The 28th of June, 2024, Friday is the Memorial of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the 2024 Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: 2 KGS 25:1-12
The first reading from the Book of Kings.
In the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and encamped against it; and they built forts against it around it.
So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
On the ninth day of the fourth month, the famine was severe in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.
Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city around it); and the king went by the way of the Arabah.
But the Chaldean army pursued the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.
Then they captured the king and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they passed judgment on him.
They killed Zedekiah’s sons before his eyes, then put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him in fetters, and carried him to Babylon.
Now in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem.
He burned Yahweh’s house, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem. He burned every great house with fire.
All the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem.
Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive the rest of the people who were left in the city and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon-all the rest of the multitude.
But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to work the vineyards and fields.
Responsorial Psalm: PS 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6
Response: Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you.
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yes, we wept, when we remembered Zion.
On the willows in that land, we hung up our harps.
R: Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you.
For there, those who led us captive asked us for songs. Those who tormented us demanded songs of joy: “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
R: Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you.
How can we sing Yahweh’s song in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill.
R: Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you.
Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I don’t prefer Jerusalem above my chief joy.
R: Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you.
Gospel of the Day: MT 8:1-4
From the gospel verse according to Matthew.
When he came down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
Behold, a leper came to him and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I want to. Be made clean.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
Jesus said to him, “See that you tell nobody; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
