Pastoral Care of the Sick - Readings
Go to the General Introduction
For the Pastoral Care of the Sick and Dying
Go to the Readings for Viaticum
1. Anointing of the Sick
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Go to the Readings for Outside the Easter Season
Go to the Responsorial Psalms
Go to the Verse before the Gospel
Go to the Gospel
Reading from the Old Testament
1 Kings 19 Elijah, tired from the journey, is comforted by God.
Job 3 Why is light given to the toilers?
Job 7 Remember that my life is like the wind.
Job 7 What is man that you make much of him?
Job 19 I know that my Vindicator lives.
Wisdom 9 Who ever knew your counsel, except you had given Wisdom?
Isaiah 35 Strengthen the hands that are feeble.
Is 52/53 Our sufferings he endured.
Is 61 The Spirit of the Lord has sent me to comfort all who mourn.
790.1 [LM] 1 Kg 19:1-8
Elijah, tired from the journey, is comforted by God.
A reading from the first Book of Kings
Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done—
that he had put all the prophets to the sword.
Jezebel then sent a messenger to Elijah and said,
“May the gods do thus and so to me
if by this time tomorrow
I have not done with your life what was done to each of them.”
Elijah was afraid and fled for his life,
going to Beer-sheba of Judah.
He left his servant there and went a day’s journey into the desert,
until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it.
He prayed for death:
“This is enough, O LORD!
Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree,
but then an angel touched him and ordered him to get up and eat.
He looked and there at his head was a hearth cake
and a jug of water.
After he ate and drank, he lay down again,
but the angel of the LORD came back a second time,
touched him, and ordered, “Get up and eat,
else the journey will be too long for you!”
He got up, ate and drank;
then strengthened by that food,
he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.
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790.2 [LM] Jb 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23
Why is light given to the toilers?
A reading from the Book of Job
Job opened his mouth and cursed his day.
He spoke out and said:
Perish the day on which I was born,
the night when they said, “The child is a boy!”
Why did I not perish at birth,
come forth from the womb and expire?
Or why was I not buried away like an untimely birth,
like babes that have never seen the light?
Wherefore did the knees receive me?
or why did I suck at the breasts?
For then I should have lain down and been tranquil;
had I slept, I should then have been at rest
With kings and counselors of the earth
who built where now there are ruins
Or with princes who had gold
and filled their houses with silver.
There the wicked cease from troubling,
there the weary are at rest.
Why is light given to the toilers,
and life to the bitter in spirit?
They wait for death and it comes not;
they search for it rather than for hidden treasures,
Rejoice in it exultingly,
and are glad when they reach the grave:
Men whose path is hidden from them,
and whom God has hemmed in!
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790.3 [LM] Jb 7:1-4, 6-11
Remember that my life is like the wind.
A reading from the Book of Job
Job spoke, saying:
Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery?
Are not his days those of a hireling?
He is a slave who longs for the shade,
a hireling who waits for his wages.
So I have been assigned months of misery,
and troubled nights have been told off for me.
If in bed I say, “When shall I arise?”
Then the night drags on;
I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.
My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle;
they come to an end without hope.
Remember that my life is like the wind;
I shall not see happiness again.
The eye that now sees me shall no more behold me;
as you look at me, I shall be gone.
As a cloud dissolves and vanishes,
so he who goes down to the nether world shall come up no more.
He shall not again return to his house;
his place shall know him no more.
My own utterance I will not restrain;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
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790.4 [LM] Jb 712:21
What is man that you make much of him?
A reading from the Book of Job
Job spoke, saying:
Am I the sea, or a monster of the deep,
that you place a watch over me?
Why have you set me up as an object of attack;
or why should I be a target for you?
When I say, “My bed shall comfort me,
my couch shall ease my complaint,”
Then you affright me with dreams
and with visions terrify me,
So that I should prefer choking
and death rather than my pains.
I waste away: I cannot live forever;
let me alone, for my days are but a breath.
What is man, that you make much of him,
or pay him any heed?
You observe him with each new day
and try him at every moment!
How long will it be before you look away from me,
and let me alone long enough to swallow my spittle?
Though I have sinned, what can I do to you,
O watcher of men?
Why do you not pardon my offense,
or take away my guilt?
For soon I shall lie down in the dust;
and should you seek me I shall then be gone.
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790.5 [LM] Jb 19:23-27a
I know that my Vindicator lives.
A reading from the Book of Job
Job spoke, saying:
Oh, would that my words were written down!
That with an iron chisel and with lead
they were cut in the rock forever!
But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives,
and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust;
Whom I myself shall see.
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790.6 [LM] Wis 9:9-11, 13-18
Who ever knew your counsel, except you had given Wisdom?
A reading from the Book of Wisdom
[O Lord of mercy,] with you is Wisdom, who knows your works
and was present when you made the world;
Who understands what is pleasing in your eyes
and what is conformable with your commands.
Send her forth from your holy heavens
and from your glorious throne dispatch her
That she may be with me and work with me,
that I may know what is your pleasure.
For she knows and understands all things,
and will guide me discreetly in my affairs
and safeguard me by her glory;
For what man knows God’s counsel,
or who can conceive what the LORD intends?
For the deliberations of mortals are timid,
and unsure are our plans.
For the corruptible body burdens the soul
and the earthen shelter weighs down the mind that has many concerns.
And scarce do we guess the things on earth,
and what is within our grasp we find with difficulty;
but when things are in heaven, who can search them out?
Or who ever knew your counsel, except you had given Wisdom
and sent your Holy Spirit from on high?
And thus were the paths of those on earth made straight,
and men learned what was your pleasure,
and were saved by Wisdom.
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790.7 [LM] Is 35:1-10
Strengthen the hands that are feeble
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah
In those days:
The desert and the parched land will exult;
the steppe will rejoice and bloom.
They will bloom with abundant flowers,
and rejoice with joyful song.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
They will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the hands that are feeble,
make firm the knees that are weak,
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
With divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
Then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the dumb will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water;
The abode where jackals lurk
will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus.
A highway will be there,
called the holy way;
No one unclean may pass over it,
nor fools go astray on it.
No lion will be there,
nor beast of prey go up to be met upon it.
It is for those with a journey to make,
and on it the redeemed will walk.
Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
They will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee.
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790.8 [LM] Is 52:13-53:12
Our sufferings he endured
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah
See, my servant shall prosper,
he shall be raised high and greatly exalted.
Even as many were amazed at him—
so marred was his look beyond human semblance,
and his appearance beyond that of the sons of man—
So shall he startle many nations,
because of him kings shall stand speechless;
For those who have not been told shall see,
those who have not heard shall ponder it.
Who would believe what we have heard?
To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
He grew up like a sapling before him,
like a shoot from the parched earth;
There was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him,
nor appearance that would attract us to him.
He was spurned and avoided by people,
a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity,
One of those from whom men hide their faces,
spurned, and we held him in no esteem.
Yet it was our infirmities that he bore,
our sufferings that he endured,
While we thought of him as stricken,
as one smitten by God and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our offenses,
crushed for our sins,
Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole,
by his stripes we were healed.
We had all gone astray like sheep,
each following his own way;
But the LORD laid upon him the guilt of us all.
Though he was harshly treated, he submitted
and opened not his mouth;
Like a lamb led to the slaughter
or a sheep before the shearers,
he was silent and opened not his mouth.
Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away,
and who would have thought any more of his destiny?
When he was cut off from the land of the living,
and smitten for the sin of his people,
A grave was assigned him among the wicked
and a burial place with evildoers,
Though he had done no wrong
nor spoken any falsehood.
But the LORD was pleased
to crush him in infirmity.
If he gives his life as an offering for sin,
he shall see his descendants in a long life,
and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.
Because of his affliction
he shall see the light in fullness of days;
Through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,
and their guilt he shall bear.
Therefore I will give him his portion among the great,
and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty,
Because he surrendered himself to death
and was counted among the wicked;
And he shall take away the sins of many,
and win pardon for their offenses.
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790.9 [LM] Is 61:1-3abcd
The Spirit of the Lord has sent me to comfort all who mourn.
