 63

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:  Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations. And thou shalt say: Thus saith the Lord God to Jerusalem: Thy root, and thy nativity is of the land of Chanaan, thy father was an Amorrhite, and thy mother a Cethite. And when thou wast born, in the day of thy nativity thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed with water for thy health, nor salted with salt, nor swaddled with clouts. No eye had pity on thee to do any of these things for thee, out of compassion to thee: but thou wast cast out upon the face of the earth in the abjection of thy soul, in the day that thou wast born. And passing by thee, I saw that thou wast trodden under foot in thy own blood. and I said to thee when thou wast in thy blood: Live: I have said to thee: Live in thy blood. I caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field: and thou didst increase and grow great, and advancedst, and camest to woman's ornament: thy breasts were fashioned, and thy hair grew: and thou wast naked, and full of confusion. And I passed by thee, and saw thee: and behold thy time was the time of lovers: and I spread my garment over thee, and covered thy ignominy. And I swore to thee, and I entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God: and thou becamest mine. And I washed thee with water, and cleansed away thy blood from thee: and I anointed thee with oil. And I clothed thee with embroidery, and shod thee with violet coloured shoes: and I girded thee about with fine linen, and clothed thee with fine garments. I decked thee also with ornaments, and put bracelets on thy hands, and a chain about thy neck. And I put a jewel upon thy forehead and earrings in thy ears, and a beautiful crown upon thy head. And thou wast adorned with gold, and silver, and wast clothed with fine linen, and embroidered work, and many colours: thou didst eat fine flour, and honey, and oil, and wast made exceeding beautiful: and wast advanced to be a queen. And thy renown went forth among the nations for thy beauty: for thou wast perfect through my beauty, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. But trusting in thy beauty, thou playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and thou hast prostituted thyself to every passenger, to be his. And I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth: and I will establish with thee an everlasting covenant. That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and mayest no more open thy mouth because of thy confusion, when I shall be pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.

OR

Ezekiel 16:59-63

For thus saith the Lord God: I will deal with thee, as thou hast despised the oath, in breaking the covenant:  And I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth: and I will establish with thee an everlasting covenant. And thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed: when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thy elder and thy younger: and I will give them to thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. And I will establish my covenant with thee: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord, That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and mayest no more open thy mouth because of thy confusion, when I shall be pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.

Responsorial Psalm:  Isaiah 12:1c; V. 2-3, 4bcd, 5-6

R.  (T)hy wrath is turned away,

V.  Behold, God is my saviour,

     I will deal confidently, and will not fear:

     O because the Lord is my strength, and my praise,

     and he is become my salvation.

     You shall draw waters with joy

     out of the saviour's fountains:

V.  Praise ye the Lord, and call upon his name:

     make his works known among the people:

     remember that his name is high.

V.  Sing ye to the Lord, for he hath done great things:

     shew this forth in all the earth.

     Rejoice, and praise, O thou habitation of Sion:

     for great is he that is in the midst of thee,

     the Holy One of Israel.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 19:3-12

And there came to him the Pharisees tempting him, and saying: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? Who answering, said to them: Have ye not read, that he who made man from the beginning, made them male and female? And he said:  For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. They say to him: Why then did Moses command to give a bill of divorce, and to put away? He saith to them: Because Moses by reason of the hardness of your heart permitted you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery. His disciples say unto him: If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry. Who said to them: All men take not this word, but they to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs, who were born so from their mother's womb: and there are eunuchs, who were made so by men: and there are eunuchs, who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven. He that can take, let him take it.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Optional Memorial Of Saint Pontian, Pope And Martyr, And Saint Hippolytus, Priest And Martyr

First Reading:  1 Peter 4:12-19

Dearly beloved, think not strange the burning heat which is to try you, as if some new thing happened to you; But if you partake of the sufferings of Christ, rejoice that when his glory shall be revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you be reproached for the name of Christ, you shall be blessed: for that which is of the honour, glory, and power of God, and that which is his Spirit, resteth upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a railer, or a coveter of other men's things. But if as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For the time is, that judgment should begin at the house of God. And if first at us, what shall be the end of them that believe not the gospel of God? And if the just man shall scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them also that suffer according to the will of God, commend their souls in good deeds to the faithful Creator.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 124 (123):7a; V. 2-3, 4-5, 7-8

R.  Our soul hath been delivered as a sparrow out of the snare of the fowlers.

V.  If it had not been that the Lord was with us,

     When men rose up against us,

     Perhaps they had swallowed us up alive.

