Reading I

 

A reading from the Book of the prophet Isaiah (Is 26:7-9, 12, 16-19)

 

The way of the just is smooth;

the path of the just you make level.

Yes, for your way and your judgments, O LORD,

we look to you;

Your name and your title

are the desire of our souls.

My soul yearns for you in the night,

yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you;

When your judgment dawns upon the earth,

the world’s inhabitants learn justice.

O LORD, you mete out peace to us,

for it is you who have accomplished all we have done. O LORD, oppressed by your punishment,

we cried out in anguish under your chastising.

As a woman about to give birth

writhes and cries out in her pains,

so were we in your presence, O LORD, We conceived and writhed in pain,

giving birth to wind;

Salvation we have not achieved for the earth,

the inhabitants of the world cannot bring it forth.

But your dead shall live, their corpses shall rise;

awake and sing, you who lie in the dust.

For your dew is a dew of light,

and the land of shades gives birth.

 

 

Responsorial Psalm (Ps 102:13-14AB AND 15, 16-18, 19-21)

  1. (20b) From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

You, O LORD, abide forever,

and your name through all generations.

You will arise and have mercy on Zion,

for it is time to pity her.

For her stones are dear to your servants,

and her dust moves them to pity.

  1. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,

and all the kings of the earth your glory,

When the LORD has rebuilt Zion

and appeared in his glory;

When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,

and not despised their prayer.

  1. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

Let this be written for the generation to come,

and let his future creatures praise the LORD:

“The LORD looked down from his holy height,

from heaven he beheld the earth,

To hear the groaning of the prisoners,

to release those doomed to die.”

  1. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

 

 

Alleluia (Mt 11:28)

  1. Alleluia, alleluia.

Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened,

and I will give you rest, says the Lord.

  1. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 11:28-30)

 

Jesus said:

“Come to me, all you who labour and are burdened,

and I will give you rest.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

for I am meek and humble of heart;

and you will find rest for yourselves.

For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

 

WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER

The Lord knows how arduous life can be. He knows that many things weary the heart: (…) disappointments and wounds of the past, burdens to carry and wrongs to bear in the present, uncertainties and worries about the future. In the face of all this, Jesus’ first word is an invitation, a call to move and respond: “Come”. The mistake, when things go wrong, is to stay where we are. Jesus does not lift the burdens from our life, but the anguish from our heart; he does not take away our cross, but carries it with us. And with him every burden becomes light (cf. v. 30), because he is the comfort we seek. (Angelus, 9 July 2017)