Thursday, 22 January 2026
Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr
Readings for the universal ChurchGeneral Roman Calendar, used by Catholics worldwide
First Reading
18:6As they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.
7The women sang to one another as they played, and said,
“Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands.”
8Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have credited David with ten thousands, and they have only credited me with thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?” 9Saul watched David from that day and forward.
19:1Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David. 2Jonathan told David, saying, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Now therefore, please take care of yourself in the morning, live in a secret place, and hide yourself. 3I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will talk with my father about you; and if I see anything, I will tell you.” 4Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Don’t let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you; 5for he put his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?” 6Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, “As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.” 7Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 56:2-3, 9-10a, 10b-11, 12-13
1Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up.
All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.
2My enemies want to swallow me up all day long,
for they are many who fight proudly against me.
8You count my wanderings.
You put my tears into your container.
Aren’t they in your book?
9Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call.
I know this: that God is for me.
10In God, I will praise his word.
In the LORD, I will praise his word.
11I have put my trust in God.
I will not be afraid.
What can man do to me?
12Your vows are on me, God.
I will give thank offerings to you.
Gospel
7Jesus withdrew to the sea with his disciples; and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea, 8from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, beyond the Jordan, and those from around Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came to him. 9He spoke to his disciples that a little boat should stay near him because of the crowd, so that they wouldn’t press on him. 10For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him. 11The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him and cried, “You are the Son of God!” 12He sternly warned them that they should not make him known.
Text: World English Bible, Catholic Edition (public domain). Reading citations: cpbjr/catholic-readings-api (MIT license). The Lectionary text used at Mass in the United States is the NABRE, which you can read at USCCB.