Readings at Mass

Liturgical Colour: Green. Year: C(I).

First reading
Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a

‘In truth we are guilty concerning our brother.’

In those days: When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, ‘Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do.’ So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. Joseph saw his brothers and recognised them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. And he put them all together in custody for three days.

On the third day Joseph said to them, ‘Do this and you will live, for I fear God: if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die.’ And they did so. Then they said to one another, ‘In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us.’ And Reuben answered them, ‘Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.’ They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. Then he turned away from them and wept.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 33(32):2-3. 10-11. 18-19. ℟22

May your merciful love be upon us, as we hope in you, O Lord.

Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp;

with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs.

O sing him a song that is new;

play skilfully, with shouts of joy.

May your merciful love be upon us, as we hope in you, O Lord.

The Lord frustrates the designs of the nations;

he defeats the plans of the peoples.

The designs of the Lord stand for ever,

the plans of his heart from age to age.

May your merciful love be upon us, as we hope in you, O Lord.

Yes, the Lord’s eyes are on those who fear him,

who hope in his merciful love,

to rescue their soul from death,

to keep them alive in famine.

May your merciful love be upon us, as we hope in you, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation	Mark 1:15

Alleluia, alleluia.

The kingdom of God is at hand;

repent and believe in the gospel.

Alleluia.

Gospel	Matthew 10:1-7

‘Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.’

At that time: Jesus called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. The names of the twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, ‘Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And proclaim as you go, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” ’

The readings on this page are from the English Standard Version, which is used at Mass in Great Britain. The Jerusalem Bible (which is used at Mass in much of the English-speaking world) will appear instead if you set this page to use a calendar from outside Great Britain. The New American Bible readings, which are used at Mass in the United States, are available in the Universalis apps, programs and downloads.

You can also view this page with the New Testament in Greek and English.