First reading	1 Thessalonians 2:9 - 13 ©
Let me remind you, brothers, how hard we used to work, slaving night and day so as not to be a burden on any one of you while we were proclaiming God’s Good News to you. You are witnesses, and so is God, that our treatment of you, since you became believers, has been impeccably right and fair. You can remember how we treated every one of you as a father treats his children, teaching you what was right, encouraging you and appealing to you to live a life worthy of God, who is calling you to share the glory of his kingdom. Another reason why we constantly thank God for you is that as soon as you heard the message that we brought you as God’s message, you accepted it for what it really is, God’s message and not some human thinking; and it is still a living power among you who believe it.

Gospel	Matthew 23:27 - 32 ©
Jesus said, ‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who are like whitewashed tombs that look handsome on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of corruption. In the same way you appear to people from the outside like good honest men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. ‘Alas for you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You who build the sepulchres of the prophets and decorate the tombs of holy men, saying, “We would never have joined in shedding the blood of the prophets, had we lived in our fathers’ day”. So! Your own evidence tells against you! You are the sons of those who murdered the prophets! Very well then, finish off the work that your fathers began.’

Office of Readings and Invitatory Prayer

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 17 (18)
Thanksgiving for salvation and victory
I will love you, Lord, my strength: Lord, you are my foundation and my refuge, you set me free. My God is my help: I will put my hope in him, my protector, my sign of salvation, the one who raises me up. I will call on the Lord – praise be to his name – and I will be saved from my enemies. The waves of death flooded round me, the torrents of Belial tossed me about, the cords of the underworld wound round me, death’s traps opened before me. In my distress I called on the Lord, I cried out to my God: from his temple he heard my voice, my cry to him came to his ears. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 17 (18)

Thanksgiving for salvation and victory

I will love you, Lord, my strength: Lord, you are my foundation and my refuge, you set me free.
My God is my help: I will put my hope in him, my protector, my sign of salvation, the one who raises me up.
I will call on the Lord – praise be to his name – and I will be saved from my enemies.

The waves of death flooded round me, the torrents of Belial tossed me about,
the cords of the underworld wound round me, death’s traps opened before me.
In my distress I called on the Lord, I cried out to my God:
from his temple he heard my voice, my cry to him came to his ears.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 17 (18)
The earth moved and shook, at the coming of his anger the roots of the mountains rocked and were shaken. Smoke rose from his nostrils, consuming fire came from his mouth, from it came forth flaming coals. He bowed down the heavens and descended, storm clouds were at his feet. He rode on the cherubim and flew, he travelled on the wings of the wind. He made dark clouds his covering; his dwelling-place, dark waters and clouds of the air. The cloud-masses were split by his lightnings, hail fell, hail and coals of fire. The Lord thundered from the heavens, the Most High let his voice be heard, with hail and coals of fire. He shot his arrows and scattered them, hurled thunderbolts and threw them into confusion. The depths of the oceans were laid bare, the foundations of the globe were revealed, at the sound of your anger, O Lord, at the onset of the gale of your wrath. He reached from on high and took me up, lifted me from the many waters. He snatched me from my powerful enemies, from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me. They attacked me in my time of trouble, but the Lord was my support. He led me to the open spaces, he was my deliverance, for he held me in favour. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 17 (18)

The earth moved and shook, at the coming of his anger the roots of the mountains rocked and were shaken.
Smoke rose from his nostrils, consuming fire came from his mouth, from it came forth flaming coals.
He bowed down the heavens and descended, storm clouds were at his feet.

He rode on the cherubim and flew, he travelled on the wings of the wind.
He made dark clouds his covering; his dwelling-place, dark waters and clouds of the air.
The cloud-masses were split by his lightnings, hail fell, hail and coals of fire.

The Lord thundered from the heavens, the Most High let his voice be heard, with hail and coals of fire.
He shot his arrows and scattered them, hurled thunderbolts and threw them into confusion.

The depths of the oceans were laid bare, the foundations of the globe were revealed, at the sound of your anger, O Lord, at the onset of the gale of your wrath.

He reached from on high and took me up, lifted me from the many waters.
He snatched me from my powerful enemies, from those who hate me, for they were too strong for me.
They attacked me in my time of trouble, but the Lord was my support.
He led me to the open spaces, he was my deliverance, for he held me in favour.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Psalm 17 (18)
The Lord rewards me according to my uprightness, he repays me according to the purity of my hands, for I have kept to the paths of the Lord and have not departed wickedly from my God. For I keep all his decrees in my sight, and I will not reject his judgements; I am stainless before him, I have kept myself away from evil. And so the Lord has rewarded me according to my uprightness, according to the purity of my hands in his sight. You will be holy with the holy, kind with the kind, with the chosen you will be chosen, but with the crooked you will show your cunning. For you will bring salvation to a lowly people but make the proud ashamed. For you light my lamp, Lord; my God illuminates my path. For with you I will attack the enemy’s squadrons; with my God I will leap over their wall. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Psalm 17 (18)

The Lord rewards me according to my uprightness, he repays me according to the purity of my hands,
for I have kept to the paths of the Lord and have not departed wickedly from my God.
For I keep all his decrees in my sight, and I will not reject his judgements;
I am stainless before him, I have kept myself away from evil.
And so the Lord has rewarded me according to my uprightness, according to the purity of my hands in his sight.