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah
The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me;
He has sent me to bring glad tidings to the lowly,
to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
and release to the prisoners,
To announce a year of favor from the LORD
and a day of vindication by our God,
to comfort all who mourn;
To place on those who mourn in Zion
a diadem instead of ashes,
To give them oil of gladness in place of mourning,
a glorious mantle instead of a listless spirit.
Reading from the New Testament During the Season of Easter
Acts 3 In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise!
Acts 3 Faith in the risen Jesus has given him perfect health.
Acts 4 Nor is there nay other name by which we are to be saved.
Acts 13 The one whom God raised did not see corruption.
791 [LM] First Option Acts 3:1-10
In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise!
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Peter and John were going up to the temple area
for the three o’clock hour of prayer.
And a man crippled from birth
was carried and placed at the gate of the temple called “the Beautiful Gate”
every day to beg for alms from the people who entered the temple.
When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple,
he asked for alms.
But Peter looked intently at him, as did John,
and said, “Look at us.”
He paid attention to them,
expecting to receive something from them.
Peter said, “I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you:
in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk.”
Then Peter took him by the right hand and raised him up,
and immediately his feet and ankles grew strong.
He leaped up, stood, and walked around,
and went into the temple with them,
walking and jumping and praising God.
When all the people saw him walking and praising God,
they recognized him as the one
who used to sit begging at the Beautiful Gate of the temple,
and they were filled with amazement and astonishment
at what had happened to him.
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Second Option Acts 3:11-16
Faith in the risen Jesus has given him perfect health.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
As the beggar who had been cured clung to Peter and John,
all the people hurried in amazement toward
them in the portico called “Solomon's Portico.”
When Peter saw this, he addressed the people,
“You children of Israel, why are you amazed at this,
and why do you look so intently at us
as if we had made him walk by our own power or piety?
The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,
the God of our ancestors, has glorified his servant Jesus
whom you handed over and denied in Pilate’s presence,
when he had decided to release him.
You denied the Holy and Righteous One
and asked that a murderer be released to you.
The author of life you put to death,
but God raised him from the dead; of this we are witnesses.
And by faith in his name,
this man, whom you see and know, his name has made strong,
and the faith that comes through it
has given him this perfect health,
in the presence of all of you.”
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Third Option Acts 4:8-12
Nor is there any other name by which we are to be saved.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said:
“Leaders of the people and elders:
If we are being examined today
about a good deed done to a cripple,
namely, by what means he was saved,
then all of you and all the people of Israel should know
that it was in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarean
whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead;
in his name this man stands before you healed.
He is the stone rejected by you,
the builders, which has become the cornerstone.
There is no salvation through anyone else,
nor is there any other name under heaven
given to the human race by which we are to be saved.”
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Fourth Option Acts 13:32-39
The one whom God raised up did not see corruption.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
Paul said:
“We ourselves are proclaiming this good news to you
that what God promised our fathers
he has brought to fulfillment for us, their children,
by raising up Jesus,
as it is written in the second psalm,
You are my son; this day I have begotten you.
And that he raised him from the dead never to return to corruption
he declared in this way,
I shall give you the benefits assured to David.
That is why he also says in another psalm,
You will not suffer your holy one to see corruption.
Now David, after he had served the will of God in his lifetime,
fell asleep, was gathered to his ancestors, and did see corruption.
But the one whom God raised up did not see corruption.
You must know, my brothers,
that through him forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you,
and in regard to everything from which you could not be justified under the law of Moses,
in him every believer is justified.”
Reading from the New Testament During Other Seasons
Rom 8 If only we suffer with him, we will also be glorified with him.
Rom 18 We also groan as we wait for the redemption of our bodies.
Rom 8 Who will separate us from the love of Christ?
1 Cor 1 The weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
1 Cor 12 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it.
1 Cor 15 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised.
2 Cor 4 Our inner self is being renewed day by day.
2 Cor 5 We have an eternal dwelling in heaven.
Gal 4 Because of a physical illness I originally preached the Gospel to you.
Phil 2:25-30 He was indeed ill, but God had mercy on him.
Col 1 In my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.
Heb 4/5 We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.
Jas 5 The prayer of faith will save the sick person.
1 Pt 1 You rejoice, although now for a little while you may have to suffer.
1 Jn 3 What we shall be has not yet been revealed.
792.1 [LM] Rom 8:14-17
If only we suffer with him, we will also be glorified with him.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
Brothers and sisters:
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received a spirit of adoption,
through which we cry, “Abba, Father!”
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with
him so that we may also be glorified with him.
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792.2 [LM] Rom 8:18-27
We also groan as we wait for the redemption of our bodies.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
Brothers and sisters:
I consider that the sufferings of this present time are as nothing
compared with the glory to be revealed for us.
For creation awaits with eager expectation
the revelation of the children of God;
for creation was made subject to futility,
not of its own accord but because of the one who subjected it,
in hope that creation itself
would be set free from slavery to corruption
and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that all creation is groaning in labor pains even until now;
and not only that, but we ourselves,
who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
we also groan within ourselves
as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies.
For in hope we were saved.
Now hope that sees for itself is not hope.
For who hopes for what one sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.
In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness;
for we do not know how to pray as we ought,
but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.
And the one who searches hearts
knows what is the intention of the Spirit,
because it intercedes for the holy ones
according to God’s will.
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792.3 [LM] Rom 831b-35, 37-39
Who will separate us from the love of Christ?
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans
Brothers and sisters:
If God is for us, who can be against us?
He who did not spare his own Son
but handed him over for us all,
how will he not also give us everything else along with him?
Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones?
It is God who acquits us.
Who will condemn?
It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised,
who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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792.4 [LM] 1 Cor 1:18-25
The weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
For it is written:
I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the learning of the learned I will set aside.
Where is the wise one?
Where is the scribe?
Where is the debater of this age?
Has not God made the wisdom of the world foolish?
For since in the wisdom of God
the world did not come to know God through wisdom,
it was the will of God through the foolishness of the proclamation
to save those who have faith.
For Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,
but we proclaim Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
but to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
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792.5 (For the Dying) [LM] 1 Cor 12:12-22, 24b-27
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Now the body is not a single part, but many.
If a foot should say,
“Because I am not a hand I do not belong to the body,”
it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
Or if an ear should say,
“Because I am not an eye I do not belong to the body,”
it does not for this reason belong any less to the body.
If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be?
If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
But as it is, God placed the parts,
each one of them, in the body as he intended.
If they were all one part, where would the body be?
But as it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you,”
nor again the head to the feet, “I do not need you.”
Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker
are all the more necessary,
But God has so constructed the body
as to give greater honor to a part that is without it,
so that there may be no division in the body,
but that the parts may have the same concern for one another.
If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it;
if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy.
Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.
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792.6 (For the Dying) [LM] 1 Cor 15:12-20
If there is no resurrection of the dead, then neither has Christ been raised.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
If Christ is preached as raised from the dead,
how can some among you say there is no resurrection of the dead?
If there is no resurrection of the dead,
then neither has Christ been raised.
And if Christ has not been raised, then empty too is our preaching;
empty, too, your faith.
Then we are also false witnesses to God,
because we testified against God that he raised Christ,
whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised.
For if the dead are not raised, neither has Christ been raised,
and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is vain;
you are still in your sins.
Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ,
we are the most pitiable people of all.
But now Christ has been raised from the dead,
the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
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792.7 [LM] 2 Cor 4:16-18
Our inner self is being renewed day by day.
A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
We are not discouraged;
rather, although our outer self is wasting away,
our inner self is being renewed day by day.
For this momentary light affliction
is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen;
for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.
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792.8 [LM] 2 Cor 5:1, 6-10
We have an eternal dwelling in heaven.
A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
We know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent,
should be destroyed,
we have a building from God,
a dwelling not made with hands,
eternal in heaven.
So we are always courageous,
although we know that while we are at home in the body
we are away from the Lord,
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Yet we are courageous,
and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord.
Therefore, we aspire to please him,
whether we are at home or away.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each one may receive recompense,
according to what he did in the body, whether good or evil.
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792.9 [LM] Gal 4:12-19
Because of a physical illness I originally I originally preached the Gospel to you.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Galatians
I implore you, brothers and sisters,
be as I am,
because I have also become as you are.
You did me no wrong;
you know that it was because of a physical illness
that I originally preached the gospel to you,
and you did not show disdain or contempt
because of the trial caused you by my physical condition,
but rather you received me as an angel of God,
as Christ Jesus.