     When their fury was enkindled against us,

V.  Perhaps the waters had swallowed us up.

     Our soul hath passed through a torrent:

     perhaps our soul had passed

     through a water insupportable.

V.  Our soul hath been delivered as a sparrow out of the snare of the fowlers.

     The snare is broken, and we are delivered.

     Our help is in the name of the Lord,

     who made heaven and earth.

Gospel Reading:  John 15:18-21

If the world hate you, know ye, that it hath hated me before you. If you had been of the world, the world would love its own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember my word that I said to you: The servant is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you: if they have kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for my name's sake: because they know not him who sent me.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 8/13/2025.

DR Squared: Thursday Of The Nineteenth Week In Ordinary Time (Year II)

First Reading:  Ezekiel 12:1-12

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:  Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a provoking house: who have eyes to see, and see not: and ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a provoking house. Thou, therefore, O son of man, prepare thee all necessaries for removing, and remove by day in their sight: and thou shalt remove out of thy place to another place in their sight, if so be they will regard it: for they are a provoking house. And thou shalt bring forth thy furniture as the furniture of one that is removing by day in their sight: and thou shalt go forth in the evening in their presence, as one goeth forth that removeth his dwelling. Dig thee a way through the wall before their eyes: and thou shalt go forth through it. In their sight thou shalt be carried out upon men's shoulders, thou shalt be carried out in the dark: thou shalt cover thy face, and shalt not see the ground: for I have set thee for a sign of things to come to the house of Israel. I did therefore as he had commanded me: I brought forth my goods by day, as the goods of one that removeth: and in the evening I digged through the wall with my hand: and I went forth in the dark, and was carried on men's shoulders in their sight. And the word of the Lord came to me in the morning, saying:  Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the provoking house, said to thee: What art thou doing? Say to them: Thus saith the Lord God: This burden concerneth my prince that is in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel, that are among them. Say: I am a sign of things to come to you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them: they shall be removed from their dwellings, and go into captivity. And the prince that is in the midst of them, shall be carried on shoulders, he shall go forth in the dark: they shall dig through the wall to bring him out: his face shall be covered, that he may not see the ground with his eyes.

Responsorial Psalm:  cf. Psalm 78 (77):7b; V. 56-57, 58-59, 61-62

R.  (A)nd may not forget the works of God:

V.  Yet they tempted, and provoked the most high God:

and they kept not his testimonies.

And they turned away, and kept not the covenant:

even like their fathers they were turned aside as a crooked bow.

V.  They provoked him to anger on their hills:

and moved him to jealousy with their graven things.

God heard, and despised them,

and he reduced Israel exceedingly as it were to nothing.

V.  And he delivered their strength into captivity:

and their beauty into the hands of the enemy. 

And he shut up his people under the sword:

and he despised his inheritance.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 18:21–19:1

Then came Peter unto him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith to him: I say not to thee, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants. And when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents. And as he had not wherewith to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. But that servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt. But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, throttled him, saying: Pay what thou owest. And his fellow servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he paid the debt. Now his fellow servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came and told their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him; and said to him: Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all the debt, because thou besoughtest me:  Shouldst not thou then have had compassion also on thy fellow servant, even as I had compassion on thee? And his lord being angry, delivered him to the torturers until he paid all the debt. So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea, beyond Jordan.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Optional Memorial Of Saint Jane Frances De Chantal, Religious

First Reading:  Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31

Who shall find a valiant woman? far and from the uttermost coasts is the price of her. The heart of her husband trusteth in her, and he shall have no need of spoils. She will render him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. She hath sought wool and flax, and hath wrought by the counsel of her hands. She hath put out her hand to strong things, and her fingers have taken hold of the spindle. She hath opened her hand to the needy, and stretched out her hands to the poor. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: the woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands: and let her works praise her in the gates.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 131 (130):1bcde, 2, 3

R.  (NB:  I did not find a corresponding verse to this.)

V.  Lord, my heart is not exalted:

     nor are my eyes lofty.

