Mass Readings for July 17, 2023

Exodus 1:8-14,22
Psalms 124:1-8
Matthew 10:34-11:1

Exodus 1:8-14,22
(8) Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who didn’t know Joseph. (9) He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. (10) Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and escape out of the land.” (11) Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. They built storage cities for Pharaoh: Pithom and Raamses. (12) But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread out. They were grieved because of the children of Israel. (13) The Egyptians ruthlessly made the children of Israel serve, (14) and they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and in brick, and in all kinds of service in the field, all their service, in which they ruthlessly made them serve. (22) Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, “You shall cast every son who is born into the river, and every daughter you shall save alive.”

Psalms 124:1-8
(1) If it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, let Israel now say, (2) if it had not been Yahweh who was on our side, when men rose up against us; (3) then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us; (4) then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul; (5) then the proud waters would have gone over our soul. (6) Blessed be Yahweh, who has not given us as a prey to their teeth. (7) Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the fowler’s snare. The snare is broken, and we have escaped. (8) Our help is in Yahweh’s name, who made heaven and earth.

Matthew 10:34-11:1
(34) “Don’t think that I came to send peace on the earth. I didn’t come to send peace, but a sword. (35) For I came to set a man at odds against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. (36) A man’s foes will be those of his own household. (37) He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. (38) He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me, isn’t worthy of me. (39) He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it. (40) He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. (41) He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. (42) Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you he will in no way lose his reward.” (1) When Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.