Mass Readings for Saturday, January 23, 2010

                                                
 Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary

(Week of Prayer for Christian Unity)

FIRST READING: 2 Samuel 1: 1 - 4, 11 - 12, 19, 23 - 27

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1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amal'ekites, David remained two days in Ziklag;

2 and on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes rent and earth upon his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and did obeisance.

3 David said to him, "Where do you come from?" And he said to him, "I have escaped from the camp of Israel."

4 And David said to him, "How did it go? Tell me." And he answered, "The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead."

11 Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them; and so did all the men who were with him;

12 and they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.

19 "Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places! How are the mighty fallen!

23 "Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.

24 "Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you daintily in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel.

25 "How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! "Jonathan lies slain upon thy high places.

26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.

27 "How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!" 

 

PSALM: Psalms 80: 2 – 3, 5 - 7

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2 before E'phraim and Benjamin and Manas'seh! Stir up thy might, and come to save us!

3 Restore us, O God; let thy face shine, that we may be saved!

5 Thou hast fed them with the bread of tears, and given them tears to drink in full measure.

6 Thou dost make us the scorn of our neighbors; and our enemies laugh among themselves.

7 Restore us, O God of hosts; let thy face shine, that we may be saved! 

 

GOSPEL: Mark 3: 20 - 21

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20 Then he went home; and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat.

21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for people were saying, "He is beside himself."

Mass Readings for Friday January 22, 2010

(Week of Prayer for Christian Unity)

FIRST READING: 1 Samuel 24: 3 - 21

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3 And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.

4 And the men of David said to him, "Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, `Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.'" Then David arose and stealthily cut off the skirt of Saul's robe.

5 And afterward David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.

6 He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD'S anointed, to put forth my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD'S anointed."

7 So David persuaded his men with these words, and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave, and went upon his way.

8 Afterward David also arose, and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and did obeisance.

9 And David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men who say, `Behold, David seeks your hurt'?

10 Lo, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave; and some bade me kill you, but I spared you. I said, `I will not put forth my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed.'

11 See, my father, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for by the fact that I cut off the skirt of your robe, and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it.

12 May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me upon you; but my hand shall not be against you.

13 As the proverb of the ancients says, `Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness'; but my hand shall not be against you.

14 After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea!

15 May the LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see to it, and plead my cause, and deliver me from your hand."

16 When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.

17 He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.

18 And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands.

19 For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.

20 And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.

21 Swear to me therefore by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house." 

 

PSALM: Psalms 57: 2 – 4, 6, 11

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2 I cry to God Most High, to God who fulfils his purpose for me.

3 He will send from heaven and save me, he will put to shame those who trample upon me. [Selah] God will send forth his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

4 I lie in the midst of lions that greedily devour the sons of men; their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongues sharp swords.

6 They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. [Selah]

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let thy glory be over all the earth! 

 

GOSPEL: Mark 5: 13 - 19

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13 And he went up on the mountain, and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him.

14 And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach

15 and have authority to cast out demons:

16 Simon whom he surnamed Peter;

17 James the son of Zeb'edee and John the brother of James, whom he surnamed Bo-aner'ges, that is, sons of thunder;

18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean,

19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.