Traditional Latin Mass Gospel Readings – Details, episodes & analysis

 1 At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who thinkest thou is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?
In illa hora accesserunt discipuli ad Jesum, dicentes : Quis, putas, major est in regno caelorum?

 2 And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them,
Et advocans Jesus parvulum, statuit eum in medio eorum,

 3 And said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
et dixit : Amen dico vobis, nisi conversi fueritis, et efficiamini sicut parvuli, non intrabitis in regnum caelorum.

 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven.
Quicumque ergo humiliaverit se sicut parvulus iste, hic est major in regno caelorum.

 5 And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.
Et qui susceperit unum parvulum talem in nomine meo, me suscipit :

 6 But he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone should be hanged about his neck, and that he should be drowned in the depth of the sea.
qui autem scandalizaverit unum de pusillis istis, qui in me credunt, expedit ei ut suspendatur mola asinaria in collo ejus, et demergatur in profundum maris.

 7 Woe to the world because of scandals. For it must needs be that scandals come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh.
Vae mundo a scandalis! Necesse est enim ut veniant scandala : verumtamen vae homini illi, per quem scandalum venit.

 8 And if thy hand, or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee to go into life maimed or lame, than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire.
Si autem manus tua, vel pes tuus scandalizat te, abscide eum, et projice abs te : bonum tibi est ad vitam ingredi debilem, vel claudum, quam duas manus vel duos pedes habentem mitti in ignem aeternum.

 9 And if thy eye scandalize thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. It is better for thee having one eye to enter into life, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
Et si oculus tuus scandalizat te, erue eum, et projice abs te : bonum tibi est cum uno oculo in vitam intrare, quam duos oculos habentem mitti in gehennam ignis.

 10 See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Videte ne contemnatis unum ex his pusillis : dico enim vobis, quia angeli eorum in caelis semper vident faciem Patris mei, qui in caelis est.

Christ teaches humility, to beware of scandal, and to flee the occasions of sinThis Basilica was consecrated to St Michael by Boniface II.

 1 And it came to pass, when Jesus went into the house of one of the chief of the Pharisees, on the sabbath day, to eat bread, that they watched him.
Et factum est cum intraret Jesus in domum cujusdam principis pharisaeorum sabbato manducare panem, et ipsi observabant eum.

 2 And behold, there was a certain man before him that had the dropsy.
Et ecce homo quidam hydropicus erat ante illum.

 3 And Jesus answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying: Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day?
Et respondens Jesus dixit ad legisperitos et pharisaeos, dicens : Si licet sabbato curare?

 4 But they held their peace. But he taking him, healed him, and sent him away.
At illi tacuerunt. Ipse vero apprehensum sanavit eum, ac dimisit.

 5 And answering them, he said: Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fall into a pit, and will not immediately draw him out, on the sabbath day?
Et respondens ad illos dixit : Cujus vestrum asinus, aut bos in puteum cadet, et non continuo extrahet illum die sabbati?

 6 And they could not answer him to these things.
Et non poterant ad haec respondere illi.

 7 And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited, marking how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them:
Dicebat autem et ad invitatos parabolam, intendens quomodo primos accubitus eligerent, dicens ad illos :

 8 When thou art invited to a wedding, sit not down in the first place, lest perhaps one more honourable than thou be invited by him:
Cum invitatus fueris ad nuptias, non discumbas in primo loco, ne forte honoratior te sit invitatus ab illo.

 9 And he that invited thee and him, come and say to thee, Give this man place: and then thou begin with shame to take the lowest place.
Et veniens is, qui te et illum vocavit, dicat tibi : Da huic locum : et tunc incipias cum rubore novissimum locum tenere.

 10 But when thou art invited, go, sit down in the lowest place; that when he who invited thee, cometh, he may say to thee: Friend, go up higher. Then shalt thou have glory before them that sit at table with thee.
Sed cum vocatus fueris, vade, recumbe in novissimo loco : ut, cum venerit qui te invitavit, dicat tibi : Amice, ascende superius. Tunc erit tibi gloria coram simul discumbentibus :

 11 Because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled; and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.
quia omnis, qui se exaltat, humiliabitur : et qui se humiliat, exaltabitur.

Jesus heals a man with dropsy. Short parable showing that God exalts whosoever humbles himself.

“24:3. And when he was sitting on mount Olivet, the disciples came to

him privately, saying: Tell us when shall these things be? And what

shall be the sign of thy coming and of the consummation of the world?

24:4. And Jesus answering, said to them: Take heed that no man seduce

you.

24:5. For many will come in my name saying, I am Christ. And they will

seduce many.

24:6. And you shall hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that ye be

not troubled. For these things must come to pass: but the end is not

yet.

24:7. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against

kingdom: And there shall be pestilences and famines and earthquakes in

places.

24:8. Now all these are the beginnings of sorrows.

24:9. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted and shall put you

to death: and you shall be hated by all nations for my name's sake.

24:10. And then shall many be scandalized and shall betray one another

and shall hate one another.

24:11. And many false prophets shall rise and shall seduce many.

24:12. And because iniquity hath abounded, the charity of many shall

grow cold.

24:13. But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved.

