October 21, 2003, Saturday of the 28th week in ordinary time.

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans.

Brothers and sisters, it was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants

that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from

faith. For this reason, it depends on faith, so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be

guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law, but to those who follow

the faith of Abraham, who is a father of all of us as it

is written. I have made you father of many nations. He is our father in the sight of God, in whom

he believed, who gives life to the dead, and calls into being what does not exist. He believed,

hoping against hope, that he would become the father of many

nations. According to what was said, thus shall your descendants be. The word of the Lord.

The responsorial Psalm. The response is, The Lord remembers His covenant forever.

You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones,

He, the Lord, is our God.

Throughout the earth, His judgments prevail.

The Lord remembers his covenant forever. He remembers forever

his covenant, which he made binding for a thousand generations, which he entered into with

Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

For he remembered his holy word to his servant Abraham,

and he led forth his people with joy,

with shouts of joy his chosen ones.

The Lord remembers his covenant forever.

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