You will be holy with the holy, kind with the kind, with the chosen you will be chosen, but with the crooked you will show your cunning.
For you will bring salvation to a lowly people but make the proud ashamed.
For you light my lamp, Lord; my God illuminates my path.
For with you I will attack the enemy’s squadrons; with my God I will leap over their wall.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen.

Reading	Jeremiah 2:1 - 25 ©
The Lord says this: I remember the affection of your youth, the love of your bridal days: you followed me through the wilderness, through a land unsown. Israel was sacred to the Lord, the first-fruits of his harvest; anyone who ate of this had to pay for it, misfortune came to them – it is the Lord who speaks. Listen to the word of the Lord, House of Jacob, and all you families of the House of Israel. Thus says the Lord, ‘What shortcoming did your fathers find in me that led them to desert me? Vanity they pursued, vanity they became They never said, “Where is the Lord, who brought us out of the land of Egypt and led us through the wilderness, through a land arid and scored, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one passes, and no man lives?” I brought you to a fertile country to enjoy its produce and good things; but no sooner had you entered than you defiled my land, and made my heritage detestable. The priests have never asked, “Where is the Lord?” Those who administer the Law have no knowledge of me. The shepherds have rebelled against me; the prophets have prophesied in the name of Baal, following things with no power in them. So I must put you on trial once more – it is the Lord who speaks – and your children’s children too. Now take ship for the islands of Kittim or send to Kedar to enquire. Take careful notice and observe if anything like this has happened. Does a nation change its gods? – and these are not gods at all! Yet my people have exchanged their Glory for what has no power in it. You heavens, stand aghast at this, stand stupefied, stand utterly appalled – it is the Lord who speaks. Since my people have committed a double crime: they have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, only to dig cisterns for themselves, leaky cisterns that hold no water. ‘It is long ago now since you broke your yoke, burst your bonds and said, “I will not serve!” Yet on every high hill and under every spreading tree you have lain down like a harlot. Yet I had planted you, a choice vine, a shoot of soundest stock. How is it you have become a degenerate plant, you bastard Vine? Should you launder yourself with potash and put in quantities of lye, I should still detect the stain of your guilt – it is the Lord who speaks. How dare you say, “I am not defiled, I have not run after the Baals?” Look at your footprints in the Valley, and acknowledge what you have done. A frantic she-camel running in all directions bolts for the desert, snuffing the breeze in desire; who can control her when she is on heat? Whoever looks for her will have no trouble, he will find her with her mate! Beware! Your own foot may soon go unshod, your own throat may grow dry. But “Who cares?” you said “For I am in love with strangers and they are the ones I follow”.

Reading

Jeremiah 2:1 - 25 ©

The Lord says this:
I remember the affection of your youth,
the love of your bridal days:
you followed me through the wilderness,
through a land unsown.
Israel was sacred to the Lord,
the first-fruits of his harvest;
anyone who ate of this had to pay for it,
misfortune came to them –
it is the Lord who speaks.

Listen to the word of the Lord, House of Jacob,
and all you families of the House of Israel.
Thus says the Lord,
‘What shortcoming did your fathers find in me
that led them to desert me?
Vanity they pursued,
vanity they became
They never said, “Where is the Lord,
who brought us out of the land of Egypt
and led us through the wilderness,
through a land arid and scored,
a land of drought and darkness,
a land where no one passes,
and no man lives?”

I brought you to a fertile country
to enjoy its produce and good things;
but no sooner had you entered than you defiled my land,
and made my heritage detestable.
The priests have never asked, “Where is the Lord?”
Those who administer the Law have no knowledge of me.
The shepherds have rebelled against me;
the prophets have prophesied in the name of Baal,
following things with no power in them.

So I must put you on trial once more
– it is the Lord who speaks –
and your children’s children too.
Now take ship for the islands of Kittim
or send to Kedar to enquire.
Take careful notice and observe
if anything like this has happened.
Does a nation change its gods?
– and these are not gods at all!
Yet my people have exchanged their Glory
for what has no power in it.
You heavens, stand aghast at this,
stand stupefied, stand utterly appalled
– it is the Lord who speaks.
Since my people have committed a double crime:
they have abandoned me,
the fountain of living water,
only to dig cisterns for themselves,
leaky cisterns
that hold no water.

