The 5th of August, 2023 is Saturday in the Seventeenth 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: LV 25:1, 8-17
The first reading from the Book of Leviticus.
Yahweh said to Moses on Mount Sinai, “‘You shall count off seven Sabbaths of years, seven times seven years; and there shall be to you the days of seven Sabbaths of years, even forty-nine years.
Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land.
You shall make the fiftieth year holy, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee to you; and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family.
That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee to you. In it you shall not sow, neither reap that which grows of itself, nor gather from the undressed vines.
For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you. You shall eat of its increase out of the field.’_”
“‘In this Year of Jubilee each of you shall return to his property.’_”
“‘If you sell anything to your neighbor, or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another.
According to the number of years after the Jubilee you shall buy from your neighbor. According to the number of years of the crops he shall sell to you.
According to the length of the years you shall increase its price, and according to the shortness of the years you shall diminish its price; for he is selling the number of the crops to you.
You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am Yahweh your God.’_”
Responsorial Psalm: PS 67:1-2, 4, 6-7
Response: Let the peoples praise you, God. Let all the peoples praise you.
May God be merciful to us, bless us, and cause his face to shine on us.
That your way may be known on earth, and your salvation among all nations.
R: Let the peoples praise you, God. Let all the peoples praise you.
Oh let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you will judge the peoples with equity, and govern the nations on earth.
R: Let the peoples praise you, God. Let all the peoples praise you.
The earth has yielded its increase. God, even our own God, will bless us.
God will bless us. All the ends of the earth shall fear him.
R: Let the peoples praise you, God. Let all the peoples praise you.
Gospel of the Day: MT 14:1-12
From the gospel verse according to Matthew.
At that time, Herod the tetrarch heard the report concerning Jesus, and said to his servants, “This is John the Baptizer. He is risen from the dead. That is why these powers work in him.”
For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
For John said to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”
When he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.
But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced among them and pleased Herod.
Therefore he promised with an oath to give her whatever she should ask.
She, being prompted by her mother, said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptizer.”
The king was grieved, but for the sake of his oaths and of those who sat at the table with him, he commanded it to be given, and he sent and beheaded John in the prison.
His head was brought on a platter and given to the young lady; and she brought it to her mother.
His disciples came, took the body, and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Other Celebration
An optional celebration on this day is the Memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
