DAILY MASS READING - SATURDAY JULY 30th,2016

Saturday of week 17 in Ordinary Time 

  or Saint Peter Chrysologus, Bishop, Doctor 

  or Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary 

Liturgical Colour: Green.

Readings at Mass

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Entrance Antiphon
Cf. Ps 67: 6-7, 36

God is in his holy place,

God who unites those who dwell in his house;

he himself gives might and strength to his people.

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Collect

O God, protector of those who hope in you,

without whom nothing has firm foundation, nothing is holy,

bestow in abundance your mercy upon us

and grant that, with you as our ruler and guide,

we may use the good things that pass

in such a way as to hold fast even now

to those that ever endure.

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
Jeremiah 26:11-16,24

The priests and prophets addressed the officials and all the people, ‘This man deserves to die, since he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.’ Jeremiah, however, replied to the people as follows:

  ‘The Lord himself sent me to say all the things you have heard against this Temple and this city. So now amend your behaviour and actions, listen to the voice of the Lord your God: if you do, he will relent and not bring down on you the disaster he has pronounced against you. For myself, I am as you see in your hands. Do whatever you please or think right with me. But be sure of this, that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood on yourselves, on this city and on its citizens, since the Lord has truly sent me to you to say all these words in your hearing.’

  The officials and all the people then said to the priests and prophets, ‘This man does not deserve to die: he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.’

  Jeremiah had a protector in Ahikam son of Shaphan, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 68:15-16,30-31,33-34

In your great love, answer me, O God.

Rescue me from sinking in the mud;

  save me from my foes.

Save me from the waters of the deep

  lest the waves overwhelm me.

Do not let the deep engulf me

  nor death close its mouth on me.

In your great love, answer me, O God.

As for me in my poverty and pain

  let your help, O God, lift me up.

I will praise God’s name with a song;

  I will glorify him with thanksgiving.

In your great love, answer me, O God.

The poor when they see it will be glad

  and God-seeking hearts will revive;

for the Lord listens to the needy

  and does not spurn his servants in their chains.

In your great love, answer me, O God.

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Gospel Acclamation	cf.Lk8:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are those who,

with a noble and generous heart,

take the word of God to themselves

and yield a harvest through their perseverance.

Alleluia!

Or	Mt5:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy those who are persecuted

in the cause of right,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Alleluia!

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Gospel	Matthew 14:1-12

Herod the tetrarch heard about the reputation of Jesus, and said to his court, ‘This is John the Baptist himself; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’

  Now it was Herod who had arrested John, chained him up and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her.’ He had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet. Then, during the celebrations for Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and so delighted Herod that he promised on oath to give her anything she asked. Prompted by her mother she said, ‘Give me John the Baptist’s head, here, on a dish.’ The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered it to be given her, and sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought in on a dish and given to the girl who took it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went off to tell Jesus.

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Prayer over the Offerings

Accept, O Lord, we pray, the offerings

which we bring from the abundance of your gifts,

that through the powerful working of your grace

these most sacred mysteries may sanctify our present way of life

and lead us to eternal gladness.

Through Christ our Lord.

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Communion Antiphon	Ps 102: 2

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and never forget all his benefits.

Or	Mt 5: 7-8

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God.

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Prayer after Communion

We have consumed, O Lord, this divine Sacrament,

the perpetual memorial of the Passion of your Son;

grant, we pray, that this gift,

which he himself gave us with love beyond all telling,

may profit us for salvation.

Through Christ our Lord.