28 February 2021 - 2nd Sunday of Lent (Year B)

 First Reading - Gn 22:1-2.9. 10-13.15-18

    God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am!” he replied. Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a holocaust on a height that I will point out to you.” When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the Lord’s messenger called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am!” he answered. “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger. “Do not do the least harm to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” As Abraham looked about, he saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a holocaust in place of his son. 
    Again the Lord’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by myself,” declares the Lord, “that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore. Your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall fi nd blessing – all this because you obeyed my command.”

Responsorial Psalm - Ps 116 

R –I will walk before the Lord, in the land of the living! 

* I believed, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted.” Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones. R. 

* O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid. You have loosed my bonds. To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. R. 

* My vows to the Lord I will pay in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. R. 

Second Reading - Rom 8:31-34

     Brothers and sisters: 

     If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but handed him over for us all, how will he not also give us everything else along with him? 

     Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? Christ Jesus it is who died – or, rather, was raised – who also is at the right hand of God, and who indeed intercedes for us.

Verse before the Gospel 

From the shining cloud the Father’s voice is heard: “This is my beloved Son, listen to him!” 

Gospel - Mk 9:2-10

    Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain, apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus. 

    Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He hardly knew what to say for they were so terrified. 

    Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them. From the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them. 

    As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what “rising from the dead” meant.

21 February 2021 - 1st Sunday of Lent (Year B)

 

First Reading - Gn 9:8-15

    God said to Noah and to his sons with him: “See, I am now establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you and with every living creature that was with you: all the birds, and the various tame and wild animals that were with you and came out of the ark. I will establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all bodily creatures be destroyed by the waters of a flood; there shall not be another 
flood to devastate the earth.” 
    God added: “This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth, and the bow appears in the clouds, I will recall the covenant I have made between me and you and all living beings, so that the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all mortal beings.”

Responsorial Psalm - Ps 25 

R - Your ways, O Lord, are love and truth, to those who keep your covenant!

* Your ways, O Lord, make known to me; teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior. R. 

* Remember that your compassion, O Lord, and your love are from of old. In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O Lord. R. 

* Good and upright is the Lord; thus he shows sinners the way. He guides the humble to justice, and he teaches the humble his way. R. 

Second Reading - 1 Pt 3:18-22

    Beloved: Christ suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the Spirit. In it he also went to preach to the spirits in prison, who had once been disobedient while God patiently waited in the days of Noah during the building of the ark, in which a few persons, eight in all, were saved through water. 

    This prefigured baptism, which saves you now. It is not a removal of dirt from the body but an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to him.

Verse before the Gospel 

 One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God! 

Gospel - Mk 1:12-15

    The Spirit drove Jesus out into the desert, and he remained in the desert for forty days, tempted by Satan. He was among wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him. 

     After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”

February 17, 2021 - ASH WEDNESDAY

 

First Reading - Jl 2:12-18

    “Even now,” says the Lord, “return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, and weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts, not your garments, and return to the Lord, your God. For gracious and merciful is he, slow to anger, rich in kindness, and relenting in punishment. Perhaps he will again relent and leave behind him a blessing. Offerings and libations for the Lord, your God!” 
     Blow the trumpet in Zion! Proclaim a fast, call an assembly. Gather the people, notify the congregation; assemble the elders, gather the children and the infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom quit his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the porch and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep, and say, “Spare, O Lord, your people, and make not your heritage a reproach, with the nations ruling over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’ 
    ”Then the Lord was stirred to concern for his land and took pity on his people.

Responsorial Psalm - Ps 51 

R – Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned!

* Have mercy on me, O God, in your goodness; in the greatness of your compassion wipe out my offense. Thoroughly wash me from my guilt and of my sin cleanse me. R. 

* For I acknowledge my offense, and my sin is before me always: “Against you only have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.” R. 

* A clean heart create for me, O God, and a steadfast spirit renew within me. Cast me not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from me. R. 

* Give me back the joy of your salvation, and a willing spirit sustain in me. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. R.

Second Reading - 2 Cor 5:20-6:2

    Brothers and sisters: 

    We are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. 

     Working together, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, “In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation!

Verse before the Gospel 

If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. 

Gospel - Mt 6:1-6.16-18

    Jesus said to his disciples, “Take care not to perform righteous deeds in order that people may see them; otherwise, you will have no recompense from your heavenly Father. 

    When you give alms, do not blow a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, to win the praise of others. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right is doing, so that your almsgiving may be secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you. 

    When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, who love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on street corners so that others may see them. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you. 

    When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites. They neglect their appearance, so that they may appear to others to be fasting. Amen, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you may not appear to be fasting, except to your Father who is hidden. And your Father who sees what is hidden will repay you.”  

14 February 2021- 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

 

First Reading - Lv 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 - Ps 32 

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. 

* 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. 

* Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you just; exult, all you upright of heart. R. 

Second Reading - 1 Cor 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 Acclamation - Lk 7:16 

Alleluia! Alleluia! 

 A great prophet has arisen in our midst, God has visited his people. Alleluia! 

Alleluia! 

Gospel Mk 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, Jesus 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, Jesus 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 everywhere 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.

7 February 2021- 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

 First Reading: Jb 7:1-4.6-7

    Job spoke, saying: Is not man’s life on earth a drudgery? Are not his days those of a hireling? 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 - Ps 147 

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 fi tting to praise him. The Lord rebuilds Jerusalem; the dispersed of Israel he gathers. R. 

* He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He tells the number of the stars; he calls each by name. R. 

* 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. 

Second Reading - 1 Cor 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 Acclamation - Mt 8:17 

Alleluia! Alleluia! 

Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases. 

Alleluia! Alleluia! 

Gospel - Mk 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 Jesus 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.