Reading 1  Jos 24: 1-13.

Psalm  Ps 136: 1-3. 16-18

R. His mercy endures forever.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever;

Give thanks to the God of gods,

for his mercy endures forever;

Give thanks to the LORD of lords,

for his mercy endures forever.

R. His mercy endures forever.

Who led his people through the wilderness,

for his mercy endures forever;

Who smote great kings,

for his mercy endures forever;

And slew powerful kings,

for his mercy endures forever.

R. His mercy endures forever.

And made their land a heritage,

for his mercy endures forever;

The heritage of Israel his servant,

for his mercy endures forever;

And freed us from our foes,

for his mercy endures forever.

R. His mercy endures forever.

Gospel  Mt 19: 3-12. 

Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?" He said in reply, "Have you not read that from the beginning the Creator made them male and female and said, For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate." They said to him, "Then why did Moses command that the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?" He said to them, "Because of the hardness of your hearts Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

   I say to you, whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery." His disciples said to him, "If that is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry." He answered, "Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom that is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it."