First Reading

First reading

Reading from the book of Exodus

Exodus 22, 20-26

This is what the Lord says to his people: «Do not mistreat or oppress a foreigner, for you were foreigners in Egypt. Do not exploit widows or orphans, because if you exploit them and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry; my anger will be kindled, I will kill you with the sword, your wives will become widows and your children, orphans.

When you lend money to one of my people, to the poor who is with you, do not act like a moneylender, charging him interest.

If you take your neighbor’s cloak as a pledge, return it to him before sunset, because he has nothing else to cover himself with; his cloak is his only covering, and if you do not return it, how will he sleep? When he cries out to me, I will listen, because I am merciful».

Second reading

Reading from the first letter of the apostle Saint Paul to the Thessalonians

1 Thessalonians 1, 5-10

Brothers and sisters: You know well how we have acted among you for your good. You, for your part, became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in the midst of many tribulations and with the joy that the Holy Spirit gives, you accepted the word of God in such a way that you have become an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia, because from you the word of the Lord went out and has spread: and your faith in God has become known, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but everywhere; so that we no longer had any need to say anything.

For they themselves tell how favorably you welcomed us and how, abandoning idols, you turned to the living and true God to serve him, waiting for his Son, Jesus, to come from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, and who delivers us from the coming wrath.

Gospel

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Matthew

Matthew 22, 34-40

At that time, when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they approached him. One of them, a teacher of the law, asked him to test him: «Teacher, which is the greatest commandment of the law?»

Jesus answered him: «You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first of the commandments. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets».