The 24th of July, 2023 is Monday in the Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the Year 2023 of Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: EX 14:5-18
The first reading from the Book of Exodus.
The king of Egypt was told that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, “What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?”
He prepared his chariot, and took his army with him; and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, with captains over all of them.
Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand.
The Egyptians pursued them. All the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal Zephon.
When Pharaoh came near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The children of Israel cried out to Yahweh.
They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt?
Isn’t this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?’ For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today; for you will never again see the Egyptians whom you have seen today.
Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still.”
Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they go forward.
Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. Then the children of Israel shall go into the middle of the sea on dry ground.
Behold, I myself will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they will go in after them. I will get myself honor over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.
The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh when I have gotten myself honor over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.”
Responsorial Psalm: EX 15:1BC-2, 3-4, 5-6
Response: “I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously.”
“I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously. He has thrown the horse and his rider into the sea.
Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise him; my father’s God, and I will exalt him.”
R: “I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously.”
“Yahweh is a man of war. Yahweh is his name.
He has cast Pharaoh’s chariots and his army into the sea. His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.”
R: “I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously.”
“The deeps cover them. They went down into the depths like a stone.
Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power. Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces.”
R: “I will sing to Yahweh, for he has triumphed gloriously.”
Gospel of the Day: MT 12:38-42
From the gospel verse according to Matthew.
Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”
But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, but no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet.
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the huge fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
The men of Nineveh will stand up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, someone greater than Jonah is here.
The Queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and will condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, someone greater than Solomon is here.”
Other Celebration
An optional celebration on this day is the Memorial of Saint Sharbel Makhluf, Priest.
