August 29, 2025, Memorial of the Passion of St. John the Baptist.

A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Thessalonians.

Brothers and sisters, we earnestly asked and exhort you in the Lord Jesus

that as you received from us, how you should conduct yourselves to please God,

and as you are conducting yourselves, you do so even more.

For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.

This is the will of God, your holiness, that you refrain from immorality, that each of you

know how to acquire a wife for himself in holiness and honor, not in lustful passion,

as do the Gentiles who do not know God. Not to take advantage of or exploit a

brother's sister in this matter, for the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you

before and solemnly affirmed. For God did not call us to impurity but to holiness.

Therefore, whoever disregards this,

disregards not a human being, but God,

who also gives His Holy Spirit to you.

The Word of the Lord.

The Responsorial Psalm. The response is,

Rejoice in the Lord, you just. The Lord is king. Let the earth rejoice. Let the many aisles be glad. Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne. Rejoice in the Lord, you just.

The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim his justice, and all people see his glory.

Rejoice in the Lord, you just.

The Lord loves those who hate evil.

He guards the lives of his faithful ones.

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