Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – James 2.14-24, 26

What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says they have faith but not works?
Faith cannot save them, can it?
And if a brother or sister is naked and lacks basic food,
and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, keep warm and well-fed”
and you do not give them the things the body needs,
what good is that?
Even so faith, if it has no works,is dead according to its own nature.

But someone will say that you have faith and I have works.
Show me your faith separate from works,
and I will show you, by my works, my faith.

You believe that God is one.
You do well.
The demons also believe and shudder.
But do you want to know, vain man,
that faith apart from works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father justified by works,
in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
You see that faith worked with his works,
and by works faith was perfected;
and the Scripture was fulfilled which says,
“Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness”;
and he was called the friend of God.
You see then that by works, a human is justified, and not only by faith.

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead,
even so faith apart from works is dead.

Responsorial – Psalm 112.1-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. 1b

R. Blessed is the man who delights greatly in the Lord’s commandments.

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who delights greatly in his commandments.
His seed will be mighty in the land.
The generation of the upright will be blessed.

R. Blessed is the human who delights greatly in the Lord’s commandments.

Wealth and riches are in his house.
His righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright,
gracious, merciful, and righteous.

R. Blessed is the human who delights greatly in the Lord’s commandments.

It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends.
He will maintain his cause in judgment.
For he will never be shaken.
The righteous will be remembered forever.

R. Blessed is the human who delights greatly in the Lord’s commandments.

Gospel – Mark 8.34-9:1

Jesus called the crowd to himself
with his disciples, and said to them,
“Whoever wants to come after me,
let them deny themself, and take up their cross, and follow me.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it;
and whoever will lose their life for my sake and the sake of the Gospel
will save it.

For what does it profit a human,
to gain the whole world, and forfeit their soul?
For what will a human give in exchange for their soul?
For whoever might be ashamed of me and of my words
among the kind who are adulterous and sinful,
the Son of Human also will be ashamed of them,
when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
He said to them, “Amen, I say to you,
there are some standing here who will not even taste death
until they see the Kingdom of God having come with power.”

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – James 2.1-9

My brothers and sisters,
do not hold the faith of our Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ, with partiality.
For if someone with a gold ring, in fine clothing, comes into your synagogue,
and a poor person in filthy clothing also comes in;
and you pay special attention to the one who wears the fine clothing,
and say, “Sit here in a good place”;
and you tell the poor person, “Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”;
have you not shown partiality among yourselves,
and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my beloved brothers.
Did God not choose those who are poor in this world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom
which he promised to those who love him?
But you have dishonored the poor person.
Do not the rich oppress you, and personally drag you into court?
Do they not blaspheme the honorable name by which you are called?

However, if you fulfill the royal law, according to the Scripture,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well.
But if you show partiality, you commit sin,
being convicted by the law as transgressors.

Responsorial – Psalm 34.2-3, 4-5, 6-7 Resp. 7a

R. The Lord hears the poor who cry out.

I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise will always be in my mouth.
My soul shall boast in the Lord.
The humble shall hear of it, and be glad.

R. The Lord hears the poor who cry out.

Oh magnify the Lord with me.
Let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.

R. The Lord hears the poor who cry out.

They looked to him, and were radiant.
Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him,
and saved him out of all his troubles.

R. The Lord hears the poor who cry out.

Gospel – Mark 8.27-33

Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
On the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do humans say that I am?”
They told him, “John the Baptist, and others, Elijah,
and others, one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.

He began to teach them that the Son of Human must suffer many things,
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and after three days rise again.
He spoke to them openly.
Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him.
But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples,
rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan!
For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of humans.”

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Isaiah 50.5-9a

The Lord God has opened my ear to hear,
and I was not rebellious, nor have I turned back.

I gave my back to the strikers,
and my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
I did not hide my face from shame and spitting.
For the Lord God will help me;
therefore I have not been confounded:
therefore I have set my face like a flint,
and I know that I shall not be disappointed.
He is near who justifies me;
who will bring charges against me?
Let us stand up together.
Who is my adversary?
Let him come near to me.
Behold, the Lord God will help me.
Who shall condemn me?

Responsorial – Psalm 116.1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 Resp. 9

R. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. or R. Alleluia!

I love the Lord, because he listens
to my voice and my cries for mercy.
Because he has turned his ear to me,
when I call on him.

R. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. or R. Alleluia!

The cords of death surrounded me,
the pains of Sheol got hold of me.
I found trouble and sorrow.
Then I called on the name of the Lord:
“O Lord, I beg you, deliver my soul.”

R. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. or R. Alleluia!

The Lord is gracious and righteous.
Yes, our God is merciful.
The Lord preserves the simple.
I was brought low, and he saved me.

R. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. or R. Alleluia!

For you have delivered my soul from death,
my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
I will walk before the Lord
in the land of the living.

R. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. or R. Alleluia!

Reading 2 – James 2.14-18

What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says they have faith but not works?
Faith cannot save them, can it?
And if a brother or sister is naked and lacks basic food,
and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, keep warm and well-fed”,
but you do not give them the things the body needs,
what good is that?
Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead according to its own nature.

But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.”
Show me your faith separate from works,
and I will show you, by my works, my faith.

Gospel – Mark 8.27-35

Jesus went out, with his disciples, into the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
On the way he asked his disciples, “Who do humans say that I am?”
They told him, “John the Baptist, and others, Elijah, and others, one of the prophets.”
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
He commanded them that they should tell no one about him.

He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things,
and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed, and after three days rise again.
He spoke to them openly.
Peter took him aside, and began to rebuke him.
But he, turning around, and seeing his disciples,
rebuked Peter, and said, “Get behind me, Satan!
For you have in mind not the things of God, but the things of humans.”

Jesus called the crowd to himself with his disciples, and said to them:
“Whoever wants to come after me,
let them deny themself, and take up their cross, and follow me.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it;
and whoever will lose their life
for my sake and the sake of the Gospel
will save it.”

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – Isaiah 35.4-7a

Thus says the LORD:
“Tell those who have a fearful heart,
‘Be strong. Be not afraid.
Behold, your God will come with vengeance, divine retribution.
He will come and save you.
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened,
and the ears of the deaf will be unclogged.
Then the lame man will leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the mute will sing;
for waters will break out in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert.
The burning sand will become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water.’”

Responsorial – Psalm 146.7, 8-9, 9-10 Resp. 1b

R. Praise the Lord, O my soul! or R. Alleluia.

The God of Jacob is true forever.
He executes justice for the oppressed.
He gives food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners.

R. Praise the Lord, O my soul! or R. Alleluia.

The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord raises up those who are bowed down.
The Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord protects immigrants.

R. Praise the Lord, O my soul! or R. Alleluia.

He upholds the fatherless and widow,
but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.
The Lord will reign forever;
Your God, O Zion, for all generations.

R. Praise the Lord, O my soul! or R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 – James 2.1-5

My brothers and sisters,
do not hold the faith of our Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ,
with partiality.
For if someone with a gold ring, in fine clothing,
comes into your synagogue,
and a poor person in filthy clothing also comes in;
and you pay special attention
to the one who wears the fine clothing,
and say, “Sit here in a good place”;
and you tell the poor person,
“Stand there,” or “Sit by my footstool”;
have you not shown partiality among yourselves,
and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my beloved brothers.
Did God not choose those who are poor in this world
to be rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom
which he promised to those who love him?

Gospel – Mark 7.31-37

Jesus departed from the borders of Tyre,
and came through Sidon to the sea of Galilee,
in the middle of the region of Decapolis.

They brought to him a deaf man who had trouble speaking,
and they begged him to lay his hand on him.

He took him by himself, away from the crowd,
and put his fingers into his ears,
and he spat and touched his tongue.
Looking up into heaven, he sighed, and said to him,
“Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!”
Immediately his ears were opened,
and the bond on his tongue was undone,
and he spoke clearly.
He commanded them that they should tell no one,
but the more he commanded them,
so much more widely they proclaimed it.
They were astonished beyond measure, saying,
“He has done all things beautifully.
He both makes the deaf hear and the unspeaking speak!”

Friday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – James 2.14-24, 26

What good is it, my brothers and sisters,
if someone says they have faith but not works?
Faith cannot save them, can it?
And if a brother or sister
is naked and lacks basic food,
and one of you tells them,
“Go in peace, keep warm and well-fed”
and you do not give them
the things the body needs,
what good is that?
Even so faith, if it has no works,
is dead according to its own nature.

