FIRST READING
Apocalypse 18:1-2,21-23,19:1-3,9
I, John, saw an angel come down from heaven, with great authority given to him; the earth was lit up with his glory.
At the top of his voice he shouted, ‘Babylon has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen, and has become the haunt of devils and a lodging for every foul spirit and dirty, loathsome bird.’
Then a powerful angel picked up a boulder like a great millstone, and as he hurled it into the sea, he said, ‘That is how the great city of Babylon is going to be hurled down, never to be seen again.
Never again in you, Babylon, will be heard the song of harpists and minstrels, the music of flute and trumpet; never again will craftsmen of every skill be found or the sound of the mill be heard; never again will shine the light of the lamp, never again will be heard the voices of bridegroom and bride.
Your traders were the princes of the earth, all the nations were under your spell.
After this I seemed to hear the great sound of a huge crowd in heaven, singing, ‘Alleluia! Victory and glory and power to our God!
He judges fairly, he punishes justly, and he has condemned the famous prostitute who corrupted the earth with her fornication; he has avenged his servants that she killed.’
They sang again, ‘Alleluia! The smoke of her will go up for ever and ever.’
The angel said, ‘Write this: Happy are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb’, and he added, ‘All the things you have written are true messages from God.’
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 100:2-5
R/ Happy are those who are invited to the wedding-feast of the Lamb.
Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing for joy.
R/ Happy are those who are invited to the wedding-feast of the Lamb.
Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we belong to him, we are his people, the sheep of his flock.
R/ Happy are those who are invited to the wedding-feast of the Lamb.
Go within his gates, giving thanks. Enter his courts with songs of praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.
R/ Happy are those who are invited to the wedding-feast of the Lamb.
Indeed, how good is the Lord, eternal his merciful love.
He is faithful from age to age.
R/ Happy are those who are invited to the wedding-feast of the Lamb.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Luke 21:28
R/ Alleluia, Alleluia.
Stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.
R/ Alleluia, Alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 21:20-28
Jesus said to His disciples: “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is at hand. Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains.
Let those within the city escape from it, and let those in the countryside not enter the city, for these days are the time of punishment when all the Scriptures are fulfilled.
Woe to pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days, for a terrible calamity will come upon the earth and a wrathful judgment upon this people.
They will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken as captives to all the Gentiles; and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on earth nations will be in dismay, perplexed by the roaring of the sea and the waves.
People will die of fright in anticipation of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
But when these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.”
THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD!
Praise To You, Lord Jesus Christ.
