Memorial
of Saint Francis of Assisi, Religious, Founder of the Three Orders
FIRST READING: Baruch 1: 15 - 22
15
And you shall say: To the Lord our God belongeth justice, but to us
confusion of our face: as it is come to pass at this day to all Juda,
and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
16
To our kings, and to our princes, and to our priests, and to our
prophets, and to our fathers.
17
We have sinned before the Lord our God, and have not believed him,
nor put our trust in him:
18
And we were not obedient to him, and we have not hearkened to the
voice of the Lord our God, to walk in his commandments, which he hath
given us.
19
From the day that he brought our fathers out of the land of Egypt,
even to this day, we were disobedient to the Lord our God: and going
astray we turned away from hearing his voice.
20
And many evils have cleaved to us, and the curses which the Lord
foretold by Moses his servant: who brought our fathers out of the
land of Egypt, to give us a land flowing with milk and honey, as at
this day.
21
And we have not hearkened to the voice of the Lord our God according
to all the words of the prophets whom he sent to us:
22
And we have gone away every man after the inclinations of his own
wicked heart, to serve strange gods, and to do evil in the sight of
the Lord our God.
1
O God, the heathens are come into thy inheritance, they have defiled
thy holy temple: they have made Jerusalem as a place to keep fruit.
2
They have given the dead bodies of thy servants to be meat for the
fowls of the air: the flesh of thy saints for the beasts of the
earth.
3
They have poured out their blood as water, round about Jerusalem and
there was none to bury them.
4
We are become a reproach to our neighbours: a scorn and derision to
them that are round about us.
5
How long, O Lord, wilt thou be angry for ever: shall thy zeal be
kindled like a fire?
8
Remember not our former iniquities: let thy mercies speedily prevent
us, for we are become exceeding poor.
9
Help us, O God, our saviour: and for the glory of thy name, O Lord,
deliver us: and forgive us our sins for thy name's sake.
13
Woe to thee, Corozain, woe to thee, Bethsaida. For if in Tyre and
Sidon had been wrought the mighty works that have been wrought in
you, they would have done penance long ago, sitting in sackcloth and
ashes.
14
But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgement,
than for you.
15
And thou, Capharnaum, which art exalted unto heaven, thou shalt be
thrust down to hell.
16
He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth
me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me.
