Opening Prayer

Lord God, our Father,
your Son Jesus Christ revealed to us
your compassionate, healing love.
Let his presence here in our midst
fill us with his power of sharing
in the miseries of our neighbor.
Let our Words be like balm
on open wounds in their hearts
and let our deeds bring healing
to all those around us.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading: 2 Kgs 25:1–12

In the tenth month of the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on
the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
and his whole army advanced against Jerusalem, encamped
around it, and built siege walls on every side. The siege of the
city continued until the eleventh year of Zedekiah. On the ninth
day of the fourth month, when famine had gripped the city,
and the people had no more bread, the city walls were breached.
Then the king and all the soldiers left the city by night through
the gate between the two walls that was near the king’s garden.
Since the Chaldeans had the city surrounded, they went in the
direction of the Arabah. But the Chaldean army pursued the
king and overtook him in the desert near Jericho, abandoned
by his whole army.

The king was therefore arrested and brought to Riblah to the
king of Babylon, who pronounced sentence on him. He had
Zedekiah’s sons slain before his eyes. Then he blinded Zedekiah,
bound him with fetters, and had him brought to Babylon.
On the seventh day of the fifth month (this was in the
nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon), Nebuzaradan,
captain of the bodyguard, came to Jerusalem as the
representative of the king of Babylon. He burned the house of
the LORD, the palace of the king, and all the houses of Jerusalem;
every large building was destroyed by fire. Then the Chaldean
troops who were with the captain of the guard tore down the
walls that surrounded Jerusalem.

Then Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, led into exile the
last of the people remaining in the city, and those who had
deserted to the king of Babylon, and the last of the artisans.
But some of the country’s poor, Nebuzaradan, captain of the
guard, left behind as vinedressers and farmers.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 137:1–2, 3, 4 – 5, 6

R./ Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

By the streams of Babylon
we sat and wept
when we remembered Zion.
On the aspens of that land
we hung up our harps.
R./ Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

Though there our captors asked of us
the lyrics of our songs,
And our despoilers urged us to be joyous:
“Sing for us the songs of Zion!”
R./ Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

How could we sing a song of the LORD
in a foreign land?
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
may my right hand be forgotten!
R./ Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

May my tongue cleave to my palate
if I remember you not,
If I place not Jerusalem
ahead of my joy.
R./ Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!

Gospel Reading Introduction
          Immediately after the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew gives us a series of miracles of Jesus, the first of which is narrated in today's Gospel, the cure of the leper. Jesus had spoken with power, now he acts with power; Jesus had spoken of the law of love, now he himself puts it into practice in an act of compassionate help to an outcast. Note that in the Bible leprosy is closely linked to sin and like a physical sign of sin. Let us honor our Lord in his compassion and forgiveness.

Gospel Reading: Mt 8:1– 4

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds
followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage,
and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He
stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be
made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. Then Jesus
said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to
the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be
proof for them.”