Monday, 12 July 2027

A new king, who knew nothing of Joseph, came to power in Egypt.

He said to his subjects, "Look how numerous and powerful

the people of the children of Israel are growing, more so than we ourselves!

Come, let us deal shrewdly with them to stop their increase;

otherwise, in time of war they too may join our enemies

to fight against us, and so leave our country."

Accordingly, taskmasters were set over the children of Israel

to oppress them with forced labor.

Thus they had to build for Pharaoh

the supply cities of Pithom and Raamses.

Yet the more they were oppressed,

the more they multiplied and spread.

The Egyptians, then, dreaded the children of Israel

and reduced them to cruel slavery,

making life bitter for them with hard work in mortar and brick

and all kinds of field work—the whole cruel fate of slaves.

Pharaoh then commanded all his subjects,

"Throw into the river every boy that is born to the Hebrews,

but you may let all the girls live."

R. (8a) Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Had not the LORD been with us–

let Israel say, had not the LORD been with us–

When men rose up against us,

then would they have swallowed us alive,

When their fury was inflamed against us.

R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Then would the waters have overwhelmed us;

The torrent would have swept over us;

over us then would have swept

the raging waters.

Blessed be the LORD, who did not leave us

a prey to their teeth.

R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

We were rescued like a bird

from the fowlers' snare;

Broken was the snare,

and we were freed.

Our help is in the name of the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

R. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

Jesus said to his Apostles:

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace upon the earth.

I have come to bring not peace but the sword.

For I have come to set

a man against his father,

a daughter against her mother,

and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

and one's enemies will be those of his household.

"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me,

and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;

and whoever does not take up his cross

and follow after me is not worthy of me.

Whoever finds his life will lose it,

and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

"Whoever receives you receives me,

and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.

Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet

will receive a prophet's reward,

and whoever receives a righteous man

because he is righteous

will receive a righteous man's reward.

And whoever gives only a cup of cold water

to one of these little ones to drink

because he is a disciple–

amen, I say to you, he will surely not lose his reward."

When Jesus finished giving these commands to his Twelve disciples,

he went away from that place to teach and to preach in their towns.