September 4th, 2003, Monday of the 22nd week in ordinary time.

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

We do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, about those who have fallen asleep,

so that you may not grieve like the rest who have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose, so too will God, through Jesus, bring with him

those who have fallen asleep. Indeed, we tell you this, on the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until

the coming of the Lord, will surely not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself, with a word of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, will come down from heaven

and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together

with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore,

console one another with these words. The word of the Lord. The responseorial Psalm.

The response is, The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing to the Lord all you lands. Tell his glory among the nations,

among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. The Lord comes to judge the earth. For great is the Lord and highly to be praised.

Awesome is He, beyond all gods.

For all the gods of the nations are things of naught, but the Lord made the heavens.

The Lord comes to judge the earth.

Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice.

Let the sea and what fills it resound.

Let the plains be joyful and all that is in them.

Then shall all the trees of the forest exalt.

The Lord comes to judge the earth. Before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to rule the earth. He shall rule the world with justice and the

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