Reading for the Day
Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
- 14 Shepherd thy people with thy staff, the flock of thy inheritance, who dwell alone in a forest in the midst of a garden land; let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in the days of old.
- 15 As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt I will show them marvelous things.
- 18 Who is a God like thee, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger for ever because he delights in steadfast love.
- 19 He will again have compassion upon us, he will tread our iniquities under foot. Thou wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
- 20 Thou wilt show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as thou hast sworn to our fathers from the days of old.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 103:1-4, 9-12
Response: The Lord is kind and merciful
- 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
- 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, R
- 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
- 4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, R
- 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger for ever.
- 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor requite us according to our iniquities. R
- 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
- 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. R
Gospel for the Day
Luke 15:1-3, 11-32
- 1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.
- 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."
- 3 So he told them this parable:
- 11 And he said, "There was a man who had two sons;
- 12 and the younger of them said to his father, `Father, give me the share of property that falls to me.' And he divided his living between them.
- 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took his journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in loose living.
- 14 And when he had spent everything, a great famine arose in that country, and he began to be in want.
- 15 So he went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed swine.
- 16 And he would gladly have fed on the pods that the swine ate; and no one gave him anything.
- 17 But when he came to himself he said, `How many of my father's hired servants have bread enough and to spare, but I perish here with hunger!
- 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you;
- 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me as one of your hired servants."'
- 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was yet at a distance, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him.
- 21 And the son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'
- 22 But the father said to his servants, `Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet;
- 23 and bring the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry;
- 24 for this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to make merry.
- 25 "Now his elder son was in the field; and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.
- 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what this meant.
- 27 And he said to him, `Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has received him safe and sound.'
- 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him,
- 29 but he answered his father, `Lo, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command; yet you never gave me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends.
- 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your living with harlots, you killed for him the fatted calf!'
- 31 And he said to him, `Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours.
- 32 It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"
