FIRST READING: Genesis 21: 5, 8 - 20a
5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
8 Isaac grew, and on the day of the child's weaning, Abraham held a great feast.
9 Sarah noticed the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham playing with her son Isaac;
10 so she demanded of Abraham: "Drive out that slave and her son! No son of that slave is going to share the inheritance with my son Isaac!"
11 Abraham was greatly distressed, especially on account of his son Ishmael.
12 But God said to Abraham: "Do not be distressed about the boy or about your slave woman. Heed the demands of Sarah, no matter what she is asking of you; for it is through Isaac that descendants shall bear your name.
13 As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a great nation of him also, since he too is your offspring."
14 Early the next morning Abraham got some bread and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. Then, placing the child on her back, he sent her away. As she roamed aimlessly in the wilderness of Beer-sheba,
15 the water in the skin was used up. So she put the child down under a shrub,
16 and then went and sat down opposite him, about a bowshot away; for she said to herself, "Let me not watch to see the child die." As she sat opposite him, he began to cry.
17 God heard the boy's cry, and God's messenger called to Hagar from heaven: "What is the matter, Hagar? Don't be afraid; God has heard the boy's cry in this plight of his.
18 Arise, lift up the boy and hold him by the hand; for I will make of him a great nation."
19 Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and then let the boy drink.
20 God was with the boy as he grew up.
PSALM: Psalms 34: 7 - 13
7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
8 O taste and see that the LORD is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him!
9 O fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no want!
10 The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
11 Come, O sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
12 What man is there who desires life, and covets many days, that he may enjoy good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit.
GOSPEL: Matthew 8: 28 - 34
28 And when he came to the other side, to the country of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs met him, coming out of the tombs, so fierce that no one could pass that way.
29 And behold, they cried out, "What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?"
30 Now a herd of many swine was feeding at some distance from them.
31 And the demons begged him, "If you cast us out, send us away into the herd of swine."
32 And he said to them, "Go." So they came out and went into the swine; and behold, the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea, and perished in the waters.
33 The herdsmen fled, and going into the city they told everything, and what had happened to the demoniacs.
34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.
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