The Sunday Readings

First Reading - Ex 22:20-26


20 He that sacrificeth to gods, shall be put to death, save only to the Lord. 21 Thou shalt not molest a stranger, nor afflict him: for yourselves also were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 You shall not hurt a widow or an orphan. 23 If you hurt them they will cry out to me, and I will hear their cry: 24 And my rage shall be enkindled, and I will strike you with the sword, and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless. 25 If thou lend money to any of my people that is poor, that dwelleth with thee, thou shalt not be hard upon them as an extortioner, nor oppress them with usuries. 26 If thou take of thy neighbour a garment in pledge, thou shalt give it him again before sunset.

Psalm - Ps 18:2-4,47,51


2 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength: 3 The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my deliverer. My God is my helper, and in him will I put my trust. My protector and the horn of my salvation, and my support. 4 Praising I will call upon the Lord: and I shall be saved from my enemies. 47 The Lord liveth, and blessed be my God, and let the God of my salvation be exalted. 51 Giving great deliverance to his king, and shewing mercy to David his anointed: and to his seed for ever.

Second Reading - 1 Thess 1:5c-10


5c As you know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes. 6 And you became followers of us, and of the Lord; receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost: 7 So that you were made a pattern to all that believe in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia, and in Achaia, but also in every place, your faith which is towards God, is gone forth, so that we need not to speak any thing. 9 For they themselves relate of us, what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God. 10 And to wait for his Son from heaven (whom he raised up from the dead,) Jesus, who hath delivered us from the wrath to come.

Gospel - Mt 22:34-40


34 But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together: 35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him: 36 Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind. 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment. 39 And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.