‘It is long ago now since you broke your yoke,
burst your bonds
and said, “I will not serve!”
Yet on every high hill
and under every spreading tree
you have lain down like a harlot.
Yet I had planted you, a choice vine,
a shoot of soundest stock.
How is it you have become a degenerate plant,
you bastard Vine?
Should you launder yourself with potash
and put in quantities of lye,
I should still detect the stain of your guilt
– it is the Lord who speaks.
How dare you say, “I am not defiled,
I have not run after the Baals?”
Look at your footprints in the Valley,
and acknowledge what you have done.
A frantic she-camel running in all directions
bolts for the desert,
snuffing the breeze in desire;
who can control her when she is on heat?
Whoever looks for her will have no trouble,
he will find her with her mate!
Beware! Your own foot may soon go unshod,
your own throat may grow dry.
But “Who cares?” you said
“For I am in love with strangers
and they are the ones I follow”.

Reading	From a homily by St. Bede the Venerable, priest
Precursor of Christ in birth and death
As forerunner of our Lord’s birth, preaching and death, the blessed John showed in his struggle a goodness worthy of the sight of heaven. In the words of Scripture: Though in the sight of men he suffered torments, his hope is full of immortality. We justly commemorate the day of his birth with a joyful celebration, a day which he himself made festive for us through his suffering and which he adorned with the crimson splendour of his own blood. We do rightly revere his memory with joyful hearts, for he stamped with the seal of martyrdom the testimony which he delivered on behalf of our Lord. There is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for him. His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say: I am the truth? Therefore, because John shed his blood for the truth, he surely died for Christ. Through his birth, preaching and baptising, he bore witness to the coming birth, preaching and baptism of Christ, and by his own suffering he showed that Christ also would suffer. Such was the quality and strength of the man who accepted the end of this present life by shedding his blood after the long imprisonment. He preached the freedom of heavenly peace, yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men; he was locked away in the darkness of prison, though he came bearing witness to the Light of life and deserved to be called a bright and shining lamp by that Light itself, which is Christ. John was baptised in his own blood, though he had been privileged to baptise the Redeemer of the world, to hear the voice of the Father above him, and to see the grace of the Holy Spirit descending upon him. But to endure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth was not a heavy burden for such men as John; rather it was easily borne and even desirable, for he knew eternal joy would be his reward. Since death was ever near at hand through the inescapable necessity of nature, such men considered it a blessing to embrace it and thus gain the reward of eternal life by acknowledging Christ’s name. Hence the apostle Paul rightly says: You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake. He tells us why it is Christ’s gift that his chosen ones should suffer for him: The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.

Reading

From a homily by St. Bede the Venerable, priest

Precursor of Christ in birth and death

As forerunner of our Lord’s birth, preaching and death, the blessed John showed in his struggle a goodness worthy of the sight of heaven. In the words of Scripture: Though in the sight of men he suffered torments, his hope is full of immortality. We justly commemorate the day of his birth with a joyful celebration, a day which he himself made festive for us through his suffering and which he adorned with the crimson splendour of his own blood. We do rightly revere his memory with joyful hearts, for he stamped with the seal of martyrdom the testimony which he delivered on behalf of our Lord.
There is no doubt that blessed John suffered imprisonment and chains as a witness to our Redeemer, whose forerunner he was, and gave his life for him. His persecutor had demanded not that he should deny Christ, but only that he should keep silent about the truth. Nevertheless, he died for Christ. Does Christ not say: I am the truth? Therefore, because John shed his blood for the truth, he surely died for Christ.
Through his birth, preaching and baptising, he bore witness to the coming birth, preaching and baptism of Christ, and by his own suffering he showed that Christ also would suffer.
Such was the quality and strength of the man who accepted the end of this present life by shedding his blood after the long imprisonment. He preached the freedom of heavenly peace, yet was thrown into irons by ungodly men; he was locked away in the darkness of prison, though he came bearing witness to the Light of life and deserved to be called a bright and shining lamp by that Light itself, which is Christ. John was baptised in his own blood, though he had been privileged to baptise the Redeemer of the world, to hear the voice of the Father above him, and to see the grace of the Holy Spirit descending upon him. But to endure temporal agonies for the sake of the truth was not a heavy burden for such men as John; rather it was easily borne and even desirable, for he knew eternal joy would be his reward.
Since death was ever near at hand through the inescapable necessity of nature, such men considered it a blessing to embrace it and thus gain the reward of eternal life by acknowledging Christ’s name. Hence the apostle Paul rightly says: You have been granted the privilege not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for his sake. He tells us why it is Christ’s gift that his chosen ones should suffer for him: The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us.

Concluding Prayer
O God, it was your will that John the Baptist should be your Son’s forerunner in both birth and death. Just as he fell a martyr, witness to truth and righteousness, so may we fight fiercely to proclaim your teaching. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

Mass Readings

Office of Readings