Anthony of Padua, Priest, Religious, Doctor Obligatory Memorial (Eleventh Week in Ordinary Time)

First Reading: First Kings 21: 1-16
1 And after these things, Naboth the Jezrahelite, who was in Jezrahel, had at that time a vineyard near the palace of Achab king of Samaria.

2 And Achab spoke to Naboth, saying: Give me thy vineyard, that I may make me a garden of herbs, because it is nigh, and adjoining to my house, and I will give thee for it a better vineyard: or if thou think it more convenient for thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.

3 Naboth answered him: The Lord be merciful to me, and not let me give thee the inheritance of my fathers.

4 And Achab came into his house angry and fretting, because of the word that Naboth the Jezrahelite had spoken to him, saying: I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And casting himself upon his bed, he turned away his face to the wall, and would eat no bread.

5 And Jezabel his wife went in to him, and said to him: What is the matter that thy soul is so grieved? and why eatest thou no bread?

6 And he answered her: I spoke to Naboth the Jezrahelite, and said to him: Give me thy vineyard, and take money for it: or if it please thee, I will give thee a better vineyard for it. And he said: I will not give thee my vineyard.

7 Then Jezabel his wife said to him: Thou art of great authority indeed, and governest well the kingdom of Israel. Arise, and eat bread, and be of good cheer, I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezrahelite.

8 So she wrote letter’s in Achab’s name, and sealed them with his ring, and sent them to the ancients, and the chief men that were in his city, and that dwelt with Naboth.

9 And this was the tenor of the letters: Proclaim a fast, and make Naboth sit among the chief of the people,

10 And suborn two men, sons of Belial against him, and let them bear false witness: that he hath blasphemed God and the king: and then carry him out, and stone him, and so let him die.

11 And the men of his city, the ancients and nobles, that dwelt with him in the city, did as Jezabel had commanded them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them:

12 They proclaimed a fast, and made Naboth sit among the chief of the people.

13 And bringing two men, sons of the devil, they made them sit against him: and they, like men of the devil, bore witness against him before the people, saying: Naboth hath blasphemed God and the king: wherefore they brought him forth without the city, and stoned him to death.

14 And they sent to Jezabel, saying: Naboth is stoned, and is dead.

15 And it came to pass when Jezabel heard that Naboth was stoned, and dead, that she said to Achab: Arise and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezrahelite, who would not agree with thee, and give it thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.

16 And when Achab heard this, to wit, that Naboth was dead, he arose, and went down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezrahelite, to take possession of it.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 5: 2-3ab, 4b-6, 7
R. (2b) Lord, listen to my groaning.

2 Give ear, O Lord, to my words, understand my cry.

3ab Hearken to the voice of my prayer, O my King and my God.

R. Lord, listen to my groaning.

4b O Lord, in the morning thou shalt hear my voice.

5 In the morning I will stand before thee, and will see: because thou art not a God that willest iniquity.

6 Neither shall the wicked dwell near thee: nor shall the unjust abide before thy eyes.

R. Lord, listen to my groaning.

7 Thou hatest all the workers of iniquity: Thou wilt destroy all that speak a lie. The bloody and the deceitful man the Lord will abhor.

R. Lord, listen to my groaning.
Alleluia: Psalms 119: 105
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

105 A lamp to my feet is your word, a light to my path.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel: Matthew 5: 38-42
38 You have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

39 But I say to you not to resist evil: but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other:

40 And if a man will contend with thee in judgment, and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him.

41 And whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two,

42 Give to him that asketh of thee and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away.

Thank you for reading. This Catholic Mass was shared via www.thedevotionals.com.ng