Responsorial Psalm
He gives justice to the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free.
The Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord straightens the bent.
The Lord protects the stranger,
sustains the widow and the orphan.
The Lord loves the virtuous,
but he brings to ruin the way of the wicked.
The Lord protects the stranger,
sustains the widow and the orphan.
The Lord loves the virtuous,
but he brings to ruin the way of the wicked.
The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion,
from generation to generation. Alleluia!
2nd. READING (Heb 9,24-28)
Christ did not enter some sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven
itself. He is now in the presence of God on our behalf. He had not to offer himself
many times, as the High Priest does: he who may return every year, because the blood
is not his own. Otherwise he would have suffered many times from the creation of
the world. But no; he manifested himself only now at the end of the ages, to take away
sin by sacrifice, and, as humans die only once and afterwards are judged, in the same
way Christ sacrificed himself once to take away the sins of the multitude. There will
be no further question of sin when he comes again to save those waiting for him.
Gospel
In his teaching Jesus said "Beware of those teachers of the Law who enjoy walking
around in long robes and being greeted in the marketplace, and who like to occupy
reserved seats in the synagogues and the first places at feasts. They even devour the
widow's and the orphan's goods while making a show of long prayers. How severe a
sentence they will receive!" Jesus sat down opposite the Temple treasury and watched
the people dropping money into the treasury box; and many rich people put in large
offerings. But a poor widow also came and dropped in two small coins. Then Jesus
called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more
than all those who gave offerings. For all of them gave from their plenty, but she gave
from her poverty and put in everything she had, her very living."
