1st READING
God needs to be at the center of our lives. He created us and redeemed us; He offers us the gift of eternal life. Our first step is to commit to a daily prayer time, even for only a few minutes. Let us spend time daily with the Lord who is always with us.
Deuteronomy 6:2-6
2 Moses spoke to the people, saying: “Fear the Lord, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you, and thus have long life. 3 Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them, that you may grow and prosper the more, in keeping with the promise of the Lord, the God of your fathers, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey. 4 Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone! 5 Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. 6 Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.”
P S A L M
Psalm 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51
R: I love you, Lord, my strength.
1 [2] I love you, O Lord, my strength; 2 [3] O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. (R) My God, my rock of refuge, my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold! 3 [4] Praised be the Lord, I exclaim, and I am safe from my enemies. (R) 46 [47] The Lord lives! And blessed be my rock! Extolled be God my savior, 50 [51] you who gave great victories to your king and showed kindness to your anointed. (R)
2nd READING
Jesus is the link between God and humanity that makes salvation possible. He is both human and divine, and He bridges the gap between God and us. His obedience is carried over into His humanity, and He has the power to redeem all of humanity. Through the obedience of the Son to the Father, eternal life is offered to us by faith in His death and resurrection.
Hebrews 7:23-28
23 Brothers and sisters: The levitical priests were many because they were prevented by death from remaining in office, 24 but Jesus, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away. 25 Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. 26 It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. 27 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. 28 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.
GOSPEL
What does it take for us to enter God’s Kingdom? To accept His gift of salvation, turn away from sin and embrace the cross of Jesus. Let us open our hearts to God’s love and recognize in it the forgiveness of our sins and the invitation to be with Him forever in heaven.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
Mark 12:28-34
28 One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” 29 Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! 30 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’ 33 And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
No comments:
Post a Comment