First reading Genesis 18:20-32
‘Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak.’
In those days: The Lord said, ‘Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.’ So the men turned from there and went towards Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord.
Then Abraham drew near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?’ And the Lord said, ‘If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.’ Abraham answered and said, ‘Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?’ And he said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.’ Again he spoke to him and said, ‘Suppose forty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of forty I will not do it.’ Then he said, ‘Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.’ He answered, ‘I will not do it, if I find thirty there.’ He said, ‘Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.’ Then he said, ‘Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’
The word of the Lord
Responsorial Psalm Ps 138(137):1-2a. 2b-3. 4-5. 7c-8. ℟3a
On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.
I thank you, Lord, with all my heart;
you have heard the words of my mouth.
In the presence of the angels I praise you.
I bow down towards your holy Temple.
On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.
I give thanks to your name
for your merciful love and your faithfulness.
For you have exalted over all
your name and your promise.
On the day I called, you answered me;
you increased the strength of my soul.
On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.
The Lord is high, yet he looks on the lowly,
and the haughty he knows from afar.
You give me life though I walk amid affliction;
you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes.
On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.
With your right hand you save me;
the Lord will accomplish this for me.
O Lord, your merciful love is eternal;
discard not the work of your hands.
On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.
Second reading Colossians 2:12-14
‘God made you alive together with him, having forgiven all trespasses.’
Brothers and Sisters: You have been buried with Christ in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
The word of the Lord
Gospel Acclamation Romans 8:15bc
Alleluia, alleluia.
You have received the Spirit of adoption as sons,
by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’
Alleluia.