Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time (I)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Hebrews 10.32-39

Remember days past, when, after you were enlightened,
you endured a great struggle with sufferings.
Being exposed sometimes both to reproaches and oppression,
and sometimes in fellowship with those who were treated so.

For you had compassion on the imprisoned,
and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your possessions,
knowing that you have for yourselves a better and lasting possession.
Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

“In a little while, he who comes will come, and will not delay.
But the righteous will live by faith.
If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”

But we are not of those who shrink back and perish,
but of those who have faith in the salvation of souls.

Responsorial – Psalm 37.3-4, 5-6, 23-24, 39-40 Resp. 39a

R. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.

Trust in the Lord, and do good.
Dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

R. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.

Commit your way to the Lord.
Trust also in him, and he will do this:
he will make your righteousness come out as the light,
and your justice as the noon day sun.

R. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.

The ways of man are established by the Lord.
He approves his path.
Though he stumble, he shall not fall,
for the Lord holds him up with his hand.

R. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.

The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.
He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
The Lord helps them, and rescues them.
He rescues them from the wicked, and saves them,
Because they have taken refuge in him.

R. The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord.

Gospel – Mark 4.26-34

Jesus said to the crowds,
“The Kingdom of God is like when a human casts seed on the earth,
and sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed springs up and grows,
they know not how.
For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
But when the fruit is ripe, immediately they put in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

He said, “To what will we compare the Kingdom of God?
Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth,
is smaller than the other seeds that are on the earth,
yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the plants,
and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.
Without a parable he did not speak to them;
but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.