Traditional Latin Mass Gospel Readings

1 And he said also to his disciples: There was a certain rich man who had a steward: and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods.
Dicebat autem et ad discipulos suos : Homo quidam erat dives, qui habebat villicum : et hic diffamatus est apud illum quasi dissipasset bona ipsius.
 2 And he called him, and said to him: How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship: for now thou canst be steward no longer.
Et vocavit illum, et ait illi : Quid hoc audio de te? redde rationem villicationis tuae : jam enim non poteris villicare.
 3 And the steward said within himself: What shall I do, because my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? To dig I am not able; to beg I am ashamed.
Ait autem villicus intra se : Quid faciam? quia dominus meus aufert a me villicationem. Fodere non valeo, mendicare erubesco.
 4 I know what I will do, that when I shall be removed from the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.
Scio quid faciam, ut, cum amotus fuero a villicatione, recipiant me in domos suas.
 5 Therefore calling together every one of his lord's debtors, he said to the first: How much dost thou owe my lord?
Convocatis itaque singulis debitoribus domini sui, dicebat primo : Quantum debes domino meo?
 6 But he said: An hundred barrels of oil. And he said to him: Take thy bill and sit down quickly, and write fifty.
At ille dixit : Centum cados olei. Dixitque illi : Accipe cautionem tuam : et sede cito, scribe quinquaginta.
 7 Then he said to another: And how much dost thou owe? Who said: An hundred quarters of wheat. He said to him: Take thy bill, and write eighty.
Deinde alii dixit : Tu vero quantum debes? Qui ait : Centum coros tritici. Ait illi : Accipe litteras tuas, et scribe octoginta.
 8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, forasmuch as he had done wisely: for the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.
Et laudavit dominus villicum iniquitatis, quia prudenter fecisset : quia filii hujus saeculi prudentiores filiis lucis in generatione sua sunt.
 9 And I say to you: Make unto you friends of the mammon of iniquity; that when you shall fail, they may receive you into everlasting dwellings.
Et ego vobis dico : facite vobis amicos de mammona iniquitatis : ut, cum defeceritis, recipiant vos in aeterna tabernacula.

[9] "They may receive": By this we see, that the poor servants of God, whom we have relieved by our alms, may hereafter, by their intercession, bring our souls to heaven.
Luke 16:1–9, the Parable of the Unjust Steward, is one of the most challenging passages in the Gospels. At first glance, it almost sounds as if Jesus is praising dishonesty—but that's not what He is doing.
The story is this:
A steward is accused of wasting his master's goods.
He is told he is about to lose his position.
Knowing he will soon be unemployed, he reduces the debts of his master's debtors.
His master commends him for acting shrewdly, not for cheating.
The key is that the master praises the steward's prudence and foresight, not his dishonesty.
What is Jesus teaching?
Jesus immediately gives the interpretation:
"The children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light."
In other words, worldly people often put enormous energy into preparing for a temporary future—careers, investments, possessions. Christians should be at least as diligent in preparing for eternal life.
"Make friends by means of the mammon of iniquity"
This is probably the most puzzling verse.
"Mammon" means wealth or possessions. Jesus is not saying that money is evil in itself. Rather, earthly wealth belongs to this passing world and can easily become an occasion of sin.
His point is:
Use your earthly possessions in such a way that they help you attain heaven.
How?
Give alms.
Care for the poor.
Support the Church.
Practice generosity.
Then, when earthly wealth is gone, its fruits remain.

12 This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.
Hoc est praeceptum meum, ut diligatis invicem, sicut dilexi vos.
 13 Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Majorem hac dilectionem nemo habet, ut animam suam ponat qui pro amicis suis.
 14 You are my friends, if you do the things that I command you.
Vos amici mei estis, si feceritis quae ego praecipio vobis.
 15 I will not now call you servants: for the servant knoweth not what his lord doth. But I have called you friends: because all things whatsoever I have heard of my Father, I have made known to you.
Jam non dicam vos servos : quia servus nescit quid faciat dominus ejus. Vos autem dixi amicos : quia omnia quaecumque audivi a Patre meo, nota feci vobis.
 16 You have not chosen me: but I have chosen you; and have appointed you, that you should go, and should bring forth fruit; and your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
Non vos me elegistis, sed ego elegi vos, et posui vos ut eatis, et fructum afferatis, et fructus vester maneat : ut quodcumque petieritis Patrem in nomine meo, det vobis.
Of the noble family of Lellis, St Camillus, when still a young priest, consecrated his life to the service of the sick, even those striken with the plague. He founded an Order of Hospitollers, which bears his name, and died a victim of his charity A.D. 1614.