Where now is that blessedness of yours?
Indeed, I can testify to you that,
if it had been possible,
you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.
So now have I become your enemy
by telling you the truth?
They show interest in you,
but not in a good way;
they want to isolate you,
so that you may show interest in them.
Now it is good to be shown interest
for good reason at all times,
and not only when I am with you.
My children,
for whom I am again in labor
until Christ be formed in you!
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792.10 [LM] Phil 2:25-30
He was indeed ill, but God had mercy on him.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians
Brothers and sisters:
With regard to Epaphroditus,
my brother and co-worker and fellow soldier,
your messenger and minister in my need,
I consider it necessary to send him to you.
For he has been longing for all of you
and was distressed because you heard that he was ill.
He was indeed ill, close to death;
but God had mercy on him,
not just on him but also on me,
so that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.
I send him therefore with the greater eagerness,
so that, on seeing him,
you may rejoice again,
and I may have less anxiety.
Welcome him then in the Lord with all joy
and hold such people in esteem,
because for the sake of the work of Christ
he came close to death,
risking his life to make up for those services to me
that you could not perform.
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792.11 [LM] Col 1:22-29
In my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians
Brothers and sisters:
Christ Jesus has now reconciled you
in his fleshly Body through his death,
to present you holy, without blemish,
and irreproachable before him,
provided that you persevere in the faith,
firmly grounded, stable,
and not shifting from the hope of the Gospel that you heard,
which has been preached to every creature under heaven,
of which I, Paul, am a minister.
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake,
and in my flesh I am filling up
what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ
on behalf of his body, which is the Church,
of which I am a minister
in accordance with God’s stewardship given to me
to bring to completion for you the word of God,
the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past.
But now it has been manifested to his holy ones,
to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory
of this mystery among the Gentiles;
it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.
It is he whom we proclaim,
admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom,
that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.
For this I labor and struggle,
in accord with the exercise of his power working within me.
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792.12 [LM] Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9
We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses.
A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews
Brothers and sisters:
Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,
Jesus, the Son of God,
let us hold fast to our confession.
For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who has similarly been tested in every way,
yet without sin.
So let us confidently approach the throne of grace
to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.
In the days when he was in the flesh,
he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears
to the one who was able to save him from death,
and he was heard because of his reverence.
Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered;
and when he was made perfect,
he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him,
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792.13 [LM] Jas 5:13-16
The prayer of faith will save the sick person.
A reading from the Letter of Saint James
Beloved:
Is anyone among you suffering?
He should pray. Is anyone in good spirits?
He should sing praise.
Is anyone among you sick?
He should summon the presbyters of the Church,
and they should pray over him
and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord,
and the prayer of faith will save the sick person,
and the Lord will raise him up.
If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.
Therefore, confess your sins to one another
and pray for one another, that you may be healed.
The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.
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792.14 [LM] 1 Pt 1:3-9
You rejoice, although nopw for a little while you may have to suffer.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Peter
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who in his great mercy gave us a new birth to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading,
kept in heaven for you
who by the power of God are safeguarded through faith,
to a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the final time.
In this you rejoice, although now for a little
while you may have to suffer through various trials,
so that the genuineness of your faith,
more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire,
may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor
at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Although you have not seen him you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
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792.15 [LM] 1 Jn 3:1-2
What we shall be has not yet been revealed.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint John
Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God’s children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed
we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
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792.16 [LM] Rv 21:1-7
There shall be no more death or mourning, wiling or pain.
A reading from the Book of Revelation
I, John, saw a new heaven and a new earth.
The former heaven and the former earth had passed away,
and the sea was no more.
I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem,
coming down out of heaven from God,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
“Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race.
He will dwell with them and they will be his people
and God himself will always be with them as their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes,
and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain,
for the old order has passed away.”
The one who sat on the throne said,
“Behold, I make all things new.”
Then he said, “Write these words down,
for they are trustworthy and true.”
He said to me, “They are accomplished.
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
the beginning and the end.
To the thirsty I will give a gift
from the spring of life-giving water.
The victor will inherit these gifts,
and I shall be his God,
and he will be my son.”
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792.17 [LM] Rv 22:17, 20-21
Come, Lord Jesus!
A reading from the Book of Revelation
The Spirit and the bride say,”"Come.”
Let the hearer say, “Come.”
Let the one who thirsts come forward,
and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water.
The one who gives this testimony says,
“Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you all.
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Responsorial Psalms
Isaiah 38
Psalm 6
Psalm 25
Psalm 27
Psalm 34
Psalm 42/43
Psalm 63
Psalm 71
Psalm 86
Psalm 90
Psalm 102
Psalm 103
Psalm 123
Psalm 143
793.1 [LM] Is 38:10, 11, 12abcd, 16
R. (See 17b) You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.
Once I said,
“In the noontime of life I must depart!
To the gates of the nether world I shall be consigned
for the rest of my years.”
R. You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.
I said, “I shall see the LORD no more
in the land of the living.
No longer shall I behold my fellow men
among those who dwell in the world.”
R. You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.
My dwelling, like a shepherd’s tent,
is struck down and borne away from me;
You have folded up my life, like a weaver
who severs the last thread.
R. You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.
Those live whom the LORD protects;
yours the life of my spirit.
You have given me health and life.
R. You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.
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793.2 [LM] Ps 6:2-4a, 4b-6, 9-10
R. (3) Have mercy on me, Lord; my strength is gone.
O LORD, reprove me not in your anger,
nor chastise me in your wrath.
Have mercy on me, O LORD, for my strength is gone;
heal me, O LORD, for my body is in terror;
My soul, too, is utterly terrified.
R. Have mercy on me, Lord; my strength is gone.
But you, O LORD, how long?
Return, O LORD, save my life;
rescue me because of your kindness
For among the dead no one remembers you;
in the nether world who gives you thanks?
R. Have mercy on me, Lord; my strength is gone.
Depart from me, all evildoers,
for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping;
The LORD has heard my plea;
the LORD accepted my prayer.
R. Have mercy on me, Lord; my strength is gone.
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793.3 [LM] Ps 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9, 10 and 14, 15-16
R. (1) To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;
teach me your paths,
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my savior.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Remember that your compassion, O LORD,
and your kindness are from of old.
In your kindness remember me,
because of your goodness, O LORD.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
Good and upright is the LORD;
thus he shows sinners the way.
He guides the humble to justice,
he teaches the humble his way.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancy
toward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.
The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,
and his covenant, for their instruction.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
for he will free my feet from the snare.
Look toward me, and have pity on me,
for I am alone and afflicted.
R. To you, O Lord, I lift my soul.
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793.4 [LM] Ps 27:1bcde, 4, 5, 7-8a, 8b-9ab, 9cd-10
R. (14) Put your hope in the Lord; take courage and be strong.
The LORD is my light and salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. Put your hope in the Lord; take courage and be strong.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. Put your hope in the Lord; take courage and be strong.
For he will hide me in his abode
in the day of trouble;
He will conceal me in the shelter of his tent,
he will set me high upon a rock.
R. Put your hope in the Lord; take courage and be strong.
Hear, O LORD, the sound of my call;
have pity on me, and answer me.
Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks.
R. Put your hope in the Lord; take courage and be strong.
Your presence, O LORD, I seek.
Hide not your face from me;
do not in anger repel your servant.
R. Put your hope in the Lord; take courage and be strong.
You are my helper: cast me not off;
forsake me not, O God, my savior.
Though my father and mother forsake me,
yet will the LORD receive me.
R. Put your hope in the Lord; take courage and be strong.
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793.5 [LM] Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 10-11, 12-13, 17 and 18
R. (19a) The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
or:
R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiate with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Fear the LORD, you his holy ones,
for nought is lacking to those who fear him.
The great grow poor and hungry;
but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Come, children, hear me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
Which of you desires life,
and takes delight in prosperous days?
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
or:
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
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793.6 [LM] Ps 42:3, 5cde; 43:3, 4
R. (42:2) Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go amd behold the face of God?
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
I went with the throng
and led them in procession to the house of God,
Amid loud cries of joy and thanksgiving.
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
Send forth your delight and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
Then will I go to the altar of God,
the God of my gladnss and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. Like a deer that longs for running streams, my soul longs for you, my God.
