Daily readings

Friday, June 26, 2026

Friday of the 12th week of Ordinary Time. Ordinary Time. A clean reading layout for church, prayer, or preparation.

CelebrationFriday of the 12th week of Ordinary Time

TypeWeekday

SeasonOrdinary Time

Year2026 archive

The Roman Catholic readings for this date are shown below on-site. Use plain reading mode if you want clearer modern wording, or switch back to the original Douay-Rheims wording at any time.

Reading mode

Plain mode helps modern readers follow the text more easily.

On-site scripture text: Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition. Plain mode is a built-in reading aid that modernizes older wording for easier understanding while keeping the same Roman Catholic reading references for the day.

1

First Reading

2 Kings 25:1-12

How to approach it

Read this as the first big movement of the day. Notice what God is doing, who is speaking, and what part of the story or teaching should stay with you.

1And it happened in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, the tenth day of the month, that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon came, he and all his army against Jerusalem: and they surrounded it: end raised works round about it.

2And the city was shut up and besieged till the eleventh year of king Sedecias,

3The ninth day of the month: and a famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land.

4And a breach was made into the city: and all the men of war fled in the night between the two walls by the king's garden, (now the Chaldees besieged the city round about,) and Sedecias fled by the way that leadeth to the plains of the wilderness.

5And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all the warriors that were with him were scattered, and left him:

6So they took the king, and brought him to the king of Babylon to Reblatha, and he gave judgment upon him.

7And he slew the sons of Sedecias before his face, and he put out his eyes, and bound him with chains, and brought him to Babylon.

8In the fifth month, the seventh day of the month, that is, the nineteenth year of the king of Babylon, came Nabuzardan commander of the army, a servant of the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem.

9And he burnt the house of the Lord, and the king's house, and the houses of Jerusalem, and every house he burnt with fire.

10And all the army of the Chaldees, which was with the commander of the troops, broke down the walls of Jerusalem round about.

11And Nabuzardan the commander of the army, carried away the rest of the people that remained in the city, and the fugitives that had gone over to the king of Babylon, and the remnant of the common people.

12But of the poor of the land he left some dressers of vines and husbandmen.

2

Psalm

Psalm 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

How to pray it

The psalm is meant to be prayed, not rushed. If the wording feels older, focus on the main movement of the prayer: trust, praise, sorrow, gratitude, or hope.

1Praise the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy lasts forever.

2Praise you the God of gods: for his mercy lasts forever.

3Praise you the Lord of lords: for his mercy lasts forever.

4Who alone does great wonders: for his mercy lasts forever.

5Who made the heavens in understanding: for his mercy lasts forever.

6Who established the earth above the waters: for his mercy lasts forever.

3

Gospel

Matthew 8:1-4

What to watch for

The Gospel is the center of the reading set. Pay close attention to what Jesus says, what Jesus does, and what response he is asking for.

1And when he was come down from the mountain, great crowds followed him:

2And look a leper came and adored him, saying: Lord, if you will, you canst make me clean.

3And Jesus stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying: I will, be you made clean. And forthwith his leprosy was cleansed.

4And Jesus says to him: See you tell no man: but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded for a teaching to them.

Source note

This page uses the Catholic Readings API for the day's references and liturgical celebration data, while the on-site scripture text is rendered from the public-domain Douay-Rheims Bible distributed through the Open Bibles project.