16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Genesis 18:1-10 (JB)

A reading from the book of Genesis

Lord, do not bypass your servant.

The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up, and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and bowed to the ground. ‘My Lord,’ he said ‘I beg you, if I find favour with you, kindly do not pass your servant by. A little water shall be brought; you shall wash your feet and lie down under the tree. Let me fetch a little bread and you shall refresh yourselves before going further. That is why you have come in your servant’s direction.’ They replied, ‘Do as you say.’

Abraham hastened to the tent to find Sarah. ‘Hurry,’ he said ‘knead three bushels of flour and make loaves.’ Then running to the cattle Abraham took a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it. Then taking cream, milk and the calf he had prepared, he laid all before them, and they ate while he remained standing near them under the tree.

‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ he asked him. ‘She is in the tent’ he replied. Then his guest said, ‘I shall visit you again next year without fail, and your wife will then have a son.’

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Genesis 18:1-10 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Genesis

The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre,

as Abraham sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day.

Abraham looked up and saw three men standing near him.

When he saw them,

he ran from the tent entrance to meet them,

and bowed down to the ground.

He said, “My lord, if I find favour with you,

do not pass by your servant.

Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet,

and rest yourselves under the tree.

Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves,

and after that you may pass on-

since you have come to your servant.”

So they said, “Do as you have said.”

And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said,

“Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour,

knead it, and make cakes.”

Abraham ran to the herd,

and took a calf, tender and good,

and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it.

Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared,

and set it before them;

and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

They said to Abraham,

“Where is your wife Sarah?”

And he said, “There, in the tent.”

Then one said,

“I will surely return to you in due season,

and your wife Sarah shall have a son.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 14:2-5 (JB)

R. The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?

He who walks without fault;

he who acts with justice

and speaks the truth from his heart;

he who does not slander with his tongue. R.

He who does no wrong to his brother,

who casts no slur on his neighbour,

who holds the godless in disdain,

but honours those who fear the Lord. R.

He who keeps his pledge come what may;

who takes no interest on a loan

and accepts no bribes against the innocent.

Such a man will stand firm for ever. R.

Colossians 1:24-28 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians

The mystery hidden for centuries has now been revealed to his saints.

It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my own body to do what I can to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body, the Church. I became the servant of the Church when God made me responsible for delivering God’s message to you, the message which was a mystery hidden for generations and centuries and has now been revealed to his saints. It was God’s purpose to reveal it to them and to show all the rich glory of this mystery to pagans. The mystery is Christ among you, your hope of glory: this is the Christ we proclaim, this is the wisdom in which we thoroughly train everyone and instruct everyone, to make them all perfect in Christ.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Colossians 1:24-28 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Colossians

I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake,

and in my flesh I am completing

what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions

for the sake of his body, that is, the church.

I became its servant

according to God’s commission that was given to me for you,

to make the word of God fully known,

the mystery that has been hidden

throughout the ages and generations

but has now been revealed to his saints.

To them God chose to make known

how great among the Gentiles

are the riches of the glory of this mystery,

which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

It is Christ whom we proclaim,

warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom,

so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

cf Luke 8:15 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy are they who have kept the word with a generous heart

and yield a harvest through perseverance.

Alleluia!

Luke 8:15 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart

and yield a harvest through perseverance.

Alleluia!

Luke 10:38-42 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

Martha took up the duties in the house. Mary chose the better part.

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said, ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 10:38-42 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke

Now as Jesus and his disciples went on their way,

he entered a certain village,

where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

She had a sister named Mary,

who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying.

But Martha was distracted by her many tasks;

so she came to Jesus and asked,

“Lord, do you not care

that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?

Tell her then to help me.”

But the Lord answered her,

“Martha, Martha,

you are worried and distracted by many things;

there is need of only one thing.

Mary has chosen the better part,

which will not be taken away from her.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.