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793.7 [LM] Ps 63:2-3, 4-6, 7-9
R. (2b) My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
O God, you are my God, whom I seek;
for you my flesh pines and my souls thirsts
like the earth, parched, lifeless and without water.
Thus have I gazed toward you in the sanctuary
to see your power and your glory.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
For your kindness is a greater good than life;
my lips shall glorigy you.
Thus will I bless you while I live;
lifting up my hands, I will call upon your name.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
As with the riches of a banquet shall my soul be satisfied,
and with exultant lips my mouth shall praise you.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
I will remember you upon my couch,
and through the night-watches I will meditate on you:
That you are my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I shout for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.
R. My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
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793.8 [LM] Ps 71:1-2, 5-6ab, 8-9, 14-15
R. (12a) My God, come quickly to help me.
or:
R. (23) My lips, my very soul will shout for joy: you have redeemed me!
In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, and deliver me;
incline your ear to me, and save me.
R. My God, come quickly to help me.
or:
R. My lips, my very soul will shout for joy: you have redeemed me!
For you are my hope, O LORD;
my trust, O God, from my youth.
On you I depend from birth;
from my mother’s womb you are my strength.
R. My God, come quickly to help me.
or:
R. My lips, my very soul will shout for joy: you have redeemed me!
My mouth shall be filled with your praise,
with your glory day by day.
Cast me not off in my old age;
as my strength fails, forsake me not.
R. My God, come quickly to help me.
or:
R. My lips, my very soul will shout for joy: you have redeemed me!
But I will always hope
and praise you ever more and more.
My mouth shall declare your justice,
day by day your salvation,
though I know not their extent.
R. My God, come quickly to help me.
or:
R. My lips, my very soul will shout for joy: you have redeemed me!
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793.9 [LM] Ps 86:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 11, 12-13, 15-16ab
R. (1a) Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me.
or:
R. (15a and 16a) God, you are merciful and gracious; turn to me and have mercy.
Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me,
for I am afflicted and poor.
Keep my life, for I am devoted to you;
save your servant who trusts in you.
You are my God.
R. Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me.
or:
R. God, you are merciful and gracious; turn to me and have mercy.
Have mercy on me, O Lord,
for to you I call all the day.
Gladden the soul of your servant,
for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
R. Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me.
or:
R. God, you are merciful and gracious; turn to me and have mercy.
For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
abounding in kindness to all who call upon you.
Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer
and attend to the sound of my pleading.
R. My God, come quickly to help me.
or:
R. My lips, my very soul will shout for joy: you have redeemed me!
Teach me, O LORD, your way
that I may walk in your truth;
direct my heart that I may fear your name.
R. My God, come quickly to help me.
or:
R. My lips, my very soul will shout for joy: you have redeemed me!
I will give thanks to you, O Lord my God,
with all my heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
Great has been your kindness toward me;
you have been rescued me from the depths of the nether world.
R. My God, come quickly to help me.
or:
R. My lips, my very soul will shout for joy: you have redeemed me!
But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in kindness and fidelity.
Turn toward me, and have pity on me;
give your strength to your servant.
R. My God, come quickly to help me.
or:
R. My lips, my very soul will shout for joy: you have redeemed me!
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793.10 [LM] Ps 90:2, 3-4, 5-6, 10, 12, 14 and 16
R. (1) In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Before the mountains were begotten
and the earth and the world were brought forth,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You turn man back to dust,
saying, “Return, O children of men.”
For a thousand years in your sight
are as yesterday, now that it is past,
or as a watch of the night.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
You make an end of them in their sleep;
the next morning they are like the changing grass,
Which at dawn springs up anew,
but by evening wilts and fades.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Seventy is the sum of our years,
or eighty, if we are strong,
And most of them are fruitless toil,
for they pass quickly and we drift away.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,
that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.
Let your work be seen by your servants
and your glory by their children.
R. In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.
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793.11 [LM] Ps 102:2-3, 24-25, 26-28, 19-21
R. (2) O Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come to you.
O LORD, hear my prayer,
and let my cry come to you.
Hide not your face from me
in the day of my distress.
Incline your hear to me;
in the day when I call, answer me speedily.
R. O Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come to you.
He has broken down my strength in the way;
he has cut short my days.
I say: O my God,
Take me not hence in the midst of my days;
through all generations your years endure.
R. O Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come to you.
Of old you established the earth,
and the heavens are the work of your hands.
They shall perish, but you remain
though all of them grow old like a garment.
Like clothing you change them, and they are changed,
but you are the same, and your years have no end.
R. O Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come to you.
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.”
R. O Lord, hear my prayer and let my cry come to you.
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793.12 [LM] Ps 103:1bc-2, 3-4, 11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18
R. (1) O bless the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. (8) The Lord is kind and merciful; slow to anger and rich in compassion.
Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. The Lord is kind and merciful; slow to anger and rich in compassion.
He pardons all your iniquities,
he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. The Lord is kind and merciful; slow to anger and rich in compassion.
For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him,
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. The Lord is kind and merciful; slow to anger and rich in compassion.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him.
For he knows how we are formed;
he remembers that we are dust.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. The Lord is kind and merciful; slow to anger and rich in compassion.
Man’s days are like those of grass;
like a flower of the field he blooms;
The wind sweeps over him and he is gone,
and his place knows him no more.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. The Lord is kind and merciful; slow to anger and rich in compassion.
But the kindness of the LORD is from eternity
to eternity toward those who fear him,
And his justice toward children’s children
among those who keep his covenant.
R. O bless the Lord, my soul!
or:
R. The Lord is kind and merciful; slow to anger and rich in compassion.
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793.13 [LM] Ps 123:1-2ab, 2cdef
R. (2cd) Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for mercy.
To you, I lift up my eyes,
who are enthroned in heaven.
Behold, as the eyes of servants
are on the hands of their masters.
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for mercy.
As the eys of a maid
are on the hands of her mistress,
So are our eyes on the LORD, our God,
till he have pity on us.
R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for mercy.
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793.14 [LM] Ps 143:1bcd-2, 5-6, 10
R. (1b) O Lord, hear my prayer.
or:
R. (11a) For the sake of your name, O Lord, save my life.
O LORD, hear my prayer;
hearken to my pleading in your faithfulness;
in your justice answer me.
And enter not into judgment with your servant,
for before you no living man is just.
R. O Lord, hear my prayer.
or:
R. For the sake of your name, O Lord, save my life.
I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all your doings,
the works of your hands I ponder.
I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like parched land.
R. O Lord, hear my prayer.
or:
R. For the sake of your name, O Lord, save my life.
Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God.
May your good spirit guide me
on level ground.
R. O Lord, hear my prayer.
or:
R. For the sake of your name, O Lord, save my life.
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Alleluia Verse and Verse Before the Gospel
794.1 [LM] Psalm 33:22
May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us
who have put our trust in you.
794.2 [LM] Matthew 5:4
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
794.3 [LM] Matthew 8:17
Christ took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
794.4 [LM] Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
794.5 [LM] 2 Corinthians 1:3b-4a
Blessed be the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement,
who encourages us in our every affliction.
794.6 [LM] Ephesians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing.
794.7 [LM] James 1:12
Blessed is the man who perseveres in temptation,
for when he has been proved he will receive the crown of life.
Gospel
Matthew 5 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.
Matthew 8 Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.
Matthew 8 He bore our diseases.
Matthew 11 Come to me, all you who labor.
Matthew 15 Jesus healed many.
Matthew 25 Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine you did for me.
Mark 2 When Jesus saw their faith, he said: “Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Mark 4 Why are you terrified? Do you not have faith>
Mark 10 Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.
Mark 16 They will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.
Luke 2 Go and tell John what you have seen and heard.
Luke 10 Cure the sick.
Luke 10 Who is my neighbor?
Luke 11 Ask and you will receive.
Luke 12 Blessed those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Luke 18 O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
John 6 [For the Dying] This is the will of my Father, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me.
John 6 [For the Dying] Whoever eats this bread will live forever.
John 9 Neither he nor his parents sinned: he was born blind so that the works of God might be made visible through him.
John 10 A good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep.
795.1 [LM] Mt 5:1-12a
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be geat in heaven.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven.”
