July 20th, 2006, Monday of the 16th week in ordinary time.

A reading from the book of the prophet Micah.

Hear what the Lord says.

Arise, present your plea before the mountains and let the hills hear your voice.

Hear, O mountains, the plea of the Lord.

Pay attention, O foundations of the earth.

For the Lord has a plea against his people, and he enters into trial with Israel.

O my people, what have I done to you? Or how have I wearied you? Answer me. For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,

from the place of slavery I released you, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

With what shall I come before the Lord and bow before God most high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with myriad streams of oil?

Shall I give my firstborn for my crime, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? You have been told,

O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you, only to do the right and to love

goodness and to walk humbly with your God. The Word of the Lord.

The Responsorial Psalm.

The response is,

To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Gather my faithful ones before me,

those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice, and the heavens proclaim his justice,

for God himself is the judge. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you, for your burnt offerings are before me always. I take from your house no bullock,

no goats out of your fold. To the upright I will show the saving power of God. Why do you recite my

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