"The Sower" -- by James Tissot |
FIRST
READING:
Hebrews 10:
11-18
11
And every priest indeed standeth daily ministering, and often
offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12
But this man offering one sacrifice for sins, for ever sitteth on the
right hand of God,
13
From henceforth expecting, until his enemies be made his footstool.
14
For by one oblation he hath perfected for ever them that are
sanctified.
15
And the Holy Ghost also doth testify this to us. For after that he
said:
16
And this is the testament which I will make unto them after those
days, saith the Lord. I will give my laws in their hearts, and on
their minds will I write them:
17
And their sins and iniquities I will remember no more.
18
Now where there is a remission of these, there is no more an oblation
for sin.
PSALM:
Psalms 110:
1-4
1
The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand: Until I make thy
enemies thy footstool.
2
The Lord will send forth the sceptre of thy power out of Sion: rule
thou in the midst of thy enemies.
3
With thee is the principality in the day of thy strength: in the
brightness of the saints: from the womb before the day star I begot
thee.
4
The Lord hath sworn, and he will not repent: Thou art a priest for
ever according to the order of Melchisedech.
ALLELUIA:
R.
Alleluia, alleluia.
The
seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
all
who come to him will live for ever.
R.
Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL:
Mark 4:
1-20
1
And again he began to teach by the sea side; and a great multitude
was gathered together unto him, so that he went up into a ship, and
sat in the sea; and all the multitude was upon the land by the sea
side.
2
And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his
doctrine:
3
Hear ye: Behold, the sower went out to sow.
4
And whilst he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the birds of the
air came and ate it up.
5
And other some fell upon stony ground, where it had not much earth;
and it shot up immediately, because it had no depth of earth.
6
And when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no
root, it withered away.
7
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up, and choked it,
and it yielded no fruit.
8
And some fell upon good ground; and brought forth fruit that grew up,
and increased and yielded, one thirty, another sixty, and another a
hundred.
9
And he said: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10
And when he was alone, the twelve that were with him asked him the
parable.
11
And he said to them: To you it is given to know the mystery of the
kingdom of God: but to them that are without, all things are done in
parables:
12
That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may
hear, and not understand: lest at any time they should be converted,
and their sins should be forgiven them.
13
And he saith to them: Are you ignorant of this parable? and how shall
you know all parables?
14
He that soweth, soweth the word.
15
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown, and as
soon as they have heard, immediately Satan cometh and taketh away the
word that was sown in their hearts.
16
And these likewise are they that are sown on the stony ground: who
when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy.
17
And they have no root in themselves, but are only for a time: and
then when tribulation and persecution ariseth for the word they are
presently scandalized.
18
And others there are who are sown among thorns: these are they that
hear the word,
19
And the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the
lusts after other things entering in choke the word, and it is made
fruitless.
20
And these are they who are sown upon the good ground, who hear the
word, and receive it, and yield fruit, the one thirty, another sixty,
and another a hundred.