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795.2 [LM] Mt 8:1-4
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him.
And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I will do it. Be made clean.”
His leprosy was cleansed immediately.
Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one,
but go show yourself to the priest,
and offer the gift that Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them.”
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795.3 [LM] Mt 8:5-17
He bore our diseases.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.”
He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”
The centurion said in reply,
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;
and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes;
and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven,
but the children of the Kingdom
will be driven out into the outer darkness,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
And Jesus said to the centurion,
“You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.”
And at that very hour his servant was healed.
Jesus entered the house of Peter,
and saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her,
and she rose and waited on him.
When it was evening, they brought him many
who were possessed by demons,
and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick,
to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet:
He took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
Or: [Short Form]
When Jesus entered Capernaum,
a centurion approached him and appealed to him, saying,
“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, suffering dreadfully.”
He said to him, “I will come and cure him.”
The centurion said in reply,
“Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof;
only say the word and my servant will be healed.
For I too am a person subject to authority,
with soldiers subject to me.
And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes;
and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes;
and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him,
“Amen, I say to you, in no one in Israel have I found such faith.
I say to you, many will come from the east and the west,
and will recline with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
at the banquet in the Kingdom of heaven,
but the children of the Kingdom
will be driven out into the outer darkness,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
And Jesus said to the centurion,
“You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.”
And at that very hour his servant was healed.
Or: [Shortest Form:]
Jesus entered the house of Peter,
and saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.
Jesus touched her hand, the fever left her,
and she rose and waited on him.
When it was evening, they brought him many
who were possessed by demons,
and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick,
to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet:
He took away our infirmities
and bore our diseases.
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795.4 [LM] Mt 11:25-30
Come to me, all you who labor.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
At that time Jesus answered:
“I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to the childlike.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him.
“Come to me, all you who labor 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 your selves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”
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795.5 [LM] Mt 15:29-31
Jesus healed many.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee,
went up on the mountain, and sat down there.
Great crowds came to him,
having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute,
and many others.
They placed them at his feet, and he cured them.
The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking,
the deformed made whole,
the lame walking,
and the blind able to see,
and they glorified the God of Israel.
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795.6 [LM] Mt 25:31-40
Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine you did for me.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory,
and all the angels with him,
he will sit upon his glorious throne,
and all the nations will be assembled before him.
And he will separate them one from another,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father.
Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me drink,
a stranger and you welcomed me,
naked and you clothed me,
ill and you cared for me,
in prison and you visited me.’
Then the righteous will answer him and say,
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’
And the king will say to them in reply,
‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did
for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
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795.7 [LM] Mk 2:1-12
When Jesus saw their faith, he said: “Child, your sins are forgiven.”
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
“Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
“Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?”
Jesus immediately knew in his mind
what they were thinking to themselves,
so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’?
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”—
he said to the paralytic,
“I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”
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795.8 [LM] MK 4:35-41
Why are you terrified? Do you not have faith?
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
One day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples,
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
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795.9 [LM] Mk 10:46-52
Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
As Jesus was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a sizable crowd,
Bartimaeus, a blind man, the son of Timaeus,
sat by the roadside begging.
On hearing that it was Jesus of Nazareth,
he began to cry out and say,
“Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.”
And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent.
But he kept calling out all the more,
“Son of David, have pity on me.”
Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called the blind man, saying to him,
“Take courage; get up, he is calling you.”
He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.
Jesus said to him in reply,
“What do you want me to do for you?”
The blind man replied to him,
“Master, I want to see.”
Jesus told him,
“Go your way; your faith has saved you.”
Immediately he received his sight
and followed him on the way.
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795.10 [LM] Mk 16:15-20
They will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them,
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them,
was taken up into heaven
and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere,
while the Lord worked with them
and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.
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795.11 [LM] Lk 7:18b-23
Go and tell John what you have seen and heard.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask,
“Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”
When the men came to him, they said,
“John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask,
‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”
At that time
he cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits;
he also granted sight to many who were blind.
And he said to them in reply,
“Go and tell John what you have seen and heard:
the blind regain their sight,
the lame walk,
lepers are cleansed,
the deaf hear, the dead are raised,
the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.
And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”
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795.12 [LM] Lk 10:5-6, 8-9
Cure the sick.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Into whatever house you enter, first say,
‘Peace to this household.’
If a peaceful person lives there,
your peace will rest on him;
but if not, it will return to you.
Whatever town you enter and they welcome you,
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them,
‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”
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795.13 [LM] Lk 10:25-37
Who is my neighbor?
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
There waswas a scholar of the law who stood up to test Jesus and said,
“Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you read it?”
He said in reply,
“You shall love the Lord, your God,
with all your heart,
with all your being,
with all your strength,
and with all your mind,
and your neighbor as yourself.”
He replied to him, “You have answered correctly;
do this and you will live.”
But because he wished to justify himself, he said to Jesus,
“And who is my neighbor?”
Jesus replied,
“A man fell victim to robbers
as he went down from Jerusalem to Jericho.
They stripped and beat him and went off leaving him half-dead.
A priest happened to be going down that road,
but when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
Likewise a Levite came to the place,
and when he saw him, he passed by on the opposite side.
But a Samaritan traveler who came upon him
was moved with compassion at the sight.
He approached the victim,
poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged them.
Then he lifted him up on his own animal,
took him to an inn and cared for him.
The next day he took out two silver coins
and gave them to the innkeeper with the instruction,
‘Take care of him.
If you spend more than what I have given you,
I shall repay you on my way back.’
Which of these three, in your opinion,
was neighbor to the robbers’ victim?”
He answered, “The one who treated him with mercy.”
Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
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795.14 [LM] Lk 11:5-13
Ask and you will receive
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Suppose one of you has a friend
to whom he goes at midnight and says,
‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,
for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey
and I have nothing to offer him,’
and he says in reply from within,
‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked
and my children and I are already in bed.
I cannot get up to give you anything.’
I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves
because of their friendship,
he will get up to give him whatever he needs
because of his persistence.
“And I tell you, ask and you will receive;
seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks, receives;
and the one who seeks, finds;
and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
What father among you would hand his son a snake
when he asks for a fish?
Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg?
If you then, who are wicked,
know how to give good gifts to your children,
how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit
to those who ask him?”
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795.15 [LM] Lk 12:35-44
Bleessed those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way, blessed are those servants.
Be sure of this:
if the master of the house had known the hour
when the thief was coming,
he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect,
the Son of Man will come.”
Then Peter said,
“Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?”
And the Lord replied,
“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward
whom the master will put in charge of his servants
to distribute the food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.
Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.”
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795.16 [LM] Lk 18:9-14
O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
Jesus addressed this parable
to those who were convinced of their own righteousness
and despised everyone else.
“Two people went up to the temple area to pray;
one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector.
The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself,
‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—
greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector.
I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’
But the tax collector stood off at a distance
and would not even raise his eyes to heaven
but beat his breast and prayed,
‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’
I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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795.17 (For the Dying) [LM] Jn 6:35-40
This is the will of my Father, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Jesus said to the crowds:
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”
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795.18 (For the Dying) [LM] Jn 6:53-58
Whoever eats this bread will live forever.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Jesus said to the crowds:
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my Flesh is true food,
and my Blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me will have life because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
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795.19 [LM] Jn 9:1-7
Neither he nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that the works of God might be made visible through him.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
As Jesus passed by he saw a man blind from birth.
His disciples asked him,
“Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born blind?”
Jesus answered,
“Neither he nor his parents sinned;
it is so that the works of God might be made visible through him.
We have to do the works of the one who sent me while it is day.
Night is coming when no one can work.
While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
When he had said this, he spat on the ground
and made clay with the saliva,
and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him,
“Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent).
So he went and washed, and came back able to see.
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795.20 [LM] Jn 10:11-18
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Jesus said:
“I am the good shepherd.
A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
A hired man, who is not a shepherd
and whose sheep are not his own,
sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away,
and the wolf catches and scatters them.
This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd,
and I know mine and mine know me,
just as the Father knows me and I know the Father;
and I will lay down my life for the sheep.
I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold.
These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice,
and there will be one flock, one shepherd.
This is why the Father loves me,
because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.
I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again.
This command I have received from my Father.”
