July 4, 2021 - Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

 

First Reading - Ez 2:2-5

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 fathers 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 - Ps 123: 1-2, 2,3-4

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

To you I lift my eyes who are enthroned in heaven - as the eyes of servants

are on the hands of their masters. R

As the eyes of a maid are on the hands of their mistress,

So are our eyes on the Lord, till he have pity us. R

Have pity on us, Oh 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

Second Reading - 2 Cor 12: 7-10

As to the extraordinary revelations, in order that I might not become conceited I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and keep me from getting proud. Three times I begged the Lord that this might leave me. He said to me: "My grace is enough for you, for in weakness power reaches perfection." And so I willingly boast of my weakness instead, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Therefore I am content with weakness, with mistreatment, with distress, with persecutions and with 

difficulties for the sake of Christ; for when I am powerless, it is then that I am strong.

Alleluia - Luke 4:18

Alleluia, Alleluia!

The spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor.

Alleluia, Alleluia!

Gospel - Mk 6:1-6

Jesus went to his own part of the country followed by his disciples. When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue in a way that kept his large audience amazed. They said: "Where did he get all this? What kind of wisdom is he endowed with? How is it such miraculous deeds accomplished by his hands? Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary, a brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Aren't his sisters our neighbors here? They found him too much for them. Jesus' response to all this was: "No prophet is without honor except in  his native place, among his own kindred, and in his own house." He could work no miracle there, apart from curing a few who were sick by laying hands on them, so much did their lack of faith distress him. He made the rounds of the neighboring villages instead, and spent his time teaching.