But someone will say,
“You have faith and I have works.
Show me your faith separate from works,
and I will show you, by my works, my faith.”

You believe that God is one.
You do well.
The demons also believe and shudder.
But do you want to know, vain man,
that faith apart from works is dead?
Was not Abraham our father
justified by works,
in that he offered up Isaac his son
on the altar?
You see that faith worked with his works,
and by works faith was perfected;
and the Scripture was fulfilled which says,
“Abraham believed God,
and it was credited to him as righteousness”;
and he was called the friend of God.
You see then that by works, a human is justified,
and not only by faith.

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead,
even so faith apart from works is dead.

Responsorial – Psalm 112.1-2, 3-4, 5-6 R. 1b

R. Blessed is the man who delights greatly in the Lord’s commandments.

Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who delights greatly in his commandments.
His seed will be mighty in the land.
The generation of the upright will be blessed.

R. Blessed is the human who delights greatly in the Lord’s commandments.

Wealth and riches are in his house.
His righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright,
gracious, merciful, and righteous.

R. Blessed is the human who delights greatly in the Lord’s commandments.

It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends.
He will maintain his cause in judgment.
For he will never be shaken.
The righteous will be remembered forever.

R. Blessed is the human who delights greatly in the Lord’s commandments.

Gospel – Mark 8.34-9:1

Jesus called the crowd to himself
with his disciples, and said to them,
“Whoever wants to come after me,
let them deny themself,
and take up their cross,
and follow me.
For whoever wants to save their life
will lose it;
and whoever will lose their life
for my sake and the sake of the Gospel
will save it.

For what does it profit a human,
to gain the whole world,
and forfeit their soul?
For what will a human give
in exchange for their soul?
For whoever might be ashamed of me
and of my words
among the kind who are adulterous and sinful,
the Son of Human also will be ashamed of them,
when he comes in the glory of his Father
with the holy angels.”
He said to them, “Amen, I say to you,
there are some standing here
who will not even taste death
until they see the Kingdom of God
having come with power.”

Thursday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time (II)

Official Translation

Reading 1 – James 2.1-9

My brothers and sisters,
do not hold the faith
of our Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ,
with partiality.
For if someone with a gold ring,
in fine clothing,
comes into your synagogue,
and a poor person in filthy clothing
also comes in;
and you pay special attention
to the one who wears the fine clothing,
and say, “Sit here in a good place”;
and you tell the poor person,
“Stand there,” or
“Sit by my footstool”;
have you not shown partiality
among yourselves,
and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my beloved brothers.
Did God not choose
those who are poor in this world
to be rich in faith
and heirs of the Kingdom
which he promised
to those who love him?
But you have dishonored the poor person.
Do not the rich oppress you,
and personally drag you into court?
Do they not blaspheme
the honorable name
by which you are called?

However, if you fulfill the royal law,
according to the Scripture,
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself,”
you do well.
But if you show partiality,
you commit sin,
being convicted by the law
as transgressors.

Responsorial – Psalm 34.2-3, 4-5, 6-7 Resp. 7a

R. The Lord hears the poor who cry out.

I will bless the Lord at all times.
His praise will always be in my mouth.
My soul shall boast in the Lord.
The humble shall hear of it, and be glad.

R. The Lord hears the poor who cry out.

Oh magnify the Lord with me.
Let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears.

R. The Lord hears the poor who cry out.

They looked to him, and were radiant.
Their faces shall never be covered with shame.
This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him,
and saved him out of all his troubles.

R. The Lord hears the poor who cry out.

Gospel – Mark 8.27-33

Jesus went out, with his disciples,
into the villages of Caesarea Philippi.
On the way he asked his disciples,
“Who do humans say that I am?”
They told him, “John the Baptist,
and others, Elijah,
and others, one of the prophets.”
He said to them,
“But who do you say that I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
He commanded them
that they should tell no one about him.

He began to teach them
that the Son of Man must
suffer many things,
and be rejected by the elders,
the chief priests, and the scribes,
and be killed,
and after three days rise again.
He spoke to them openly.
Peter took him aside,
and began to rebuke him.
But he, turning around,
and seeing his disciples,
rebuked Peter, and said,
“Get behind me, Satan!
For you have in mind
not the things of God,
but the things of humans.”