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Go to the Readings from the Old Testament
Go to the Readings from the New Testament
Go to the Responsorial Psalms
Go to the Verse before the Gospel
Go to the Gospel
Reading from the Old Testament
796 [LM] First Option 1 Kg 19:4-8
Strengthened by that food, he walked to the mountain of the Lord.
A reading from the first Book of Kings
Elijah went a day’s journey into the desert,
until he came to a broom tree and sat beneath it.
He prayed for death:
“This is enough, O LORD!
Take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.”
He lay down and fell asleep under the broom tree,
but then an angel touched him and ordered him to get up and eat.
He looked and there at his head was a hearth cake
and a jug of water.
After he ate and drank, he lay down again,
but the angel of the LORD came back a second time,
touched him, and ordered, “Get up and eat,
else the journey will be too long for you!”
He got up, ate and drank;
then strengthened by that food,
he walked forty days and forty nights to the mountain of God, Horeb.
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Second Option Job 19:23-27a
I know that my Vindicator lives.
A reading from the Book of Job
Job spoke, saying:
Oh, would that my words were written down!
That with an iron chisel and with lead
they were cut in the rock forever!
But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives,
and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust;
Whom I myself shall see.
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Reading from the New Testament
797 [LM] First Option 1 Cor 10:16-17
We, though many, are one bread, one Body.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a participation in the Blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a participation in the Body of Christ?
Because the loaf of bread is one,
we, though many, are one Body,
for we all partake of the one loaf.
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Second Option 1 Cor 11:23-26
As often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians
Brothers and sisters:
I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,
that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,
took bread, and, after he had given thanks,
broke it and said, “This is my Body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my Blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
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Third Option Rev 3:14b, 20-22
I will dine with him and he with me.
A reading from the Book of Revelation
“‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness,
the source of God’s creation, says this:
“‘“Behold, I stand at the door and knock.
If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,
then I will enter his house and dine with him,
and he with me.
I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne,
as I myself first won the victory
and sit with my Father on his throne.
“‘“Whoever has ears ought to hear
what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”
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Fourth Option Rev 22:17, 20-21
Come, Lord Jesus!
A reading from the Book of Revelation
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”
Let the hearer say, “Come.”
Let the one who thirsts come forward,
and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water.
The one who gives this testimony says,
“Yes, I am coming soon.”
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.
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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 23
Psalm 34
Psalm 42
Psalm 116
Psalm 145
798.1 [LM] Ps 23:1-3, 4, 5, 6
R. (4ab) Though I walk in the valley of darkness I fear no evil, for you are with me.
or:
R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
in verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake.
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness I fear no evil, for you are with me.
or:
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness I fear no evil, for you are with me.
or:
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness I fear no evil, for you are with me.
or:
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness I fear no evil, for you are with me.
or:
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
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798.2 [LM] Ps 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 10-11
R. (9a) Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Glorify the LORD with me,
let us together extol his name.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Look to him that you may be radiant with joy,
and your faces may not blush with shame.
When the poor one called out, the LORD heard,
and from all his distress he saved him.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
Fear the LORD, you his holy ones,
for nought is lacking to those who fear him.
The great grow poor and hungry;
but those who seek the LORD want for no good thing.
R. Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.
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798.3 [LM] Ps 42:2, 3, 5cdef, 4, 5
R. (42:3) My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
As the hind longs for the running waters,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
R. My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
Athirst is my soul for God, the living God.
When shall I go and behold the face of God?
R. My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
I went with the throng
and led them in procession to the house of God.
Amid loud cries of joy and thanksgiving,
with the multitude keeping festival.
R. My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
Send forth your light and your fidelity;
they shall lead me on
And bring me to your holy mountain,
to your dwelling-place.
R. My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
Then will I go in to the altar of God,
the God of my gladness and joy;
Then will I give you thanks upon the harp,
O God, my God!
R. My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
Why are you so downcast, O my soul?
Why do you sigh within me?
Hope on God! For I shall again be thanking him,
in the presence of my savior and my God.
R. My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
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798.4 [LM] Ps 116:12-13, 15 and 16bc, 17-19
R. (9) I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. (13) I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
To you will I offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
or:
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
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798.5 [LM] Ps 145:10 and 14, 15-16, 17-18
R. (18a) The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you
and you give them their food in due season;
You open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The Lord is near to all who call upon him.
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Alleluia Verse and Verse Before the Gospel
799.1 [LM] John 6:51
I am the living bread that came down from heaven,
says the Lord;
whoever eats this bread will live forever.
799.2 [LM] John 6:54
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
remains in me and I in him, says the Lord.
799.3 [LM] John 10:9
I am the gate, says the Lord;
whoever enters through me will be saved and find pasture.
799.4 [LM]
I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
Gospel
800 [LM] First Option John 6:41-51
I am the living bread that came down from heaven.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
The Jews murmured about him because he said,
“I am the bread that came down from heaven,”
and they said,
“Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph?
Do we not know his father and mother?
Then how can he say,
‘I have come down from heaven’?”
Jesus answered and said to them,
“Stop murmuring among yourselves.
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draw him,
and I will raise him on the last day.
It is written in the prophets:
They shall all be taught by God.
Everyone who listens to my Father and learns from him comes to me.
Not that anyone has seen the Father
except the one who is from God;
he has seen the Father.
Amen, amen, I say to you,
whoever believes has eternal life.
I am the bread of life.
Your ancestors ate the manna in the desert, but they died;
this is the bread that comes down from heaven
so that one may eat it and not die.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give is my flesh
for the life of the world.”
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Second Option John 6:51-58
Whoever eaats my Flesh has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.
+ A reading from the holy Gospel according to John
Jesus said to the crowds:
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven;
whoever eats this bread will live forever;
and the bread that I will give
is my flesh for the life of the world.”
They quarreled among themselves, saying,
“How can this man give us his Flesh to eat?”
Jesus said to them,
“Amen, amen, I say to you,
unless you eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood,
you do not have life within you.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood has eternal life,
and I will raise him on the last day.
For my Flesh is true food, and my Blood is true drink.
Whoever eats my Flesh and drinks my Blood
remains in me and I in him.
Just as the living Father sent me
and I have life because of the Father,
so also the one who feeds on me
will have life because of me.
This is the Bread that came down from heaven.
Unlike your ancestors who ate and still died,
whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
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Pastoral Care of the Sick
Rites of Anointing and Viaticum
GENERAL INTRODUCTION
HUMAN SICKNESS AND ITS MEANING IN THE MYSTERY OF SALVATION
1. Suffering and illness have always been among the greatest problems that trouble the human spirit. Christians feel and experience pain as do all other people; yet their faith helps them to grasp more deeply the mystery of suffering and to bear their pain with greater courage. From Christ’s words they know that sickness has meaning and value for their own salvation and for the salvation of the world. They also know that Christ, who during his life often visited and healed the sick, loves them in their illness.
2. Although closely linked with the human condition, sick-ness cannot as a general rule be regarded as a punishment inflicted on each individual for personal sins (see John 9:3). Christ himself, who is without sin, in fulfilling the words of Isaiah took on all the wounds of his passion and shared in all human pain (see Isaiah 53:4-5). Christ is still pained and tormented in his members, made like him. Still, our afflictions seem but momentary and slight when compared to the great-ness of the eternal glory for which they prepare us (see 2 Corinthians 4:17).
3. Part of the plan laid out by God’s providence is that we should fight strenuously against all sickness and carefully seek the blessings of good health, so that we may fulfill our role in human society and in the Church. Yet we should always be pre-pared to fill up what is lacking in Christ’s sufferings for the salvation of the world as we look forward to creation’s being set free in the glory of the children of God (see Colossians 1:24; Romans 8:19-21).
Moreover, the role of the sick in the Church is to be a reminder to others of the essential or higher things. By their witness the sick show that our mortal life must be redeemed through the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection.
4. The sick person is not the only one who should fight against illness. Doctors and all who are devoted in any way to caring for the sick should consider it their duty to use all the means which in their judgment may help the sick, both physically and spiritually. In so doing, they are fulfilling the command of Christ to visit the sick, for Christ implied that those who visit the sick should be concerned for the whole person and offer both physical relief and spiritual comfort.
