Memorial of Saint Jerome, Priest and Doctor of the Church
FIRST READING: Job 19: 21 - 27
21 Have pity on me, have pity on me, at least you my friends, because the hand of the Lord hath touched me.
22 Why do you persecute me as God, and glut yourselves with my flesh?
23 Who will grant me that my words may be written? Who will grant me that they may be marked down in a book?
24 With an iron pen and in a plate of lead, or else be graven with an instrument in flint stone.
25 For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and in the last day I shall rise out of the earth.
26 And I shall be clothed again with my skin, and in my flesh I will see my God.
27 Whom I myself shall see, and my eyes shall behold, and not another: this my hope is laid up in my bosom.
PSALM: Psalms 27: 7 - 9, 13 - 14
7 Hear, O Lord, my voice, with which I have cried to thee: have mercy on me and hear me.
8 My heart hath said to thee: My face hath sought thee: thy face, O Lord, will I still seek.
9 Turn not away thy face from me; decline not in thy wrath from thy servant. Be thou my helper, forsake me not; do not thou despise me, O God my Saviour.
13 I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Expect the Lord, do manfully, and let thy heart take courage, and wait thou for the Lord.
GOSPEL: Luke 10: 1 - 12
1 And after these things the Lord appointed also other seventy-two: and he sent them two and two before his face into every city and place whither he himself was to come.
2 And he said to them: The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send labourers into his harvest.
3 Go: Behold I send you as lambs among wolves.
4 Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes; and salute no man by the way.
5 Into whatsoever house you enter, first say: Peace be to this house.
6 And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon him; but if not, it shall return to you.
7 And in the same house, remain, eating and drinking such things as they have: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Remove not from house to house.
8 And into what city soever you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you.
9 And heal the sick that are therein, and say to them: The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.
10 But into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you not, going forth into the streets thereof, say:
11 Even the very dust of your city that cleaveth to us, we wipe off against you. Yet know this, that the kingdom of God is at hand.
12 I say to you, it shall be more tolerable at that day for Sodom, than for that city.