The 23rd of June, 2023 is Friday in the Eleventh Week of Ordinary Time. The Holy Bible verses for the mass readings for this day came from the Liturgical Calendar Year 2023.
Reading 1: 2 COR 11:18, 21-30
The first reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians.
Seeing that many boast after the flesh, I will also boast.
To my shame, I speak as though we had been weak. Yet in whatever way anyone is bold (I speak in foolishness), I am bold also.
Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the offspring of Abraham? So am I.
Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as one beside himself.) I am more so: in labors more abundantly, in prisons more abundantly, in stripes above measure, and in deaths often.
Five times I received forty stripes minus one from the Jews.
Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I suffered shipwreck. I have been a night and a day in the deep.
I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers; in labor and travail, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, and in cold and nakedness.
Besides those things that are outside, there is that which presses on me daily: anxiety for all the assemblies.
Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I don’t burn with indignation?
If I must boast, I will boast of the things that concern my weakness.
Responsorial Psalm: PS 34:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Response: And delivers them out of all their troubles.
I will bless Yahweh at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth.
My soul shall boast in Yahweh. The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
R: And delivers them out of all their troubles.
Oh magnify Yahweh with me. Let’s exalt his name together.
I sought Yahweh, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.
R: And delivers them out of all their troubles.
They looked to him, and were radiant. Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
This poor man cried, and Yahweh heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.
R: And delivers them out of all their troubles.
Gospel of the Day: MT 6:19-23
From the gospel scripture according to Matthew.
“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light.
But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!”