CELEBRATION OF THE SACRAMENTS FOR THE SICK AND THE DYING
ANOINTING OF THE SICK
5. The Lord himself showed great concern for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the sick and commanded his followers to do likewise. This is clear from the gospels, and above all from the existence of the sacrament of anointing, which he instituted and which is made known in the Letter of James. Since then the Church has never ceased to celebrate this sacrament for its members by the anointing and the prayer of its priests, commending those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them (see James 5:14-16). Moreover, the Church exhorts them to associate themselves willingly with the passion and death of Christ (see Romans 8:17), [1] and thus contribute to the welfare of the people of God. [2]
Those who are seriously ill need the special help of God’s grace in this time of anxiety, lest they be broken in spirit and, under the pressure of temptation, perhaps weakened in their faith. This is why, through the sacrament of anointing, Christ strengthens the faithful who are afflicted by illness, providing them with the strongest means of support. [3] The celebration of this sacrament consists especially in the laying on of hands by the priests of the Church, the offering of the prayer of faith, and the anointing of the sick with oil made holy by God’s blessing. This rite signifies the grace of the sacrament and confers it.
6. This sacrament gives the grace of the Holy Spirit to those who are sick: by this grace the whole person is helped and saved, sustained by trust in God, and strengthened against the temptations of the Evil One and against anxiety over death. Thus the sick person is able not only to bear suffering bravely, but also to fight against it. A return to physical health may follow the reception of this sacrament if it will be beneficial to the sick person’s salvation. If necessary, the sacrament also provides the sick person with the forgiveness of sins and the completion of Christian penance. [4]
7. In the anointing of the sick, which includes the prayer of faith (see James 5:15), faith itself is manifested. Above all this faith must be made actual both in the minister of the sacrament and, even more importantly, in the recipient. The sick person will be saved by personal faith and the faith of the Church, which looks back to the death and resurrection of Christ, the source of the sacrament’s power (see James 5:15), [5] and looks ahead to the future kingdom that is pledged in the sacraments.
RECIPIENTS OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK
8. The Letter of James states that the sick are to be anointed in order to raise them up and save them. [6] Great care and con-cern should be taken to see that those of the faithful whose health is seriously* impaired by sickness or old age receive this sacrament. [7]
[*The word periculose has been carefully studied and rendered as “seriously,” rather than as “gravely,” “dangerously,” or “perilously.” Such a rendering will serve to avoid restrictions upon the celebration of the sacrament. On the one hand, the sacrament may and should be given to anyone whose health is seriously impaired; on the other hand, it may not be given indiscriminately or to any person whose health is not seriously impaired.]
A prudent or reasonably sure judgment, without scruple, is sufficient for deciding on the seriousness of an illness; [8] if necessary a doctor may be consulted.
9. The sacrament may be repeated if the sick person recovers after being anointed and then again falls ill or if during the same illness the person’s condition becomes more serious.
10. A sick person may be anointed before surgery whenever a serious illness is the reason for the surgery.
11. Elderly people may be anointed if they have become notably weakened even though no serious illness is present.
12. Sick children may be anointed if they have sufficient use of reason to be strengthened by this sacrament.
13. In public and private catechesis, the faithful should be educated to ask for the sacrament of anointing and, as soon as the right time comes, to receive it with full faith and devotion. They should not follow the wrongful practice of delaying the reception of the sacrament. All who care for the sick should be taught the meaning and purpose of the sacrament.
14. The sacrament of anointing may be conferred upon sick people who, although they have lost consciousness or the use of reason, would, as Christian believers, probably have asked for it were they in control of their faculties. [9]
15. When a priest has been called to attend those who are already dead, he should not administer the sacrament of anointing. Instead, he should pray for them, asking that God forgive their sins and graciously receive them into the kingdom. But if the priest is doubtful whether the sick person is dead, he may give the sacrament conditionally (no. 269). [10]
MINISTER OF THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK
16. The priest is the only proper minister of the anointing of the sick. [11] This office is ordinarily exercised by bishops, pastors and their assistants, priests who are responsible for the sick or aged in hospitals, and superiors of clerical religious institutes. [12]
17. These ministers have the pastoral responsibility both of preparing and helping the sick and others who are present, with the assistance of religious and laity, and of celebrating the sacrament.
The local Ordinary has the responsibility of supervising celebrations at which sick persons from various parishes or hospitals may come together to receive the sacrament.
18. Other priests also confer the sacrament of anointing with the consent of the ministers mentioned in no. 16. Presuming such consent in case of necessity, a priest need only inform the pastor or hospital chaplain later.
19. When two or more priests are present for the anointing of a sick person, one of them may say the prayers and carry out the anointings, saying the sacramental form. The others may take the remaining parts, such as the introductory rites, readings, invocations, or instructions. Each priest may lay hands on the sick person.
REQUIREMENTS FOR CELEBRATING THE ANOINTING OF THE SICK
20. The matter proper for the sacrament is olive oil or, according to circumstances, other oil derived from plants. [13]
21. The oil used for anointing the sick must be blessed for this purpose by the bishop or by a priest who has this faculty, either from the law or by special concession of the Apostolic See. The law itself permits the following, besides a bishop, to bless the oil of the sick:
a) those whom the law equates with diocesan bishops;
b) in case of true necessity, any priest. [14]
The oil of the sick is ordinarily blessed by the bishop on Holy Thursday. [15]
22. If a priest, in accord with no. 21b, is to bless the oil during the rite, he may bring the unblessed oil with him, or the family of the sick person may prepare the oil in a suitable vessel. If any of the oil is left after the celebration of the sacrament, it should be absorbed in cotton and burned. If the priest uses oil that has already been blessed (either by the bishop or by a priest), he brings it with him in the vessel in which it is kept. This vessel, made of suitable material, should be clean and should contain sufficient oil (soaked in cotton for convenience). In this case, after celebrating the sacrament the priest returns the vessel to the place where it is kept with proper respect. He should make sure that the oil remains fit for use and should replenish it from time to time, either yearly when the bishop blesses the oil on Holy Thursday or more frequently if necessary.
23. The sick person is anointed on the forehead and on the hands. It is appropriate to divide the sacramental form so that the first part is said while the forehead is anointed, the latter part while the hands are anointed. In case of necessity, however, it is sufficient that a single anointing be given on the forehead or, because of the particular condition of the sick person, on another suitable part of the body, while the whole sacramental form is said.
24. Depending on the culture and traditions of different peoples, the number of anointings may be increased and the place of anointing may be changed. Directives on this should be included in the preparation of particular rituals.
25. The following is the sacramental form with which the anointing of the sick is given in the Latin rite:
Through this holy anointing
may the Lord in his love and mercy help you
with the grace of the Holy Spirit.
May the Lord who frees you from sin
save you and raise you up.
VIATICUM FOR THE DYING
26. When in their passage from this life Christians are strengthened by the body and blood of Christ in viaticum, they have the pledge of the resurrection that the Lord promised: “Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day” ( John 6:54).
When possible, viaticum should be received within Mass so that the sick person may receive communion under both kinds. Communion received as viaticum should be considered a special sign of participation in the mystery which is celebrated in the eucharist: the mystery of the death of the Lord and his passage to the Father. [16]
27. All baptized Christians who are able to receive communion are bound to receive viaticum by reason of the precept to receive communion when in danger of death from any cause. Priests with pastoral responsibility must see that the celebration of this sacrament is not delayed, but that the faithful are nourished by it while still in full possession of their faculties. [17]
28. It is also desirable that during the celebration of viaticum, Christians renew the faith professed at their baptism, by which they became adopted children of God and coheirs of the promise of eternal life.
29. The ordinary ministers of viaticum are the pastor and his assistants, the priest who is responsible for the sick in hospitals, and the superior of a clerical religious institute. In case of necessity, any other priest with at least the presumed permission of the competent minister may give viaticum. If no priest is available, viaticum may be brought to the sick by a deacon or by another member of the faithful, either a man or a woman, who by the authority of the Apostolic See has been duly appointed by the bishop to give the eucharist to the faithful. In this case, a deacon follows the rite prescribed in the ritual; other ministers use the rite they ordinarily follow for distributing communion, but with the special words given in the ritual for the rite for viaticum (no. 207).
