Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Zephaniah

In your midst I will leave a humble and a lowly people.

Seek the Lord

all you, the humble of the earth,

who obey his commands.

Seek integrity,

seek humility:

you may perhaps find shelter

on the day of the anger of the Lord.

In your midst I will leave

a humble and lowly people,

and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord.

They will do no wrong,

will tell no lies;

and the perjured tongue will no longer

be found in their mouths.

But they will be able to graze and rest

with no one to disturb them.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Zephaniah

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,

who do his commands;

seek righteousness, seek humility;

perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the Lord’s wrath.

For I will leave in the midst of you

a people humble and lowly.

They shall seek refuge in the name of the Lord-

the remnant of Israel;

they shall do no wrong and utter no lies,

nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouths.

Then they will pasture and lie down,

and no one shall make them afraid.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 145:7-10 (JB)

R. Happy the poor in spirit;

the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

or

R. Alleluia!

It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,

who is just to those who are oppressed.

It is he who gives bread to the hungry,

the Lord, who sets prisoners free. R.

It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,

who raises up those who are bowed down,

the Lord, who protects the stranger

and upholds the widow and orphan. R.

It is the Lord who loves the just

but thwarts the path of the wicked.

The Lord will reign for ever,

Zion’s God, from age to age. R.

1 Corinthians 1:26–31 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians

God has chosen what is weak by human reckoning.

Take yourselves, brothers, at the time when you were called: how many of you were wise in the ordinary sense of the word, how many were influential people, or came from noble families? No, it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen – those who are nothing at all to show those who are everything. The human race has nothing to boast about to God, but you, God has made members of Christ Jesus and by God’s doing he has become our wisdom, and our virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom. As scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians

Consider your own call, brothers and sisters:

not many of you were wise by human standards,

not many were powerful,

not many were of noble birth.

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise;

God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

God chose what is low and despised in the world,

things that are not,

to reduce to nothing things that are,

so that no one might boast in the presence of God.

God is the source of your life in Christ Jesus,

who became for us wisdom from God,

and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

in order that, as it is written,

“Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Matthew 5:12 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Rejoice and be glad;

Your reward will be great in heaven.

Alleluia!

Matthew 5:12 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Rejoice and be glad;

your reward will be great in heaven.

Alleluia!

Matthew 5:1-12 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Happy are the poor in spirit.

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit;

theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy the gentle:

they shall have the earth for their heritage.

Happy those who mourn:

they shall be comforted.

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right:

they shall be satisfied.

Happy the merciful:

they shall have mercy shown them.

Happy the pure in heart:

they shall see God.

Happy the peacemakers:

they shall be called sons of God.

Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:

theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 5:1-12 (NRSV)

 A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain;

and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.

Then he began to speak, and he taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

for they will be filled.

“Blessed are the merciful,

for they will receive mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,

for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you

and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

Rejoice and be glad,

for your reward is great in heaven,

for in the same way they persecuted the prophets

who were before you.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.