August 20, 2021

Reading

Ruth   1: 1, 3-6, 14-16, 22

1:1 In the days of one of the judges, when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a man from Bethlehem in Judah departed to sojourn in the region of the Moabites with his wife and two children.

1:4 They took wives from among the Moabites, of whom one was called Orpah, and the other Ruth. And they lived there ten years.

1:5 And they both died, namely Mahlon and Chilion, and the woman was left alone, bereaved of her two children and her husband.

1:6 And she arose so that she might journey to her native land, with both her daughters-in-law, from the region of the Moabites. For she had heard that the Lord had provided for his people and had given them food.

1:14 In response, they lifted up their voice and began to weep again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, and then turned back. Ruth clung to her mother-in-law.

1:15 Naomi said to her, “See, your kinswoman returns to her people, and to her gods. Hurry after her.”

1:16 She answered, “Do not be against me, as if I would abandon you and go away; for wherever you will go, I will go, and where you will stay, I also will stay with you. Your people are my people, and your God is my God.

1:22 Therefore, Naomi went with Ruth, the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, from the land of her sojourn, and returned to Bethlehem, at the time of the first reaping of the barley.

Gospel

Matthew   22: 34-40

22:34 But the Pharisees, hearing that he had caused the Sadducees to be silent, came together as one.

22:35 And one of them, a doctor of the law, questioned him, to test him:

22:36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

22:37 Jesus said to him: “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God from all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

22:38 This is the greatest and first commandment.

22:39 But the second is similar to it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

22:40 On these two commandments the entire law depends, and also the prophets.”