CONTINUOUS RITE
30. For special cases, when sudden illness or some other cause has unexpectedly placed one of the faithful in proximate danger of death, a continuous rite is provided by which the sick person may be given the sacraments of penance, anointing, and the eucharist as viaticum in a single celebration. If death is imminent and there is not enough time to celebrate the three sacraments in the manner already described, the sick person should be given an opportunity to make a sacramental confession, even if it has to be a generic confession. After this the person should be given viaticum, since all the faithful are bound to receive this sacrament if they are in danger of death. Then, if there is sufficient time, the sick person should be anointed. The sick person who, because of the nature of the illness, cannot receive communion should be anointed.
31. If the sick person is to be strengthened by the sacrament of confirmation, nos. 238, 246, 276, 290, and 291 of this ritual should be consulted.
In danger of death, provided the bishop is not easily available or is lawfully impeded, the law gives the faculty to confirm to the following: pastors and parochial vicars; in their absence, associate pastors; priests who are in charge of special parishes lawfully established, administrators, substitute priests, and assistant priests (coadjutors); in the absence of all of the preceding, any priest who is not under censure or canonical penalty. [18]
OFFICES AND MINISTRIES FOR THE SICK
32. If one member suffers in the Body of Christ, which is the Church, all the members suffer with that member (1 Corinthians 12:26). [19] For this reason, kindness shown toward the sick and works of charity and mutual help for the relief of every kind of human want are held in special honor. [20] Every scientific ef-fort to prolong life [21] and every act of care for the sick, on the part of any person, may be considered a preparation for the Gospel and a sharing in Christ’s healing ministry. [22]
33. It is thus especially fitting that all baptized Christians share in this ministry of mutual charity within the Body of Christ by doing all that they can to help the sick return to health, by showing love for the sick, and by celebrating the sacraments with them. Like the other sacraments, these too have a community aspect, which should be brought out as much as possible when they are celebrated.
34. The family and friends of the sick and those who take care of them in any way have a special share in this ministry of comfort. In particular, it is their task to strengthen the sick with words of faith and by praying with them, to commend them to the suffering and glorified Lord, and to encourage them to contribute to the well-being of the people of God by associating themselves willingly with Christ’s passion and death. [23] If the sickness grows worse, the family and friends of the sick and those who take care of them have the responsibility of informing the pastor and by their kind words of prudently disposing the sick for the reception of the sacraments at the proper time.
35. Priests, particularly pastors and the others mentioned in no. 16, should remember that it is their duty to care for the sick by personal visits and other acts of kindness. [24] Especially when they give the sacraments, priests should stir up the hope of those present and strengthen their faith in Christ who suffered and is glorified. By bringing the Church’s love and the consolation of faith, they comfort believers and raise the minds of others to God.
36. It is important that all the faithful, and above all the sick, be aided by suitable catechesis in preparing for and participating in the sacraments of anointing and viaticum, especially if the celebration is to be carried out communally. In this way they will understand more fully what has been said about the anointing of the sick and about viaticum, and the celebration of these sacraments will nourish, strengthen, and manifest faith more effectively. For the prayer of faith which accompanies the celebration of the sacrament is nourished by the profession of this faith.
37. When the priest prepares for the celebration of the sacraments, he should ask about the condition of the sick person. He should take this information into account, for example, in planning the rite, in choosing readings and prayers, and in deciding whether he will celebrate Mass when viaticum is to be given. As far as possible, he should arrange all this with the sick person and the family beforehand, when he explains the meaning of the sacraments.
ADAPTATIONS BELONGING TO THE CONFERENCES OF BISHOPS
38. In virtue of the Constitution on the Liturgy (art. 63b), the conferences of bishops have the right to prepare a section in particular rituals corresponding to the present section of the Roman Ritual and adapted to the needs of the different parts of the world. This section is for use in the regions concerned once the acta have been reviewed by the Apostolic See.
The following are the responsibilities of the conferences of bishops in this regard:
a) to decide on the adaptations dealt with in the Constitution on the Liturgy, article 39;
b) to weigh carefully and prudently what elements from the traditions and culture of individual peoples may be appropriately admitted into divine worship, then to propose to the Apostolic See adaptations considered useful or necessary that will be introduced with its consent;
c) to retain elements in the rites of the sick that now exist in particular rituals, as long as they are compatible with the Constitution on the Liturgy and with contemporary needs; or to adapt any of these elements;
d) to prepare translations of the texts so that they are truly adapted to the genius of different languages and cultures and to add, whenever appropriate, suitable melodies for singing;
e) to adapt and enlarge, if necessary, this Introduction in the Roman Ritual in order to encourage the conscious and active participation of the faithful;
f) to arrange the material in the editions of liturgical books prepared under the direction of the conferences of bishops in a format that will be as suitable as possible for pastoral use.
39. Whenever the Roman Ritual gives several alternative texts, particular rituals may add other texts of the same kind.
ADAPTATIONS BY THE MINISTER
40. The minister should take into account the particular circumstances, needs, and desires of the sick and of other members of the faithful and should willingly use the various opportunities that the rites provide.
a) The minister should be especially aware that the sick tire easily and that their physical condition may change from day to day and even from hour to hour. For this reason the celebration may be shortened if necessary.
b) When there is no group of the faithful present, the priest should remember that the Church is already present in his own person and in the one who is ill. For this reason he should try to offer the sick person the love and help of the Christian community both before and after the celebration of the sacrament. He may ask another Christian from the local community to do this if the sick person will accept this help.
c) Sick persons who regain their health after being anointed should be encouraged to give thanks for the favor received by participating in a Mass of thanksgiving or by some other suitable means.
41. The priest should follow the structure of the rite in the celebration, while accommodating it to the place and the people involved. The penitential rite may be part of the introductory rite or take place after the reading from Scripture. In place of the thanksgiving over the oil, the priest may give an instruction. This alternative should be considered when the sick person is in a hospital and other sick people present do not take part in the celebration of the sacrament.
Endnotes
1. See also Colossians 1:24; 2 Timothy 2:11-12; 1 Peter 4:13.
2. See Council of Trent, sess. 14, De Extrema Unctione, cap. 1: Denz-Schön. 1695; Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, no. 11: AAS 57 (1965) 15.
3. See Council of Trent, sess. 14, De Extrema Unctione, cap. 1: Denz.-Schön. 1694.
4. See ibid., prooem. and cap. 2: Denz.-Schön. 1694 and 1696.
5. See St. Thomas Aquinas, In 4 Sententiarum, d. 1, q. 1, a. 4, quaestiuncula 3.
6. See Council of Trent, sess. 14, De Extrema Unctione, cap. 2: Denz.-Schön. 1698.
7. See Vatican Council II, Constitution on the Liturgy, art. 73: AAS 56 (1964) 118-119.
8. See Pius XI, Epist. Explorata res, 2 February 1923: AAS 15 (1923) 103-107.
9. See Codex Iuris Canonici (CIC), can. 943.
10. See ibid., can. 941.
11. See Council of Trent, sess. 14, De Extrema Unctione, cap. 3 and can. 4: Denz.- Schön. 1697 and 1719; see also CIC, can. 938.
12. See CIC, can. 938.
13. See Roman Pontifical, Rite of Blessing of Oils, Rite of Consecrating the Chrism, Introduction, no. 3 [The Sacrameritary (The Roman Missal) Appendix II].
14. See ibid., no. 8.
15. See ibid., no. 9.
16. See Congregation of Rites, Instruction Eucharisticum mysterium, 25 May 1967, nos. 36, 39, 41: AAS 59 (1967) 561, 562, 563; Paul VI, Motu Proprio Pastorale munus, 30 November 1963, [I] no. 7: AAS 56 (1964) 7; CIC, can. 822, § 4.
17. See Congregation of Rites, Instruction Eucharisticum mysterium, 25 May 1967, no. 39: AAS 59 (1967) 562.
18. See Roman Pontifical, Rite of Confirmation, Introduction, no. 7c.
19. See Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, no. 7: AAS 57 (1965) 9-10.
20. See Vatican Council II, Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity, no. 8: AAS 58 (1966) 845.
21. See Vatican Council II, Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, no. 18: AAS 58 (1966) 1038.
22. See Vatican Council II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, no. 28: AAS 57 (1965) 34.
23. See ibid., no. 21: AAS 57 (1965) 24.
24. See CIC, can. 468, §1.
