FIRST READING John 8:2-11
2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him,
and he sat down and began to teach them. 3The scribes and the Pharisees
brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and, making her stand
before all of them, 4
they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the
very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to
stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They said this to test him, so that
they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote
with his finger on the ground. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he
straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be
the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once again he bent down and wrote on
the ground. 9 When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with
the elders, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before
him. 10 Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no
one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I
condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”
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Reader: Word of God. Word of Life.
All: Thanks be to God.
SECOND READING Luke 15:11-32
11 Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger
of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the wealth that
will belong to me.’ So he divided his assets between them. 13 A few days
later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant region,
and there he squandered his wealth in dissolute living. 14 When he had
spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that region, and
he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the
citizens of that region, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He
would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the pigs were
eating, and no one gave him anything. 17 But when he came to his senses
he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to
spare, but here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will get up and go to my father,
and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before
you; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of
your hired hands.” ’ 20 So he set off and went to his father. But while he
was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he
ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. 21 Then the son said to
him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no
longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 But the father said to his slaves,
‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring
on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 And get the fatted calf and kill it,
and let us eat and celebrate, 24 for this son of mine was dead and is alive
again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate. 25 “Now
his elder son was in the field, and as he came and approached the house,
he heard music and dancing. 26 He called one of the slaves and asked
what was going on. 27 He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your
father has killed the fatted calf because he has got him back safe and
sound.’ 28 Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came
out and began to plead with him. 29But he answered his father, ‘Listen!
For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have
never disobeyed your command, yet you have never given me even a
young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. 30But when this
son of yours came back, who has devoured your assets with prostitutes,
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you killed the fatted calf for him!’ 31 Then the father said to him, ‘Son,
you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32But we had to
celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has
come to life; he was lost and has been found.’ ”
Reader: Word of God. Word of Life.