     Neither have I walked in great matters,

     nor in wonderful things above me.

V.  If I was not humbly minded,

     but exalted my soul:

     As a child that is weaned is towards his mother,

     so reward in my soul.

V.  Let Israel hope in the Lord,

     from henceforth now and for ever.

Gospel Reading:  Mark 3:31-35

And his mother and his brethren came; and standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him; and they say to him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. And answering them, he said: Who is my mother and my brethren? And looking round about on them who sat about him, he saith: Behold my mother and my brethren. For whosoever shall do the will of God, he is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 8/12/2025

DR Squared: Wednesday Of The Nineteenth Week In Ordinary Time (Year II)

First Reading:  Ezekiel 9:1-7; 10:18-22

And he cried in my ears with a loud voice, saying: The visitations of the city are at hand, and every one hath a destroying weapon in his hand. And behold six men came from the way of the upper gate, which looketh to the north: and each one had his weapon of destruction in his hand: and there was one man in the midst of them clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn at his reins: and they went in, and stood by the brazen altar. And the glory of the Lord of Israel went up from the cherub, upon which he was, to the threshold of the house: and he called to the man that was clothed with linen, and had a writer's inkhorn at his loins. And the Lord said to him: Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem: and mark Thau upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and mourn for all the abominations that are committed in the midst thereof. And to the others he said in my hearing: Go ye after him through the city, and strike: let not your eyes spare, nor be ye moved with pity. Utterly destroy old and young, maidens, children and women: but upon whomsoever you shall see Thau, kill him not, and begin ye at my sanctuary. So they began at the ancient men who were before the house. And he said to them: Defile the house, and ill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew them that were in the city. And the glory of the Lord went forth from the threshold of the temple: and stood over the cherubims. And the cherubims lifting up their wings, were raised from the earth before me: and as they went out, the wheels also followed: and it stood in the entry of the east gate of the house of the Lord: and the glory of the God of Israel was over them. This is the living creature, which I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chobar: and I understood that they were cherubims. Each one had four faces, and each one had four wings: and the likeness of a man's hand was under their wings. And as to the likeness of their faces, they were the same faces which I had seen by the river Chobar, and their looks, and the impulse of every one to go straight forward.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 113 (112):4b; V. 1-2, 3-4, 5-6

R.  (A)nd his glory above the heavens.

V.  Praise the Lord, ye children:

     praise ye the name of the Lord.

     Blessed be the name of the Lord,

     from henceforth now and for ever.

V.  From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same,

     the name of the Lord is worthy of praise.

     The Lord is high above all nations;

     and his glory above the heavens.

V.  Who is as the Lord our God,

     who dwelleth on high:

     And looketh down on the low things

     in heaven and in earth?

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 18:15-20

But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother. And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand. And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican. Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning any thing whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven. For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Memorial Of Saint Clare, Virgin

First Reading:  Philippians 3:8-14

Furthermore I count all things to be but loss for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but as dung, that I may gain Christ:  And may be found in him, not having my justice, which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Christ Jesus, which is of God, justice in faith:  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable to his death, If by any means I may attain to the resurrection which is from the dead. Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect; but I follow after, if I may by any means apprehend, wherein I am also apprehended by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. But one thing I do: forgetting the things that are behind, and stretching forth myself to those that are before, I press towards the mark, to the prize of the supernal vocation of God in Christ Jesus.

Responsorial Psalm:  cf. Psalm 16 (15):5a; V. 1b-2a, 5, 7-8, 11

R.  The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup:

V.  Preserve me, O Lord, for I have put my trust in thee.

     I have said to the Lord, thou art my God,

     The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup:

     it is thou that wilt restore my inheritance to me.

