First Reading

Reading from the prophecy of Hosea

Hosea 2, 16. 17-18. 21-22

Thus says the Lord:
«I will lead Israel, my unfaithful wife, into the desert
and speak to her heart.
There she will answer me,
as when she was young,
as on the day she came out of Egypt.
On that day, says the Lord,
she will call me ‘My Husband’,
and will no longer call me ‘My Baal’.

Israel, I will betroth you to myself forever.
We will be united in justice and righteousness,
in steadfast love and tenderness;
I will betroth you in faithfulness
and then you will know the Lord».

Gospel

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Matthew

Matthew 9, 18-26

At that time, while Jesus was speaking, a synagogue leader came up to him, fell at his feet and said: «Lord, my daughter has just died; but come and lay your hands on her, and she will live again».

Jesus got up and followed him, accompanied by his disciples. Then a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, for she thought: «If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed». Jesus turned, looked at her and said: «Daughter, take courage; your faith has healed you». And at that very moment the woman was healed.

When Jesus arrived at the synagogue leader’s house, he saw the flute players and the crowd in commotion and said to them: «Go away. The girl is not dead; she is asleep». And they all laughed at him. Once the crowd had been sent out, Jesus went in, took the girl by the hand, and she got up. The news spread throughout that region.