Music: Christ is made he sure foundation. #561. Adoremus Hymnal.

35 Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands.
Sint lumbi vestri praecincti, et lucernae ardentes in manibus vestris,
 36 And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately.
et vos similes hominibus exspectantibus dominum suum quando revertatur a nuptiis : ut, cum venerit et pulsaverit, confestim aperiant ei.
 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them.
Beati servi illi quos, cum venerit dominus, invenerit vigilantes : amen dico vobis, quod praecinget se, et faciet illos discumbere, et transiens ministrabit illis.
 38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
Et si venerit in secunda vigilia, et si in tertia vigilia venerit, et ita invenerit, beati sunt servi illi.
 39 But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open.
Hoc autem scitote, quoniam si sciret paterfamilias, qua hora fur veniret, vigilaret utique, et non sineret perfodi domum suam.
 40 Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not, the Son of man will come.
Et vos estote parati : quia qua hora non putatis, Filius hominis veniet.
St Alexius, the son of the senator Euphemian, renounced all earthly things and departed as a pilgrim to Palestine. He returned after seven years and his father's house was taken for an indigent beggar. There he died unknown, A.D. 404.

Music: Adoremus Hymnal #562: O Love, who drew from Jesus' side.

27 And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck.
Factum est autem, cum haec diceret : extollens vocem quaedam mulier de turba dixit illi : Beatus venter qui te portavit, et ubera quae suxisti.
 28 But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it.
At ille dixit : Quinimmo beati, qui audiunt verbum Dei et custodiunt illud.
Today are commemorated the favors granted to the Brothers of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, successors to those early Christians who built a chapel in her honor on Mount Carmel. The institution and habit of the Carmelite Order as now known are due to Our Lady's instructions first to Saint Simon Stock and later to Pope Honorius III. She promised special protection in life and after death to all who adopted the Tertiary's rule of life and wore her habit.
For lay people, this habit takes the form of the Brown Scapular. It is not a charm or a superstition, but a sacramental and a sign of devotion to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, calling those who wear it to live a life of faith, prayer, and trust in her intercession.Music: Magnificat. Adoremus Hymnal #549.

35 Let your loins be girt, and lamps burning in your hands.
Sint lumbi vestri praecincti, et lucernae ardentes in manibus vestris,
 36 And you yourselves like to men who wait for their lord, when he shall return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open to him immediately.
et vos similes hominibus exspectantibus dominum suum quando revertatur a nuptiis : ut, cum venerit et pulsaverit, confestim aperiant ei.
 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find watching. Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself, and make them sit down to meat, and passing will minister unto them.
Beati servi illi quos, cum venerit dominus, invenerit vigilantes : amen dico vobis, quod praecinget se, et faciet illos discumbere, et transiens ministrabit illis.
 38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.
Et si venerit in secunda vigilia, et si in tertia vigilia venerit, et ita invenerit, beati sunt servi illi.
 39 But this know ye, that if the householder did know at what hour the thief would come, he would surely watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open.
Hoc autem scitote, quoniam si sciret paterfamilias, qua hora fur veniret, vigilaret utique, et non sineret perfodi domum suam.
 40 Be you then also ready: for at what hour you think not, the Son of man will come.
Et vos estote parati : quia qua hora non putatis, Filius hominis veniet.
St Henry, Duke of Bavaria and Emperor of Germany, used his power to extend the kingdom of God. By agreement with his spouse, he preserved virginity in marriage. He died A.D. 1024.

Music: Jesus, My Lord, My God, My All! Adoremus Hymnal.