First reading Isaiah 5:1-7
‘The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel.’
Let me sing for my beloved
my love song concerning his vineyard:
My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.
He dug it and cleared it of stones,
and planted it with choice vines;
he built a watchtower in the midst of it,
and hewed out a wine vat in it;
and he looked for it to yield grapes,
but it yielded wild grapes.
And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem and men of Judah,
judge between me and my vineyard.
What more was there to do for my vineyard,
that I have not done in it?
When I looked for it to yield grapes,
why did it yield wild grapes?
And now I will tell you
what I will do to my vineyard.
I will remove its hedge,
and it shall be devoured;
I will break down its wall,
and it shall be trampled down.
I will make it a waste;
it shall not be pruned or hoed,
and briers and thorns shall grow up;
I will also command the clouds
that they rain no rain upon it.
For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts
is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah
are his pleasant planting;
and he looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed;
for righteousness, but behold, an outcry!
The word of the Lord
Responsorial Psalm Ps 80(79):9, 12. 13-14. 15-16. 19-20. ℟ Isaiah 5:7a
The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
You brought a vine out of Egypt;
you drove out the nations and planted it.
It stretched out its branches to the sea;
to the River it stretched out its shoots.
The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Then why have you broken down its walls?
It is plucked by all who pass by the way.
It is ravaged by the boar of the forest,
devoured by the beasts of the field.
The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
God of hosts, turn again, we implore;
look down from heaven and see.
Visit this vine and protect it,
the stock your right hand has planted,
the son you have claimed for yourself.
The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
And we shall never forsake you again;
give us life that we may call upon your name.
Bring us back, O Lord God of hosts;
let your face shine forth, and we shall be saved.
The vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.
Second reading Philippians 4:6-9
‘Practise these things, and the God of peace will be with you.’
Brothers and Sisters: Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise: think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me — practise these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
The word of the Lord
Gospel Acclamation Cf. John 15:16
Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you out of the world, says the Lord,
that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should abide.
Alleluia.