St Januarius, Bishop of Beneventum, was beheaded with his Conoanions: Acutius, Eutychius, Desiderius, Festus, Proclus and Socius, Puteoli, in the persecution of Diocletian A.D. 305. St Januarius is the patron of Naples, where year by year the liquefaction of his blood, preserved in a phial, takes place.

 29 And Jesus answering, said to them: You err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.
Respondens autem Jesus, ait illis : Erratis nescientes Scripturas, neque virtutem Dei.

 30 For in the resurrection they shall neither marry nor be married; but shall be as the angels of God in heaven.
In resurrectione enim neque nubent, neque nubentur : sed erunt sicut angeli Dei in caelo.

 31 And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read that which was spoken by God, saying to you:
De resurrectione autem mortuorum non legistis quod dictum est a Deo dicente vobis :

 32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
Ego sum Deus Abraham, et Deus Isaac, et Deus Jacob? Non est Deus mortuorum, sed viventium.

 33 And the multitudes hearing it, were in admiration at his doctrine.
Et audientes turbae, mirabantur in doctrina ejus.

 34 But the Pharisees hearing that he had silenced the Sadducees, came together:
Pharisaei autem audientes quod silentium imposuisset sadducaeis, convenerunt in unum :

 35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, asking him, tempting him:
et interrogavit eum unus ex eis legis doctor, tentans eum :

 36 Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?
Magister, quod est mandatum magnum in lege?

 37 Jesus said to him: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind.
Ait illi Jesus : Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde tuo, et in tota anima tua, et in tota mente tua.

 38 This is the greatest and the first commandment.
Hoc est maximum, et primum mandatum.

 39 And the second is like to this: Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Secundum autem simile est huic : Diliges proximum tuum, sicut teipsum.

 40 On these two commandments dependeth the whole law and the prophets.
In his duobus mandatis universa lex pendet, et prophetae.

St Aloysius is the patron of Catholic youth. Amid the seductions of court the young prince, full of merits and virtues, kept his first innocence by marvels of mortification. He entered the Society of Jesus in Rome at the age of sixteen, and died there seven years later a victim to the plague, June 21, A.D. 1591.

And after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called JESUS, which was called by the angel, before he was conceived in the womb.
Et postquam consummati sunt dies octo, ut circumcideretur puer, vocatum est nomen ejus Jesus, quod vocatum est ab angelo priusquam in utero conciperetur.

Music: O Come O Come Emmanuel.  

[21]And after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called JESUS, which was called by the angel, before he was conceived in the womb.
Et postquam consummati sunt dies octo, ut circumcideretur puer, vocatum est nomen ejus Jesus, quod vocatum est ab angelo priusquam in utero conciperetur.

And after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called JESUS, which was called by the angel, before he was conceived in the womb.
Et postquam consummati sunt dies octo, ut circumcideretur puer, vocatum est nomen ejus Jesus, quod vocatum est ab angelo priusquam in utero conciperetur.

Music:  Agnus Dei.

And after eight days were accomplished, that the child should be circumcised, his name was called JESUS, which was called by the angel, before he was conceived in the womb.
Et postquam consummati sunt dies octo, ut circumcideretur puer, vocatum est nomen ejus Jesus, quod vocatum est ab angelo priusquam in utero conciperetur.

Music:  Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.  Bach.

[35]Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands.
Sint lumbi vestri praecincti, et lucernae ardentes in manibus vestris,

[36] And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately.
et vos similes hominibus exspectantibus dominum suum quando revertatur a nuptiis : ut, cum venerit et pulsaverit, confestim aperiant ei.

[37] Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them.
Beati servi illi quos, cum venerit dominus, invenerit vigilantes : amen dico vobis, quod praecinget se, et faciet illos discumbere, et transiens ministrabit illis.

[38] And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
Et si venerit in secunda vigilia, et si in tertia vigilia venerit, et ita invenerit, beati sunt servi illi.

[39] But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open.
Hoc autem scitote, quoniam si sciret paterfamilias, qua hora fur veniret, vigilaret utique, et non sineret perfodi domum suam.

[40] Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not, the Son of man will come.
Et vos estote parati : quia qua hora non putatis, Filius hominis veniet.

Music:  Gloria.

[15]And it came to pass, after the angels departed from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another: Let us go over to Bethlehem, and let us see this word that is come to pass, which the Lord hath shewed to us.
Et factum est, ut discesserunt ab eis angeli in caelum : pastores loquebantur ad invicem : Transeamus usque Bethlehem, et videamus hoc verbum, quod factum est, quod Dominus ostendit nobis.

[16] And they came with haste; and they found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.
Et venerunt festinantes : et invenerunt Mariam, et Joseph, et infantem positum in praesepio.

[17] And seeing, they understood of the word that had been spoken to them concerning this child.
Videntes autem cognoverunt de verbo, quod dictum erat illis de puero hoc.

[18] And all that heard, wondered; and at those things that were told them by the shepherds.
Et omnes qui audierunt, mirati sunt : et de his quae dicta erant a pastoribus ad ipsos.

[19] But Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.
Maria autem conservabat omnia verba haec, conferens in corde suo.

[20] And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God, for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
Et reversi sunt pastores glorificantes et laudantes Deum in omnibus quae audierant et viderant, sicut dictum est ad illos.

Music:  Sanctus.