Friday of the 12th week of Ordinary Time

1Then it happened that, in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, he and his entire army, arrived against Jerusalem. And they encircled it, and they constructed fortifications all around it. 2And the city was enclosed and besieged, even until the eleventh year of king Zedekiah, 3on the ninth day of the month. And a famine prevailed in the city; neither was there bread for the people of the land. 4And the city was breached. And all the men of war fled in the night along the way of the gate which is between the double wall at the garden of the king. Now the Chaldeans were besieging the city on all sides. And so Zedekiah fled along the way which leads to the plains of the wilderness. 5And the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and they overtook him in the plains of Jericho. And all the warriors who were with him were dispersed, and they abandoned him. 6Therefore, having apprehended him, they led the king to the king of Babylon at Riblah. And he was speaking with him in judgment. 7Then he killed the sons of Zedekiah before him, and he dug out his eyes, and he bound him with chains, and he led him away to Babylon. 8In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, the same is the nineteenth year of the king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan, the leader of the army, a servant of the king of Babylon, went into Jerusalem. 9And he set fire to the house of the Lord, and to the house of the king. And the houses of Jerusalem, and every great house, he burned with fire. 10And the entire army of the Chaldeans, which was with the leader of the military, tore down the walls of Jerusalem all around. 11Then Nebuzaradan, the leader of the military, carried away the rest of the people, who had remained in the city, and the fugitives, who had fled over to the king of Babylon, and the remnant of the common people. 12But he left behind some vinedressers and farmers from the poor of the land.

1A Psalm of David: to Jeremiah. Above the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept, while we remembered Zion.

2By the willow trees, in their midst, we hung up our instruments.

3For, in that place, those who led us into captivity questioned us about the words of the songs. And those who carried us away said: “Sing us a hymn from the songs of Zion.”

4How can we sing a song of the Lord in a foreign land?

5If I ever forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten.

6May my tongue adhere to my jaws, if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem first, as the beginning of my joy.

1And when he had descended from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2And behold, a leper, drawing near, adored him, saying, “Lord, if you are willing, you are able to cleanse me.” 3And Jesus, extending his hand, touched him, saying: “I am willing. Be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4And Jesus said to him: “See to it that you tell no one. But go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses instructed, as a testimony for them.”