Readings at Sunday Mass

Readings at Mass

My God, and is thy table spread,

And doth thy cup with love o'erflow?

Thither be all thy children led,

And let them all thy sweetness know.

Hail, sacred feast which Jesus makes,

Rich banquet of his Flesh and Blood!

Thrice happy he who here partakes

That sacred stream, that heavenly food.

What wondrous love! What perfect grace,

for Jesus, our exalted host,

invites us to this special place,

who offer least and the most.

O let thy table honoured be,

And furnished well with joyful guests;

And may each soul salvation see,

That here its sacred pledges tastes. 

Collect

May your grace, O Lord, we pray,

at all times go before us and follow after

and make us always determined

to carry out good works.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

First reading                                                                                                                                                       Isaiah 25:6-10

On this mountain,

the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples

a banquet of rich food, a banquet of fine wines,

of food rich and juicy, of fine strained wines.

On this mountain he will remove

the mourning veil covering all peoples,

and the shroud enwrapping all nations,

he will destroy Death for ever.

The Lord will wipe away

the tears from every cheek;

he will take away his people’s shame

everywhere on earth,

for the Lord has said so.

That day, it will be said: See, this is our God

in whom we hoped for salvation;

the Lord is the one in whom we hoped.

We exult and we rejoice

that he has saved us;

for the hand of the Lord

rests on this mountain.

Responsorial Psalm                                                                                                                                           Psalm 22(23)
(Cantor Only)

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

The Lord is my shepherd;

there is nothing I shall want.

Fresh and green are the pastures

where he gives me repose.

Near restful waters he leads me,

to revive my drooping spirit.

He guides me along the right path;

he is true to his name.

If I should walk in the valley of darkness

no evil would I fear.

You are there with your crook and your staff;

with these you give me comfort.

You have prepared a banquet for me

in the sight of my foes.

My head you have anointed with oil;

my cup is overflowing.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me

all the days of my life.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell

for ever and ever.

In the Lord’s own house shall I dwell for ever and ever.

Second reading                                                                                                                   Philippians 4:12-14,19-20

I know how to be poor and I know how to be rich too. I have been through my initiation and now I am ready for anything anywhere: full stomach or empty stomach, poverty or plenty. There is nothing I cannot master with the help of the One who gives me strength. All the same, it was good of you to share with me in my hardships. In return my God will fulfil all your needs, in Christ Jesus, as lavishly as only God can. Glory to God, our Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

Gospel Acclamation                                                                                                                                          Jn1:14,12

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Word was made flesh and lived among us:

to all who did accept him

he gave power to become children of God.

Alleluia!

Gospel                                                                                                                                                                   Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a feast for his son’s wedding. He sent his servants to call those who had been invited, but they would not come. Next he sent some more servants. “Tell those who have been invited” he said “that I have my banquet all prepared, my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, everything is ready. Come to the wedding.” But they were not interested: one went off to his farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his servants, maltreated them and killed them. The king was furious. He despatched his troops, destroyed those murderers and burnt their town. Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be unworthy, go to the crossroads in the town and invite everyone you can find to the wedding.” So these servants went out on to the roads and collected together everyone they could find, bad and good alike; and the wedding hall was filled with guests. When the king came in to look at the guests he noticed one man who was not wearing a wedding garment, and said to him, “How did you get in here, my friend, without a wedding garment?” And the man was silent. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot and throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’

Prayer over the Offerings

Accept, O Lord, the prayers of your faithful

with the sacrificial offerings,

that, through these acts of devotedness,

we may pass over to the glory of heaven.

Through Christ our Lord.

Communion Antiphon                                                                                                                                      Cf. Ps 33: 11

The rich suffer want and go hungry,

but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.

Prayer after Communion

We entreat your majesty most humbly, O Lord,

that, as you feed us with the nourishment

which comes from the most holy Body and Blood of your Son,

so you may make us sharers of his divine nature.

Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.