Sunday, July 22, 2012 - Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading

Jeremiah 23:1-6

 

Woe to the shepherds

who mislead and scatter the flock of my pasture,

says the LORD.

Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel,

against the shepherds who shepherd my people:

You have scattered my sheep and driven them away.

You have not cared for them,

but I will take care to punish your evil deeds.

I myself will gather the remnant of my flock

from all the lands to which I have driven them

and bring them back to their meadow;

there they shall increase and multiply.

I will appoint shepherds for them who will shepherd them

so that they need no longer fear and tremble;

and none shall be missing, says the LORD.

 

Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD,

when I will raise up a righteous shoot to David;

as king he shall reign and govern wisely,

he shall do what is just and right in the land.

In his days Judah shall be saved,

Israel shall dwell in security.

This is the name they give him:

"The LORD our justice."

 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 23:1-6

 

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

 

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

In verdant pastures he gives me repose;

beside restful waters he leads me;

he refreshes my soul.

 

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

 

He guides me in right paths

for his name's sake.

Even though I walk in the dark valley

I fear no evil; for you are at my side

with your rod and your staff

that give me courage.

 

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

 

You spread the table before me

in the sight of my foes;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

 

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

 

Only goodness and kindness follow me

all the days of my life;

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

for years to come.

 

R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

 

Second Reading

Ephesians 2:13-18

 

Brothers and sisters:

In Christ Jesus you who once were far off

have become near by the blood of Christ.

 

For he is our peace, he who made both one

and broke down the dividing wall of enmity, through his flesh,

abolishing the law with its commandments and legal claims,

that he might create in himself one new person in place of the two,

thus establishing peace,

and might reconcile both with God,

in one body, through the cross,

putting that enmity to death by it.

He came and preached peace to you who were far off

and peace to those who were near,

for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.

 

Gospel

Mark 6:30-34

 

The apostles gathered together with Jesus

and reported all they had done and taught.

He said to them,

"Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."

People were coming and going in great numbers,

and they had no opportunity even to eat.

So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.

People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.

They hastened there on foot from all the towns

and arrived at the place before them.

 

When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,

his heart was moved with pity for them,

for they were like sheep without a shepherd;

and he began to teach them many things.

 

Sunday, July 15, 2012 - Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading

Amos 7:12-15

 

Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos,

"Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!

There earn your bread by prophesying,

but never again prophesy in Bethel;

for it is the king's sanctuary and a royal temple."

Amos answered Amaziah, "I was no prophet,

nor have I belonged to a company of prophets;

I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores.

The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,

Go, prophesy to my people Israel."

 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 85:9-14

 

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

 

I will hear what God proclaims;

the LORD --for he proclaims peace.

Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,

glory dwelling in our land.

 

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

 

Kindness and truth shall meet;

justice and peace shall kiss.

Truth shall spring out of the earth,

and justice shall look down from heaven.

 

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

 

The LORD himself will give his benefits;

our land shall yield its increase.

Justice shall walk before him,

and prepare the way of his steps.

 

R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

 

Second Reading

Ephesians 1:3-14

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us in Christ

with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,

as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,

to be holy and without blemish before him.

In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,

in accord with the favor of his will,

for the praise of the glory of his grace

that he granted us in the beloved.

In him we have redemption by his blood,

the forgiveness of transgressions,

in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.

In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us

the mystery of his will in accord with his favor

that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,

to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

 

In him we were also chosen,

destined in accord with the purpose of the One

who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,

so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,

we who first hoped in Christ.

In him you also, who have heard the word of truth,

the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him,

were sealed with the promised holy Spirit,

which is the first installment of our inheritance

toward redemption as God's possession, to the praise of his glory.

 

Gospel

Mark 6:7-13

 

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two

and gave them authority over unclean spirits.

He instructed them to take nothing for the journey

but a walking stick--

no food, no sack, no money in their belts.

They were, however, to wear sandals

but not a second tunic.

He said to them,

"Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.

Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,

leave there and shake the dust off your feet

in testimony against them."

So they went off and preached repentance.

The Twelve drove out many demons,

and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

Sunday, July 8, 2012 - Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading

Ezekiel 2:2-5

 

As the LORD spoke to me, the spirit entered into me

and set me on my feet,

and I heard the one who was speaking say to me:

Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites,

rebels who have rebelled against me;

they and their ancestors have revolted against me to this very day.

Hard of face and obstinate of heart

are they to whom I am sending you.

But you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD!

And whether they heed or resist--for they are a rebellious house--

they shall know that a prophet has been among them.

 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 123:1-4

 

R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.

 

To you I lift up my eyes

who are enthroned in heaven --

As the eyes of servants

are on the hands of their masters.

 

R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.

 

As the eyes of a maid

are on the hands of her mistress,

So are our eyes on the LORD, our God,

till he have pity on us.

 

R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.

 

Have pity on us, O LORD, have pity on us,

for we are more than sated with contempt;

our souls are more than sated

with the mockery of the arrogant,

with the contempt of the proud.

 

R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord, pleading for his mercy.

 

Second Reading

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

 

Brothers and sisters:

That I, Paul, might not become too elated,

because of the abundance of the revelations,

a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan,

to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.

Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me,

but he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you,

for power is made perfect in weakness."

I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses,

in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.

Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults,

hardships, persecutions, and constraints,

for the sake of Christ;

for when I am weak, then I am strong.

 

Gospel

Mark 6:1-6

 

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples.

When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,

and many who heard him were astonished.

They said, "Where did this man get all this?

What kind of wisdom has been given him?

What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!

Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary,

and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?

And are not his sisters here with us?"

And they took offense at him.

Jesus said to them,

"A prophet is not without honor except in his native place

and among his own kin and in his own house."

So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there,

apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them.

He was amazed at their lack of faith.