Daily Readings for July 22, 2016

1ST READING

Sin is a rebellion against God — we act according to our own desires rather than submit to His will. The covenant that God makes with His people is a commitment to surrender to His plan. Rebellion is contrary to this idea.

Jeremiah 3:14-17

14 “Return, rebellious children,” says the Lord, “for I am your Master; I will take you, one from a city, two from a clan, and bring you to Zion. 15 I will appoint over you shepherds after my own heart who will shepherd you wisely and prudently. 16 When you multiply and become fruitful in the land, says the Lord, they will in those days no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the Lord!’ They will no longer think of it, or remember it, or miss it, or make another. 17 At that time they will call Jerusalem the Lord’s throne. There all nations will be gathered together to honor the name of the Lord at Jerusalem, and they will walk no longer in their hardhearted wickedness.”

P S A L M

Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12, 13

R: The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, proclaim it on distant isles, and say: He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together, he guards them as a shepherd his flock. (R) 11 The Lord shall ransom Jacob; he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. 12 Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the Lord’s blessings the grain, the wine, and the oil, the sheep and the oxen. (R) 13 Then the virgins shall make merry and dance, and young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows. (R)

GOSPEL

Mary Magdalene is one of the first to see the Risen Lord. What a privileged place she holds in our tradition. Let us ensure that the Good News we have received remains as the foundation on which we should build our lives. Mary Magdalene testifies to the power of repentance and the transforming power of faith. She is now considered as one of the great collaborators of Jesus in His mission.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Tell us, Mary, what did you see on the way? I saw the glory of the risen Christ, I saw his empty tomb.

John 20:1-2, 11-18 (or Matthew 13:18-23)

1 On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark, and saw the stone removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and told them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we don’t know where they put him.” 11 Mary stayed outside the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she bent over into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet where the Body of Jesus had been. 13 And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord, and I don’t know where they laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus there, but did not know it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” She thought it was the gardener and said to him, “Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you laid him, and I will take him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni,” which means Teacher. 17 Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and then repeated what he told her.