Thursday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 and//www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/16:1 GN 16:1-12, 15-16 Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children.She had, however, an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar.Sarai said to Abramand The LORD has kept me from bearing children.Have intercourse, then, with my maidperhaps I shall have sons through her.”Abram heeded Sarai’s request.Thus, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan,his wife Sarai took her maid, Hagar the Egyptian,and gave her to her husband Abram to be his concubine.He had intercourse with her, and she became pregnant.When she became aware of her pregnancy,she looked on her mistress with disdain.So Sarai said to Abramand You are responsible for this outrage against me.I myself gave my maid to your embracebut ever since she became aware of her pregnancy,she has been looking on me with disdain.May the LORD decide between you and me!”Abram told Saraiand Your maid is in your power.Do to her whatever you please.”Sarai then abused her so much that Hagar ran away from her.The LORD’s messenger found her by a spring in the wilderness,the spring on the road to Shur, and he asked, Hagar, maid of Sarai, where have you come fromand where are you going?”She answered, I am running away from my mistress, Sarai.”But the LORD’s messenger told herand Go back to your mistress and submit to her abusive treatment.I will make your descendants so numerous,” added the LORD’s messenger, that they will be too many to count.Besides,” the LORD’s messenger said to herand You are now pregnant and shall bear a sonyou shall name him Ishmael,For the LORD has heard you,God has answered you.This one shall be a wild ass of a man,his hand against everyone,and everyone’s hand against himIn opposition to all his kinshall he encamp.”Hagar bore Abram a son,and Abram named the son whom Hagar bore him Ishmael.Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael. Responsorial Psalm and//www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/106:1 PS 106:1B-2, 3-4A, 4B-5 R. (1b)Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.orandR.Alleluia.Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,for his mercy endures forever.Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD,or proclaim all his praises?R.Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.orandR.Alleluia.Blessed are they who observe what is right,who do always what is just.Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people.R.Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.orandR.Alleluia.Visit me with your saving help,that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,rejoice in the joy of your people,and glory with your inheritance.R.Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.orandR.Alleluia. Alleluia and//www.usccb.org/bible/john/14:23 JN 14:23 R.Alleluia, alleluia.Whoever loves me will keep my word,and my Father will love himand we will come to him.R.Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel and//www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/7:21 MT 7:21-29 Jesus said to his disciplesand Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’will enter the Kingdom of heaven,but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.Many will say to me on that day,‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name?Did we not drive out demons in your name?Did we not do mighty deeds in your name?’Then I will declare to them solemnly,‘I never knew you. Depart from me, you evildoers.’ Everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on themwill be like a wise man who built his house on rock.The rain fell, the floods came,and the winds blew and buffeted the house.But it did not collapse it had been set solidly on rock.And everyone who listens to these words of minebut does not act on themwill be like a fool who built his house on sand.The rain fell, the floods came,and the winds blew and buffeted the house.And it collapsed and was completely ruined.”When Jesus finished these words,the crowds were astonished at his teaching,for he taught them as one having authority,and not as their scribes.