Daily Readings for August 22, 2019

Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

1st READING

Jephthah makes a vow that he will regret because he will have to sacrifice his daughter to the Lord. Did he do the right thing? Here are the lessons we can learn: One, do not make extravagant commitments, particularly those that may lead to immoral actions; two, do not ever think that God would ask you to sacrifice someone else’s life to Him. Jesus’ sacrifice is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.

Judges 11:29-39 (or Isaiah 9:1-6)

29 The spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah. He passed through Gilead and Manasseh, and through Mizpah-gilead as well, and from there he went on to the Ammonites. 30 Jephthah made a vow to the Lord. “If you deliver the Ammonites into my power,” he said, 31 “whoever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites shall belong to the Lord. I shall offer him up as a burnt offering.” 32 Jephthah then went on to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the Lord delivered them into his power, 33 so that he inflicted a severe defeat on them, from Aroer to the approach of Minnith (twenty cities in all) and as far as Abel-keramin. Thus were the Ammonites brought into subjection by the children of Israel. 34 When Jephthah returned to his house in Mizpah, it was his daughter who came forth, playing the tambourines and dancing. She was an only child: he had neither son nor daughter besides her. 35 When he saw her, he rent his garments and said, “Alas, daughter, you have struck me down and brought calamity upon me. For I have made a vow to the Lord and I cannot retract.” 36 She replied, “Father, you have made a vow to the Lord. Do with me as you have vowed, because the Lord has wrought vengeance for you on your enemies the Ammonites.” 37 Then she said to her father, “Let me have this favor. Spare me for two months, that I may go off down the mountains to mourn my virginity with my companions.” 38 “Go,” he replied, and sent her away for two months. So she departed with her companions and mourned her virginity on the mountains. 39 At the end of the two months she returned to her father, who did to her as he had vowed.

PSALM 

Psalm 40:5, 7-8, 8-9, 10

R: Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.

5 Blessed the man who makes the Lord his trust; who turns not to idolatry or to those who stray after falsehood. (R) 7 Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; 8 then said I “Behold I come.” (R) “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me. 9 To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” (R) 10 I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O Lord, know. (R)

GOSPEL

If we are not willing to live as disciples of Jesus then He will find others who are. Because what would be the point of storing up graces for people who are not interested? Let us accept the graces God offers us and use them well for His service.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Matthew 22:1-14 (or Luke 1:26-38 or Luke 1:39-47)

1 Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables, saying, 2 “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. 4 A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.’” 5 Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 9 Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ 10 The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 12 He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. 13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ 14 Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

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