DAILY MASS READING - TUESDAY JUNE 21st,2016

Tuesday of week 12 in Ordinary Time

  (Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, Religious )

Liturgical Colour: White.

Readings at Mass

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Entrance Antiphon	Cf. Ps 23: 4, 3

The clean of hands and pure of heart

shall climb the mountain of the Lord

and stand in his holy place.

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Collect

O God, giver of heavenly gifts,

who in Saint Aloysius Gonzaga

joined penitence to a wonderful innocence of life,

grant, through his merits and intercession,

that, though we have failed to follow him in innocence,

we may imitate him in penitence.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

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First reading
2 Kings 19:9-11,14-21,31-36

Sennacherib, King of the Assyrians, sent messengers to Hezekiah saying, ‘Tell this to Hezekiah king of Judah, “Do not let your God on whom you are relying deceive you, when he says: Jerusalem shall not fall into the power of the king of Assyria. You have learnt by now what the kings of Assyria have done to every country, putting them all under the ban. Are you likely to be spared?’

  Hezekiah took the letter from the hands of the messenger and read it; he then went up to the Temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. Hezekiah said this prayer in the presence of the Lord, ‘O Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, enthroned on the cherubs, you alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth, you have made heaven and earth.

‘Give ear, Lord, and listen.

Open your eyes, Lord, and see.

Hear the words of Sennacherib

who has sent to insult the living God.

‘It is true, O Lord, that the kings of Assyria have exterminated all the nations, they have thrown their gods on the fire, for these were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, and hence they have destroyed them. But now, O Lord our God, save us from his hand, I pray you, and let all the kingdoms of the earth know that you alone are God, the Lord.’

  Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah. ‘The Lord, the God of Israel,’ he said, ‘says this, “I have heard the prayer you have addressed to me about Sennacherib king of Assyria.” Here is the oracle that the Lord has pronounced against him:

‘“She despises you, she scorns you,

the virgin, daughter of Zion;

she tosses her head behind you,

the daughter of Jerusalem.”

‘This, then, is what the Lord says about the king of Assyria:

‘“He will not enter this city,

he will let fly no arrow against it,

confront it with no shield,

throw up no earthwork against it.

By the road that he came on he will return;

he shall not enter this city. It is the Lord who speaks.

I will protect this city and save it

for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”’

That same night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp. Sennacherib struck camp and left; he returned home and stayed in Nineveh.

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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 47:2-4,10-11

God upholds his city for ever.

The Lord is great and worthy to be praised

  in the city of our God.

His holy mountain rises in beauty,

  the joy of all the earth.

God upholds his city for ever.

Mount Zion, true pole of the earth,

  the Great King’s city!

God, in the midst of its citadels,

  has shown himself its stronghold.

God upholds his city for ever.

O God, we ponder your love

  within your temple.

Your praise, O God, like your name

  reaches the ends of the earth.

God upholds his city for ever.

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Gospel Acclamation	Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father,

Lord of heaven and earth,

for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom

to mere children.

Alleluia!

Or	Jn8:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;

anyone who follows me will have the light of life.

Alleluia!

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Gospel
Matthew 7:6,12-14

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.

  ‘So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.

  ‘Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to perdition is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.’

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Prayer over the Offerings

Grant us, O Lord,

that by the example of Saint Aloysius,

we may take our place at the heavenly banquet,

clothed always in our wedding garment,

so that, by participation in this mystery,

we may possess the riches of your grace.

Through Christ our Lord.

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Communion Antiphon	Ps 77: 24-25

God gave them bread from heaven;

man ate the bread of Angels.

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Prayer after Communion

Bring us, who have been fed

with the food of Angels, O Lord,

to serve you in purity of life,

and, following the example of Saint Aloysius,

whom we honour today,

may we persevere in constant thanksgiving.

Through Christ our Lord.