The 25th of June, 2022, Saturday is this year’s celebration day for the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the Year 2022 of Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: LAM 2:2, 10-14, 18-19
The first reading from the Lamentations of Jeremiah.
The Lord has swallowed up all the dwellings of Jacob without pity. He has thrown down in his wrath the strongholds of the daughter of Judah. He has brought them down to the ground. He has profaned the kingdom and its princes.
The elders of the daughter of Zion sit on the ground. They keep silence. They have cast up dust on their heads. They have clothed themselves with sackcloth. The virgins of Jerusalem hang down their heads to the ground.
My eyes fail with tears. My heart is troubled. My bile is poured on the earth, because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, because the young children and the infants swoon in the streets of the city.
They ask their mothers, “Where is grain and wine?” when they swoon as the wounded in the streets of the city, when their soul is poured out into their mothers’ bosom.
What shall I testify to you? What shall I liken to you, daughter of Jerusalem? What shall I compare to you, that I may comfort you, virgin daughter of Zion? For your breach is as big as the sea. Who can heal you?
Your prophets have seen false and foolish visions for you. They have not uncovered your iniquity, to reverse your captivity, but have seen for you false revelations and causes of banishment.
Their heart cried to the Lord. O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night. Give yourself no relief. Don’t let your eyes rest.
Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches! Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift up your hands toward him for the life of your young children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street.
Responsorial Psalm: PS 74:1-2, 3-5, 6-7, 20-21
Response: Don’t forget the life of your poor forever.
God, why have you rejected us forever? Why does your anger smolder against the sheep of your pasture?
Remember your congregation, which you purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your inheritance: Mount Zion, in which you have lived.
R: Don’t forget the life of your poor forever.
Lift up your feet to the perpetual ruins, all the evil that the enemy has done in the sanctuary.
Your adversaries have roared in the middle of your assembly. They have set up their standards as signs.
They behaved like men wielding axes, cutting through a thicket of trees.
R: Don’t forget the life of your poor forever.
Now they break all its carved work down with hatchet and hammers.
They have burned your sanctuary to the ground. They have profaned the dwelling place of your Name.
R: Don’t forget the life of your poor forever.
Honor your covenant, for haunts of violence fill the dark places of the earth.
Don’t let the oppressed return ashamed. Let the poor and needy praise your name.
R: Don’t forget the life of your poor forever.
Gospel of the Day: LK 2:41-51
From the gospel verse according to Luke.
His parents went every year to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover.
When he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast; and when they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. Joseph and his mother didn’t know it, but supposing him to be in the company, they went a day’s journey; and they looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances.
When they didn’t find him, they returned to Jerusalem, looking for him.
After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the middle of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
All who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers.
When they saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us this way? Behold, your father and I were anxiously looking for you.”
He said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?”
They didn’t understand the saying which he spoke to them.
And he went down with them and came to Nazareth. He was subject to them, and his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
