Tuesday, June 23

Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time – Year A

First Reading – 2 Kings 19:9-11, 14-21, 31-35, 36

And when the king heard concerning Tirha′kah king of Ethiopia, “Behold, he has set out to fight against you,” he sent messengers again to Hezeki′ah, saying, “Thus shall you speak to Hezeki′ah king of Judah: ‘Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, destroying them utterly. And shall you be delivered?’”

Hezeki′ah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. And Hezeki′ah prayed before the Lord, and said: “O Lord the God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennach′erib, which he has sent to mock the living God. Of a truth, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, and have cast their gods into the fire; for they were no gods, but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone; therefore they were destroyed. So now, O Lord our God, save us, I beg you, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.”

Then Isai′ah the son of A′moz sent to Heze- ki′ah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Your prayer to me about Sennach′erib king of Assyria I have heard. This is the word that the Lord has spoken concerning him: “She despises you, she scorns you—the virgin daughter of Zion; she wags her head behind you—the daughter of Jerusalem.

Out of Jerusalem shall go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the Lord will do this. “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, says the Lord. For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”

And that night the angel of the Lord went forth, and slew a hundred and eighty-­ five thou- sand in the camp of the Assyrians;  

Then Sennach′erib king of Assyria departed, and went home, and dwelt at Nin′eveh. 

Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 48:2, 3-4, 10-11

℟ God upholds his city for ever.

Beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great King.

℟ God upholds his city for ever.

Within her citadels God has shown himself a sure defense.

For behold, the kings assembled, they came on together.

℟ God upholds his city for ever.

As your name, O God, so your praise reaches to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is filled with victory;

let Mount Zion be glad! Let the daughters of Judah rejoice because of your judgments!

℟ God upholds his city for ever.

Alleluia – John 8:12

℟ Alleluia!

I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

℟ Alleluia!

Gospel – Matthew 7:6, 12-14

Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under foot and turn to attack you.

So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition, Ignatius Press, Copyright ⓒ 2006.