V.  I will bless the Lord, who hath given me understanding:

     moreover my reins also have corrected me even till night.

     I set the Lord always in my sight:

     for he is at my right hand, that I be not moved.

V.  Thou hast made known to me the ways of life,

     thou shalt fill me with joy with thy countenance:

     at thy right hand are delights even to the end.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 19:27-29

Then Peter answering, said to him: Behold we have left all things, and have followed thee: what therefore shall we have? And Jesus said to them: Amen, I say to you, that you, who have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit on the seat of his majesty, you also shall sit on twelve seats judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And every one that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall possess life everlasting.  

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

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Originally posted 8/11/2025. 

DR Squared: Tuesday Of The Nineteenth Week In Ordinary Time (Year II)

First Reading:  Ezekiel 2:8-3:4

But thou, O son of man, hear all that I say to thee: and do not thou provoke me, as that house provoketh me: open thy mouth, and eat what I give thee. And I looked, and behold, a hand was sent to me, wherein was a book rolled up: and he spread it before me, and it was written within and without: and there were written in it lamentations, and canticles, and woe. And he said to me: Son of man, eat all that thou shalt find: eat this book, and go speak to the children of Israel. And I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that book:  3 And he said to me: Son of man, thy belly shall eat, and thy bowels shall be filled with this book, which I give thee. And I did eat it: and it was sweet as honey in my mouth. And he said to me: Son of man, go to the house of Israel, and thou shalt speak my words to them.

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 119 (118):103a; V. 14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131

R.  How sweet are thy words to my palate!

V.  I have been delighted in the way of thy testimonies,

     as in all riches.

V.  For thy testimonies are my meditation:

     and thy justifications my counsel.

V.  The law of thy mouth is good to me,

     above thousands of gold and silver.

V.  How sweet are thy words to my palate!

     more than honey to my mouth.

V.  I have purchased thy testimonies for an inheritance for ever:

     because they are a joy to my heart.

V.  I opened my mouth and panted:

     because I longed for thy commandments.

Gospel Reading:  Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who thinkest thou is the greater in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them, And said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven. And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me. See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What think you? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them should go astray: doth he not leave the ninety-nine in the mountains, and go to seek that which is gone astray?  And if it so be that he find it: Amen I say to you, he rejoiceth more for that, than for the ninety-nine that went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father, who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.

DR Squared: Feast Of Saint Lawrence, Deacon And Martyr

First Reading:  2 Corinthians 9:6-10

Now this I say: He who soweth sparingly, shall also reap sparingly: and he who soweth in blessings, shall also reap blessings. Every one as he hath determined in his heart, not with sadness, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound in you; that ye always, having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work, As it is written: He hath dispersed abroad, he hath given to the poor: his justice remaineth for ever. And he that ministereth seed to the sower, will both give you bread to eat, and will multiply your seed, and increase the growth of the fruits of your justice:

Responsorial Psalm:  Psalm 112:5a; V. 1-2, 5-6, 7-8, 9 (DR--1-2,5-7a, 7b-8, 9)

R.  Acceptable is the man that sheweth mercy and lendeth:

V.  Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord:

     he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments.

     His seed shall be mighty upon earth:

     the generation of the righteous shall be blessed.

V.  Acceptable is the man that sheweth mercy and lendeth:

     he shall order his words with judgment:

     Because he shall not be moved for ever.

     The just shall be in everlasting remembrance:

V.  (H)e shall not fear the evil hearing.

     His heart is ready to hope in the Lord:

     His heart is strengthened, he shall not be moved

     until he look over his enemies.

V.  He hath distributed, he hath given to the poor:

     his justice remaineth for ever and ever:

     his horn shall be exalted in glory.

Gospel Reading:  John 12:24-26

Amen, amen I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, Itself remaineth alone. But if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world, keepeth it unto life eternal. If any man minister to me, let him follow me; and where I am, there also shall my minister be. If any man minister to me, him will my Father honour.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.