The 1st of October, 2023 is the Twenty-Sixth Sunday of Ordinary Time. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the 2023 Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: EZ 18:25-28
The first reading from the Book of Ezekiel.
“Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not equal.’ Hear now, house of Israel: Is my way not equal? Aren’t your ways unequal?
When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in it, then he dies in his iniquity that he has done.
Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful and right, he will save his soul alive.
Because he considers, and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live. He shall not die.”
Responsorial Psalm: PS 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Response: Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness.
Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth, and teach me, For you are the God of my salvation. I wait for you all day long.
R: Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness.
Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times.
Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions. Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, Yahweh.
R: Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness.
Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.
R: Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness.
Reading 2: PHIL 2:1-11 or PHIL 2:1-5
The second reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians.
If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion, make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.
Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
or second reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians.
If therefore there is any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassion, make my joy full by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind; doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus.
Gospel of the Day: MT 21:28-32
From the gospel verse according to Matthew.
“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’
He answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind, and went.
He came to the second, and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I’m going, sir,’ but he didn’t go.
Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Most certainly I tell you that the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering into God’s Kingdom before you.
For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you didn’t believe him; but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. When you saw it, you didn’t even repent afterward, that you might believe him.”