Readings for Thursday 2nd Week in Ordinary Time

Year 1

First Reading
Heb 7:25—8:6

He offered sacrifice once for all when he offered himself.

A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews

Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him,
   since he lives forever to make intercession for them.

It was fitting that we should have such a high priest:
   holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners,
   higher than the heavens.
He has no need, as did the high priests,
   to offer sacrifice day after day,
   first for his own sins and then for those of the people;
   he did that once for all when he offered himself.
For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests,
   but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law,
   appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever.

The main point of what has been said is this:
   we have such a high priest,
   who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne
   of the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary
   and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up.
Now every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices;
   thus the necessity for this one also to have something to offer.
If then he were on earth, he would not be a priest,
   since there are those who offer gifts according to the law.
They worship in a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary,
   as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tabernacle.
For God says, “See that you make everything
   according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”
Now he has obtained so much more excellent a ministry
   as he is mediator of a better covenant,
   enacted on better promises.


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17

R. :

℟. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,
   but ears open to obedience you gave me.
Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not;
   then said I, “Behold I come.”

℟. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

“In the written scroll it is prescribed for me,
To do your will, O my God, is my delight,
   and your law is within my heart!”

℟. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

I announced your justice in the vast assembly;
   I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know.

℟. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

May all who seek you
   exult and be glad in you,
And may those who love your salvation
   say ever, “The LORD be glorified.”

℟. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Year 2

First Reading
1 Sm 18:6-9; 19:1-7

My father Saul is trying to kill you.

A reading from the first Book of Samuel

When David and Saul approached
   (on David’s return after slaying the Philistine),
   women came out from each of the cities of Israel to meet King Saul,
   singing and dancing, with tambourines, joyful songs, and sistrums.
The women played and sang:

   “Saul has slain his thousands,
   and David his ten thousands.”

Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought:
   “They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me.
All that remains for him is the kingship.”
And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David.

Saul discussed his intention of killing David
   with his son Jonathan and with all his servants.
But Saul’s son Jonathan, who was very fond of David, told him:
   “My father Saul is trying to kill you.
Therefore, please be on your guard tomorrow morning;
   get out of sight and remain in hiding.
I, however, will go out and stand beside my father
   in the countryside where you are, and will speak to him about you.
If I learn anything, I will let you know.”

Jonathan then spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him:
   “Let not your majesty sin against his servant David,
   for he has committed no offense against you,
   but has helped you very much by his deeds.
When he took his life in his hands and slew the Philistine,
   and the LORD brought about a great victory
   for all Israel through him,
   you were glad to see it.
Why, then, should you become guilty of shedding innocent blood
   by killing David without cause?”
Saul heeded Jonathan’s plea and swore,
   “As the LORD lives, he shall not be killed.”
So Jonathan summoned David and repeated the whole conversation to him.
Jonathan then brought David to Saul, and David served him as before.


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 56:2-3, 9-10a, 10b-11, 12-13

R. :

R. (5b) In God I trust; I shall not fear.

Have mercy on me, O God, for men trample upon me;
   all the day they press their attack against me.
My adversaries trample upon me all the day;
   yes, many fight against me.

R. In God I trust; I shall not fear.

My wanderings you have counted;
   my tears are stored in your flask;
   are they not recorded in your book?
Then do my enemies turn back,
   when I call upon you.

R. In God I trust; I shall not fear.

Now I know that God is with me.
   In God, in whose promise I glory,
   in God I trust without fear;
   what can flesh do against me?

R. In God I trust; I shall not fear.

I am bound, O God, by vows to you;
   your thank offerings I will fulfill.
For you have rescued me from death,
   my feet, too, from stumbling;
   that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

R. In God I trust; I shall not fear.


Gospel Acclamation
See 2 Tim 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel
Mk 3:7-12

The unclean spirits shouted, “You are the Son of God,” but Jesus warned them sternly not to make him known.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.
A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.
Hearing what he was doing,
   a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem,
   from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan,
   and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.
He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd,
   so that they would not crush him.
He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
   were pressing upon him to touch him.
And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him
   and shout, “You are the Son of God.”
He warned them sternly not to make him known.

At the end of the Gospel, the Deacon, or the Priest, acclaims:

The Gospel of the Lord.

All reply:

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Then he kisses the book, saying quietly:

Through the words of the Gospel
may our sins be wiped away.


Homilies / Gospel Reflections





3 comments

Leave a Reply