DR Squared: Optional Memorial Of Saints Nereus And Achilleus, Martyrs

First Reading:  Revelation 7:9-17

After this I saw a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and tribes, and peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne, and in sight of the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands:  And they cried with a loud voice, saying: Salvation to our God, who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and the ancients, and the four living creatures; and they fell down before the throne upon their faces, and adored God, Saying: Amen. Benediction, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honour, and power, and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen. And one of the ancients answered, and said to me: These that are clothed in white robes, who are they? and whence came they? And I said to him: My Lord, thou knowest. And he said to me: These are they who are come out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple: and he, that sitteth on the throne, shall dwell over them. They shall no more hunger nor thirst, neither shall the sun fall on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall rule them, and shall lead them to the fountains of the waters of life, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.

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:  Matthew 10:17-22

But beware of men. For they will deliver you up in councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues. And you shall be brought before governors, and before kings for my sake, for a testimony to them and to the Gentiles:  But when they shall deliver you up, take no thought how or what to speak: for it shall be given you in that hour what to speak. For it is not you that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. The brother also shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the son: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and shall put them to death. And you shall be hated by all men for my name's sake: but he that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.

The readings from the USCCB can be found here.