"The kingdom of God is very near to you."

Gospel, Luke 10:1-12

1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent 

them out ahead of him in pairs, to all the towns and places he 

himself would be visiting.

2 And he said to them, 'The harvest is rich but the labourers 

are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send labourers to 

do 

his harvesting.

3 Start off now, but look, I am sending you out like lambs 

among wolves.

4 Take no purse with you, no haversack, no sandals. Salute 

no 

one on the road.

5 Whatever house you enter, let your first words be, "Peace 

to 

this house!"

6 And if a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and 

rest on him; if not, it will come back to you.

7 Stay in the same house, taking what food and drink they 

have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not 

move from house to house.

8 Whenever you go into a town where they make you 

welcome, eat what is put before you.

9 Cure those in it who are sick, and say, "The kingdom of 

God is very near to you."

10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not make you 

welcome, go out into its streets and say,

11 "We wipe off the very dust of your town that clings to our 

feet, and leave it with you. Yet be sure of this: the kingdom of 

God is very near."

12 I tell you, on the great Day it will be more bearable for 

Sodom than for that town

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 19:8, 9, 10, 11

8 The precepts of Yahweh are honest, joy for the heart; the 

commandment of Yahweh is pure, light for the eyes.

9 The fear of Yahweh is pure, lasting for ever; the

judgements 

of Yahweh are true, upright, every one,

10 more desirable than gold, even than the finest gold; his 

words are sweeter than honey, that drips from the comb.

11 Thus your servant is formed by them; observing them 

brings great reward.

Reading 1, Nehemiah 8:1-4, 5-6, 7-12

1 all the people gathered as one man in the square 

in front of the Water Gate, and asked the scribe 

Ezra to bring the Book of the Law of Moses which 

Yahweh had prescribed for Israel.

2 Accordingly, on the first day of the seventh 

month, the priest Ezra brought the Law before the 

assembly, consisting of men, women and all those 

old enough to understand.

3 In the square in front of the Water Gate, in the 

presence of the men and women, and of those old 

enough to understand, he read from the book from 

dawn till noon; all the people listened attentively to 

the Book of the Law.

4 The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden dais erected 

for the purpose; beside him stood, on his right, 

Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and 

Maaseiah; on his left, Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, 

Hashum, Hashbaddanah, Zechariah, and 

Meshullam.

5 In full view of all the people -- since he stood 

higher than them all -- Ezra opened the book; and 

when he opened it, all the people stood up.

6 Then Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God, and all 

the people raised their hands and answered, 

'Amen! Amen!'; then they bowed down and, face to 

the ground, prostrated themselves before Yahweh.

7 And Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, 

Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, 

Jozabab, Hanan, Pelaiah, who were Levites, 

explained the Law to the people, while the people 

all kept their places.

8 Ezra read from the book of the Law of God, 

translating and giving the sense; so the reading 

was 

understood.

9 Then His Excellency Nehemiah and the priest-

scribe Ezra and the Levites who were instructing 

the people said to all the people, 'Today is sacred to 

Yahweh your God. Do not be mournful, do not 

weep.' For the people were all in tears as they 

listened to the words of the Law.

10 He then said, 'You may go; eat what is rich, 

drink what is sweet and send a helping to the man 

who has nothing prepared. For today is sacred to 

our Lord. Do not be sad: the joy of Yahweh is your 

stronghold.'

11 And the Levites calmed all the people down, 

saying, 'Keep quiet; this is a sacred day. Do not be 

sad.'

12 Then all the people went off to eat and 

drink and 

give helpings away and enjoy themselves 

to the full, 

since they had understood the meaning 

of what had been proclaimed to them.