Exodus 22:21-27

“If you afflict any widow or orphan, my wrath will burn against you.”

A reading from the Book of Exodus

Thus says the Lord: “You shall not wrong a stranger or oppress
him, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.
You shall not afflict any widow or orphan.
If you do afflict them, and they cry out to me,
I will surely hear their cry;
and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword,
and your wives shall become widows
and your children fatherless.
“If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor,
you shall not be to him as a creditor,
and you shall not exact interest from him.
If ever you take your neighbour’s garment in pledge,
you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down;
for that is his only covering, it is his mantle for his body;
in what else shall he sleep?
And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.”

The word of the Lord.

Psalm 18:2-3a.3bc-4.47 and 51ab (R. 2)

Response: I love you, Lord, my strength
I love you, Lord, my strength;
O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my saviour.
Response: I love you, Lord, my strength

My God, my rock where I take refuge;
my shield, my saving strength, my stronghold.
I cry out, “Praised be the Lord!”
and see, I am saved from my foes.
Response: I love you, Lord, my strength

The Lord lives, and blest be my Rock!
May the God of my salvation be exalted.
The Lord gives great victories to his king,
and shows merciful love for his anointed.
Response: I love you, Lord, my strength

1 Thessalonians 1:5c-10

 “You turned from idols to serve God and to wait for his Son.” 

A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians

Brethren: You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit; so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. For they themselves report concerning us what a welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

The word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

Alleluia. Alleluia

If a man loves me, he will keep my words, says the Lord; and my Father will love him, and will come to him.

Alleluia.

Gospel

Matthew 22:34-40

“You shall love the Lord your God and your neighbour as yourself.”

† A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

At that time: When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they came together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said to them, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.” 

The Gospel of the Lord