Daily Readings for September 15, 2016

Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows

1ST READING

We celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows the day after the Triumph of the Cross to remind us of the cost involved in the cross of Jesus. We cannot share in the resurrection and glory of God without passing through our own passion and suffering and taking up our crosses to follow Jesus. The image of Mary at the foot of the cross reminds us of her suffering as she witnessed what her Son went through for our sake.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

1 I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the Gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. 2 Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; 4 that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; 5 that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 After that he appeared to James, then to all the Apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. 9 For I am the least of the Apostles, not fit to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

P S A L M

Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 28 (or Psalm 31:2-3, 3-4, 5-6, 15-16, 20)

R: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 16 “The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord has struck with power.” 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. (R) 28 You are my God, and I give thanks to you; O my God, I extol you. (R)

GOSPEL

When we meditate on suffering, we bring to mind the image of Mary at the foot of the cross. We can only imagine her suffering as she watches her Son die. The experience would be short of horrific. As we remember Mary’s suffering and sorrow today, let us be ready also to undergo trials as disciples of Jesus.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord.

John 19:25-27 (or Luke 2:33-35 or Luke 7:36-50)

25 Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.