Daily Mass Readings - Thursday July 4, 2019

Ordinary Weekday / Independence Day

First Reading: Genesis 22: 1b-19

1 After these things, God tempted Abraham, and said to him: Abraham, Abraham. And he answered: Here I am.

2 He said to him: Take thy only begotten son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and go into the land of vision: and there thou shalt offer him for an holocaust upon one of the mountains which I will shew thee.

3 So Abraham rising up in the night, saddled his ass: and took with him two young men, and Isaac his son: and when he had cut wood for the holocaust he went his way to the place which God had commanded him.

4 And on the third day, lifting up his eyes, he saw the place afar off.

5 And he said to his young men: Stay you here with the ass: I and the boy will go with speed as far as yonder, and after we have worshipped, will return to you.

6 And he took the wood for the holocaust, and laid it upon Isaac his son: and he himself carried in his hands fire and a sword. And as they two went on together,

7 Isaac said to his father: My father. And he answered: What wilt thou, son? Behold, saith he, fire and wood: where is the victim for the holocaust?

8 And Abraham said: God will provide himself a victim for an holocaust, my son. So they went on together.

9 And they came to the place which God had shewn him, where he built an altar, and laid the wood in order upon it: and when he had bound Isaac his son, he laid him on the altar upon the pile of wood.

10 And he put forth his hand and took the sword, to sacrifice his son.

11 And behold an angel of the Lord from heaven called to him, saying: Abraham, Abraham. And he answered: Here I am.

12 And he said to him: Lay not thy hand upon the boy, neither do thou any thing to him: now I know that thou fearest God, and hast not spared thy only begotten son for my sake.

13 Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw behind his back a ram amongst the briers sticking fast by the horns, which he took and offered for a holocaust instead of his son.

14 And he called the name of that place, The Lord seeth. Whereupon even to this day it is said: In the mountain the Lord will see.

15 And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, saying:

16 By my own self have I sworn, saith the Lord: because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thy only begotten son for my sake:

17 I will bless thee, and I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand that is by the sea shore: thy seed shall possess the gates of their enemies.

18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed my voice.

19 Abraham returned to his young men, and they went to Bersabee together, and he dwelt there.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 115: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to thy name give glory.

2 For thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake: lest the gentiles should say: Where is their God?

3 But our God is in heaven: he hath done all things whatsoever he would.

4 The idols of the gentiles are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men.

5 They have mouths and speak not: they have eyes and see not.

6 They have ears and hear not: they have noses and smell not.

8 Let them that make them become like unto them: and all such as trust in them.

9 The house of Israel hath hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector.

Gospel: Matthew 9: 1-8

1 And entering into a boat, he passed over the water and came into his own city.

2 And behold they brought to him one sick of the palsy lying in a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the man sick of the palsy: Be of good heart, son, thy sins are forgiven thee.

3 And behold some of the scribes said within themselves: He blasphemeth.

4 And Jesus seeing their thoughts, said: Why do you think evil in your hearts?

5 Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins are forgiven thee: or to say, Arise, and walk?

6 But that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then said he to the man sick of palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go into thy house.

7 And he arose, and went into his house.

8 And the multitude seeing it, feared, and glorified God that gave such power to men.