23rd Sunday in ordinary time (B)
First Reading (Is 35, 4-7a)
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah
Thus says the Lord : say to those whose hearts are frightened : Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the mute will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe.The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water.
Responsorial Psalm
R/ Praise the Lord, my soul.
The God of Jacob keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets captives free. R/
The Lord gives sight to the blind; the Lord raises up those who were bowed down. The Lord loves the just; the Lord protects strangers. R/
The fatherless and the widow the Lord sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts. The Lord shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations. R/
Second Reading (James 2, 1-5)
A reading from the Letter of Saint James
My brothers and sisters : Show no partiality as you adhere to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if a man with gold rings and fine clothes comes into your assembly, and a poor person in shabby clothes also comes in, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Sit here, please,” while you say to the poor one, “Stand there,” or “Sit at my feet,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil designs? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Did not God choose those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?
R/ Alleluia, alleluia
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the kingdom and cured every disease among the people.
The Gospel (Mk 7, 31- 37)
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
Again Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of Decapolis. And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him off by himslef away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphata!” – that is, “Be opened!” And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
Communion Antiphon
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.