February 22, 2009 - Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading

Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24-25

 

Thus says the LORD:

Remember not the events of the past,

the things of long ago consider not;

see, I am doing something new!

Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

In the desert I make a way,

in the wasteland, rivers.

The people I formed for myself,

that they might announce my praise.

Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob,

for you grew weary of me, O Israel.

You burdened me with your sins,

and wearied me with your crimes.

It is I, I, who wipe out,

for my own sake, your offenses;

your sins I remember no more.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 41:2-5, 13-14

 

R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

 

Blessed is the one who has regard for the lowly and the poor;

in the day of misfortune the LORD will deliver him.

The LORD will keep and preserve him;

and make him blessed on earth,

and not give him over to the will of his enemies.

 

R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

 

The LORD will help him on his sickbed,

he will take away all his ailment when he is ill.

Once I said, "O LORD, have pity on me;

heal me, though I have sinned against you."

 

R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

 

But because of my integrity you sustain me

and let me stand before you forever.

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

from all eternity. Amen. Amen.

 

R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

 

Second Reading

2 Corinthians 1:18-22

 

Brothers and sisters:

As God is faithful,

our word to you is not "yes" and "no."

For the Son of God, Jesus Christ,

who was proclaimed to you by us, Silvanus and Timothy and me,

was not "yes" and "no," but "yes" has been in him.

For however many are the promises of God, their Yes is in him;

therefore, the Amen from us also goes through him to God for glory.

But the one who gives us security with you in Christ

and who anointed us is God;

he has also put his seal upon us

and given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.

 

Gospel

Mark 2:1-12

 

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,

it became known that he was at home.

Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,

not even around the door,

and he preached the word to them.

They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.

Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,

they opened up the roof above him.

After they had broken through,

they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,

"Child, your sins are forgiven."

Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,

"Why does this man speak that way?  He is blaspheming.

Who but God alone can forgive sins?"

Jesus immediately knew in his mind

what they were thinking to themselves,

so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?

Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,

'Your sins are forgiven,'

or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk?'

But that you may know

that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"

—he said to the paralytic,

"I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home."

He rose, picked up his mat at once,

and went away in the sight of everyone.

They were all astounded

and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."

 

Readings taken from: Lectionary for Mass, Vol. 1, Cycle A. National Conference of Catholic Bishop.

February 15, 2009, Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading

Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46

The Lord said to Moses and Aaron,

"If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch

which appears to be the sore of leprosy,

he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest,

or to one of the priests among his descendants.

If the man is leprous and unclean,

the priest shall declare him unclean

by reason of the sore on his head.

"The one who bears the sore of leprosy

shall keep his garments rent and his head bare,

and shall muffle his beard;

he shall cry out, 'Unclean, unclean!'

As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean,

since he is in fact unclean.

He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp."

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 11

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Blessed is he whose fault is taken away,

whose sin is covered.

Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt,

in whose spirit there is no guile.

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you,

my guilt I covered not.

I said, "I confess my faults to the LORD,"

and you took away the guilt of my sin.

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just;

exult, all you upright of heart.

R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

Second Reading

1 Corinthians 10:31 -- 11:1

Brothers and sisters,

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,

do everything for the glory of God.

Avoid giving offense, whether to the Jews or Greeks or

the church of God,

just as I try to please everyone in every way,

not seeking my own benefit but that of the many,

that they may be saved.

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

Gospel

Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said,

"If you wish, you can make me clean."

Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,

touched him, and said to him,

"I do will it. Be made clean."

The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.

Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.

He said to him, "See that you tell no one anything,

but go, show yourself to the priest

and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;

that will be proof for them."

The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.

He spread the report abroad

so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.

He remained outside in deserted places,

and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Readings taken from: Lectionary for Mass, Vol. 1, Cycle A. National Conference of Catholic Bishop.

February 8, 2009- Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading

Job 7:1-4, 6-7

 

Job spoke, saying:

Is not man's life on earth a drudgery?

Are not his days those of hirelings?

He is a slave who longs for the shade,

a hireling who waits for his wages.

So I have been assigned months of misery,

and troubled nights have been allotted to me.

If in bed I say, "When shall I arise?"

then the night drags on;

I am filled with restlessness until the dawn.

My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle;

they come to an end without hope.

Remember that my life is like the wind;

I shall not see happiness again.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

 

R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.

 

Praise the LORD, for he is good;

sing praise to our God, for he is gracious;

it is fitting to praise him.

The LORD rebuilds Jerusalem;

the dispersed of Israel he gathers.

 

R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.

 

He heals the brokenhearted

and binds up their wounds.

He tells the number of the stars;

he calls each by name.

 

R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.

 

Great is our Lord and mighty in power;

to his wisdom there is no limit.

The LORD sustains the lowly;

the wicked he casts to the ground.

 

R. Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted.

 

Second Reading

1 Corinthians 9:16-19, 22-23

 

Brothers and sisters:

If I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast,

for an obligation has been imposed on me,

and woe to me if I do not preach it!

If I do so willingly, I have a recompense,

but if unwillingly, then I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

What then is my recompense?

That, when I preach,

I offer the gospel free of charge

so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

 

Although I am free in regard to all,

I have made myself a slave to all

so as to win over as many as possible.

To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak.

I have become all things to all, to save at least some.

All this I do for the sake of the gospel,

so that I too may have a share in it.

 

Gospel

Mark 1:29-39

 

On leaving the synagogue

Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.

Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.

They immediately told him about her.

He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.

Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

 

When it was evening, after sunset,

they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.

The whole town was gathered at the door.

He cured many who were sick with various diseases,

and he drove out many demons,

not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

 

Rising very early before dawn, he left

and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.

Simon and those who were with him pursued him

and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."

He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages

that I may preach there also.

For this purpose have I come."

So he went into their synagogues,

preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

 

Readings taken from: Lectionary for Mass, Vol. 1, Cycle A. National Conference of Catholic Bishop.