FIRST
READING: Joshua
24: 1 - 2, 15 - 18
1
And Josue gathered together all the tribes of Israel in Sichem, and
called for the ancients, and the princes and the judges, and the
masters: and they stood in the sight of the Lord:
2
And he spoke thus to the people: Thus saith the Lord the God of
Israel: Your fathers dwelt of old on the other side of the river,
Thare the father of Abraham, and Nachor: and they served strange
gods.
15
But if it seem evil to you to serve the Lord, you have your choice:
choose this day that which pleaseth you, whom you would rather serve,
whether the gods which your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the
gods of the Amorrhites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my
house we will serve the Lord,
16
And the people answered, and said, God forbid we should leave the
Lord, and serve strange gods.
17
The Lord our God he brought us and our fathers out of the land of
Egypt, out of the house of bondage: and did very great signs in our
sight, and preserved us in all the way by which we journeyed, and
among all the people through whom we passed.
18
And he hath cast out all the nations, the Amorrhite the inhabitant of
the land into which we are come. Therefore we will serve the Lord,
for he is our God.
PSALM:
Psalms 34:
2 - 3, 16 - 21
2
In the Lord shall my soul be praised: let the meek hear and rejoice.
3
O magnify the Lord with me; and let us extol his name together.
16
But the countenance of the Lord is against them that do evil things:
to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17
The just cried, and the Lord heard them: and delivered them out of
all their troubles.
18
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will
save the humble of spirit.
19
Many are the afflictions of the just; but out of them all will the
Lord deliver them.
20
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will
save the humble of spirit.
21
The death of the wicked is very evil: and they that hate the just
shall be guilty.
SECOND
READING: Ephesians
5: 21 - 32 Or
Ephesians 5:
2, 25 - 32
21
Being subject one to another, in the fear of Christ.
22
Let women be subject to their husbands, as to the Lord:
23
Because the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ is the head of
the church. He is the saviour of his body.
24
Therefore as the church is subject to Christ: so also let the wives
be to their husbands in all things.
25
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church and
delivered himself up for it:
26
That he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the
word of life:
27
That he might present it to himself, a glorious church, not having
spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and
without blemish.
28
So also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that
loveth his wife loveth himself.
29
For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth
it, as also Christ doth the church:
30
Because we are members of him, body, of his flesh and of his bones.
31
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother: and shall
cleave to his wife. And they shall be two in one flesh.
32
This is a great sacrament: but I speak in Christ and in the church.
Or
2
And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us and hath delivered
himself for us, an oblation and a sacrifice to God for an odour of
sweetness.
25
Husbands, love your wives, as Christ also loved the church and
delivered himself up for it:
26
That he might sanctify it, cleansing it by the laver of water in the
word of life:
27
That he might present it to himself, a glorious church, not having
spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and
without blemish.
28
So also ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that
loveth his wife loveth himself.
29
For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth
it, as also Christ doth the church:
30
Because we are members of him, body, of his flesh and of his bones.
31
For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother: and shall
cleave to his wife. And they shall be two in one flesh.
32
This is a great sacrament: but I speak in Christ and in the church.
GOSPEL:
John 6:
60 - 69
60
Many therefore of his disciples, hearing it, said: This saying is
hard; and who can hear it?
61
But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at this,
said to them: Doth this scandalize you?
62
If then you shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
63
It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing. The
words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
64
But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the
beginning who they were that did not believe and who he was that
would betray him.
65
And he said: Therefore did I say to you that no man can come to me,
unless it be given him by my Father.
66
After this, many of his disciples went back and walked no more with
him.
67
Then Jesus said to the twelve: Will you also go away?
68
And Simon Peter answered him: Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast
the words of eternal life.
69
And we have believed and have known that thou art the Christ, the Son
of God.
