THURSDAY WITHIN THE NINTH WEEK OF ORDINARY TIME
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST
FEAST
Sign of the Cross
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.Examen
Before listening to the Word of God take a moment to reflect. For what am I grateful to God for today? Where did I stray from God: through words, actions or things I did not do. How might I do better tomorrow? What grace do I ask from God in order to live more closely in his love? You may wish to conclude by saying: Lord Jesus, you have revealed yourself as the way to the Father: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. You have poured out on your people the Spirit of truth: Christ, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. You are the Good Shepherd, leading us to eternal life: Lord, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.Collect
O God, whose providence never fails in its design, keep from us, we humbly beseech you, all that might harm us and grant all that works for our good. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.First Reading
A reading from the book of Tobit 6: 10-11; 7: 1, 9-14; 8: 4-9
The Lord brought you to me so that Sarah might be assigned to you as your wife.
Raphael and Tobias entered Media and had nearly reached Ecbatana when Raphael said to the boy, ‘Brother Tobias.’ ‘Yes?’ he answered. The angel went on, ‘Tonight we shall be staying with Raguel, who is a kinsman of yours. He has a daughter called Sarah.’ As they entered Ecbatana, Tobias said, ‘Brother Azarius, take me at once to our brother Raguel’s.’ And he showed him the way to the house of Raguel, whom they found sitting beside his courtyard door. They greeted him first, and he replied, ‘Welcome and greetings brothers.’ And he took them into his house. Raguel killed a sheep from the flock, and he and his wife Edna gave them a warmhearted welcome. They washed and bathed and sat down to table. Then Tobias said to Raphael, ‘Brother Azarius, will you ask Raguel to give me my sister Sarah?’ Raguel overheard the words, and said to the young man, ‘Eat and drink, and make the most of your evening; no one else has the right to take my daughter Sarah – no one but you, my brother. In any case I, for my own part, am not at liberty to give her to anyone else, since you are her next of kin. However, my boy, I must be frank with you: I have tried to find a husband for her seven times among our kinsmen, and all of them have died the first evening, on going to her room. But for the present, my boy, eat and drink; the Lord will grant you his grace and peace.’ Tobias spoke out, ‘I will not hear of eating and drinking till you have come to a decision about me.’ Raguel answered. ‘Very well. Since, as prescribed by the Book of Moses, she is given to you, heaven itself decrees she shall be yours. I therefore entrust your sister to you. From now you are her brother and she your sister. She is given to you from today for ever. The Lord of heaven favour you tonight, my child, and grant you his grace and peace.’ Raguel called for his daughter Sarah, took her by the hand and gave her to Tobias with these words, ‘I entrust her to you; the law and the ruling recorded in the Book of Moses assign her to you as your wife. Take her; take her home to your father’s house with good conscience. The God of heaven grant you a good journey in peace.’ Then he turned to her mother and asked her to fetch him writing paper. He drew up the marriage contract, how he gave his daughter as bride to Tobias according to the ordinance in the Law of Moses. After this they began to eat and drink. The parents meanwhile had gone out and shut the door behind them. Tobias said to Sarah, ‘Get up, my sister! You and I must pray and petition our Lord to win his grace and his protection.’ She stood up, and they began praying for protection, and this was how he began: ‘You are blessed, O God of our fathers; blessed, too, is you name for ever and ever. Let the heavens bless you and all things you have made for evermore. It was you who created Adam, you who created Eve his wife to be his help and support; and from these two the human race was born. It was you who said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; let us make him a helpmate like himself.” And so I do not take my sister for any lustful motive; I do it in singleness of heart. Be kind enough to have pity on her and on me and bring us to old age together’ And together they said, ‘Amen, Amen’, and lay down for the night. The word of the Lord.Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 127: 1-5. R. Cf. v.1
O blessed are those who fear the Lord. O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways! By the labour of your hands you shall eat. You will be happy and prosper. R. Your wife like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house; your children like shoots of the olive, around your table. R. Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life. R.Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, Alleluia! Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life: you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 12: 28-34
This is the first commandment. The second is like it.
One of the scribes came up to Jesus and put a question to him, ‘Which is the first of all the commandments?’ Jesus replied, ‘This is the first: Listen Israel, the Lord our God is the one Lord, and you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and with all your strength. There is no commandment greater than these.’ The scribe said to him, ‘Well spoken, Master; what you have said is true: that he is one and there is no other. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself, this is far more important than any holocaust or sacrifice.’ Jesus, seeing how wisely he had spoken, said, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ And after that no one dared to question him any more. The Gospel of the Lord.Profession of Faith
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended into hell; on the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty; from there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen,