Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Isaiah

I will lead the foreigners to my holy mountain.

Thus says the Lord: Have a care for justice, act with integrity, for soon my salvation will come and my integrity be manifest.

Foreigners who have attached themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love his name and be his servants – all who observe the sabbath, not profaning it, and cling to my covenant – these I will bring to my holy mountain. I will make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their holocausts and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Isaiah 56:1, 6-7 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah

Thus says the Lord:

“Maintain justice, and do what is right,

for soon my salvation will come,

and my deliverance be revealed.

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,

to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord,

and to be his servants,

all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it,

and hold fast my covenant-

these I will bring to my holy mountain.

and make them joyful in my house of prayer;

their burnt offerings and their sacrifices

will be accepted on my altar;

for my house shall be called a house of prayer

for all peoples.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 66:2-3, 5-6, 8 (JB)

R. O God, let all the nations praise you!

O God, be gracious and bless us

and let your face shed its light upon us.

So will your ways be known upon earth

and all nations learn your saving help. R.

Let the nations be glad and exult

for you rule the world with justice.

With fairness you rule the peoples,

you guide the nations on earth. R.

Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you.

May God still give us his blessing

till the ends of the earth revere him. R.

Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

The gifts and call of God are irrevocable.

Let me tell you pagans this: I have been sent to the pagans as their apostle, and I am proud of being sent, but the purpose of it is to make my own people envious of you, and in this way save some of them. Since their rejection meant the reconciliation of the world, do you know what their admission will mean? Nothing less than a resurrection from the dead! God never takes back his gifts or revokes his choice.

Just as you changed from being disobedient to God, and now enjoy mercy because of their disobedience, so those who are disobedient now – and only because of the mercy shown to you – will also enjoy mercy eventually. God has imprisoned all men in their own disobedience only to show mercy to all mankind.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Romans 11:13-15, 29-32 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

Now I am speaking to you Gentiles.

Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles,

I glorify my ministry

in order to make my own people jealous,

and thus save some of them.

For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world,

what will their acceptance be but life from the dead!

The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

Just as you were once disobedient to God

but have now received mercy because of their disobedience,

so they have now been disobedient

in order that, by the mercy shown to you,

they too may now receive mercy.

For God has imprisoned all in disobedience

so that he may be merciful to all.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Matthew 4:23 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus preached the Good News of the kingdom

and healed all who were sick.

Alleluia!

Matthew 4:23 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Jesus preached the good news of the kingdom

and healed all who were sick.

Alleluia!

Matthew 15:21-28 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Woman, you have great faith.

Jesus left Gennesaret and withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Then out came a Canaanite woman from that district and started shouting, ‘Sir, Son of David, take pity on me. My daughter is tormented by a devil.’ But he answered her not a word. And his disciples went and pleaded with him. ‘Give her what she wants,’ they said ‘because she is shouting after us.’ He said in reply, ‘I was sent only to the lost sheep of the House of Israel.’ But the woman had come up and was kneeling at his feet. ‘Lord,’ she said ‘help me.’ He replied, ‘It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the house-dogs.’ She retorted, ‘Ah yes, sir; but even house-dogs can eat the scraps that fall from their master’s table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, you have great faith. Let your wish be granted.’ And from that moment her daughter was well again.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 15:21-28 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

Jesus went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon.

A Canaanite woman from that region came out,

and started shouting,

“Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David;

my daughter is tormented by a demon.”

But he did not answer her at all.

And his disciples came and urged him, saying,

“Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.”

He answered,

“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But the woman came and knelt before him,

saying, “Lord, help me.”

He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food

and throw it to the dogs.”

She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs

that fall from their masters’ table.”

Then Jesus answered her,

“Woman, great is your faith!

Let it be done for you as you wish.”

And her daughter was healed instantly.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.