The 1st of July, 2023 is Saturday in the Twelfth Week of Ordinary Time. The Holy Bible verses for the mass readings for this day came from the Liturgical Calendar of the Year 2023.
Reading 1: GN 18:1-15
The first reading from the Book of Genesis.
Yahweh appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood near him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth, and said, “My lord, if now I have found favor in your sight, please don’t go away from your servant.
Now let a little water be fetched, wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
I will get a piece of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, now that you have come to your servant.” They said, “Very well, do as you have said.”
Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly prepare three seahs of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.”
Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.
He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.
They asked him, “Where is Sarah, your wife?” He said, “There, in the tent.”
He said, “I will certainly return to you at about this time next year; and behold, Sarah your wife will have a son.” Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.
Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age. Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.
Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”
Yahweh said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Will I really bear a child when I am old?’
Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes around, and Sarah will have a son.”
Then Sarah denied it, saying, “I didn’t laugh,” for she was afraid. He said, “No, but you did laugh.”
Responsorial Psalm: LK 1:46-47, 48-49, 50 and 53, 54-55
Response: That he might remember mercy.
Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord.
My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior”
R: That he might remember mercy.
“For he has looked at the humble state of his servant. For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
For he who is mighty has done great things for me. Holy is his name.”
R: That he might remember mercy.
“His mercy is for generations and generations on those who fear him.”
“He has filled the hungry with good things. He has sent the rich away empty.”
R: That he might remember mercy.
“He has given help to Israel, his servant, that he might remember mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and his offspring forever.”
R: That he might remember mercy.
Gospel of the Day: MT 8:5-17
From the gospel scripture according to Matthew.
When he came into Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking him for help, saying, “Lord, my servant lies in the house paralyzed, grievously tormented.”
Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
The centurion answered, “Lord, I’m not worthy for you to come under my roof. Just say the word, and my servant will be healed.
For I am also a man under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and tell another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and tell my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard it, he marveled and said to those who followed, “Most certainly I tell you, I haven’t found so great a faith, not even in Israel.
I tell you that many will come from the east and the west, and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, but the children of the Kingdom will be thrown out into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way. Let it be done for you as you have believed.” His servant was healed in that hour.
When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.
He touched her hand, and the fever left her. So she got up and served him.
When evening came, they brought to him many possessed with demons. He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases.”
Other Celebration
An optional celebration on this day is the Memorial of Saint Junípero Serra, Priest.
