Readings: OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST

First Reading: Genesis 22:9-18

The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith.
A reading from the Book of Genesis
When they came to the place of which God had told him,
Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order,
and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.
Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham!’
And he said, ‘Here am I.’
He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God,
seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’
And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked,
and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns;
and Abraham went and took the ram,
and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.
So Abraham called the name of that place The Lord will provide; as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.’
And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said,
‘By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore.
And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies,
and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves,
because you have obeyed my voice.’
It is written of me in the roll of the book: I have come to do you will, O God.
A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews
For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
‘Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, “Lo, I have come to do your will, O God,” as it is written of me in the roll of the book.’
When he said above,
‘You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings’ (these are offered according to the law), then he added, ‘Lo, I have come to do your will.’
He abolishes the first in order to establish the second.
And by that will we have been sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL Ps 39(40): 7–8a. 10–11ab. 17 r. 8a, 9a.

Behold I have come, Lord, to do your will.

You delight not in sacrifice and offering, but in an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and sin offering.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come.’
Your righteousness I have proclaimed in the great assembly.

My lips I have not sealed; you know it, O Lord.
Your saving help I have not hidden in my heart; of your faithfulness and salvation I have spoken,
O let there be rejoicing and gladness for all who seek you,
Let them ever say, ‘The Lord is great,’ who long for your salvation.

Gospel: Matthew 26: 36–42

* A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus went with the disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, ‘Sit here, while I go yonder and pray.’
And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled.
Then he said to them, ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.’
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed,
‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.’
And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping;
and he said to Peter, ‘So, could you not watch with me one hour?
Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’
Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed,
‘My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, thy will be done.’

The Gospel of the Lord.