First Reading

Reading from the prophecy of Hosea

Hosea 8, 4-7. 11-13

Thus says the Lord:
«They have appointed kings without consulting me,
they have chosen princes without my knowledge.
With their gold and silver they have made idols,
to their own destruction.
Your calf, Samaria, is repulsive
and my anger burns against it.
How long will the people of Israel be unable to purify themselves?
A craftsman has made this calf, which is not God,
therefore it will be shattered to pieces.

They sow the wind and will reap the whirlwind;
their wheat will not produce heads, their grain will yield no flour,
and if it does, foreigners will devour it.

Ephraim has built many altars,
but they have only served to sin.
Even if I wrote all my laws for them,
they would treat them as if they were from a stranger.
Even if they offer sacrifices in my honor
and eat their meat, they do not please me,
for I remember their iniquities
and will punish their sins.
Therefore they will return to slavery».

Gospel

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Matthew

Matthew 9, 32-38

At that time, they brought before Jesus a mute man who was possessed by a demon. Jesus drove out the demon and the mute man spoke. The crowd, amazed, said: «Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel». But the Pharisees said: «He casts out demons by the authority of the prince of demons».

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were weary and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples: «The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask, therefore, the Lord of the harvest to send workers into his fields».