First Reading

Ezekiel 17:22-24 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Ezekiel

I have made the small tree great.

The Lord says this:

‘From the top of the cedar,

from the highest branch I will take a shoot

and plant it myself on a very high mountain.

I will plant it on the high mountain of Israel.

It will sprout branches and bear fruit,

and become a noble cedar.

Every kind of bird will live beneath it,

every winged creature rest in the shade of its branches.

And every tree of the field will learn that I, the Lord, am the one

who stunts tall trees and makes the low ones grow,

who withers green trees and makes the withered green.

I, the Lord, have spoken, and I will do it.’

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ezekiel 17:22-24 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Ezekiel.

Thus says the Lord God:

“I myself will take a sprig

from the lofty top of a cedar;

I will set it out.

I will break off a tender one

from the topmost of its young twigs;

I myself will plant it

on a high and lofty mountain.

“On the mountain height of Israel

I will plant it,

in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit,

and become a noble cedar.

Under it every kind of bird will live;

in the shade of its branches will nest

winged creatures of every kind.

“All the trees of the field shall know

that I am the Lord.

I bring low the high tree,

I make high the low tree;

I dry up the green tree

and make the dry tree flourish.

I the Lord have spoken;

I will accomplish it.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 91:2-3, 13-16 (JB)

R. Lord it is good to give thanks to you.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord

to make music to your name, O Most High,

to proclaim your love in the morning

and your truth in the watches of the night. R.

The just will flourish like the palm-tree

and grow like a Lebanon cedar. R.

Planted in the house of the Lord

they will flourish in the courts of our God,

still bearing fruit when they are old,

still full of sap, still green,

to proclaim that the Lord is just.

In him, my rock, there is no wrong. R.

Second Reading

2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (JB)

A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Corinthians

Whether we are living in the body or exiled from it, we are intent on pleasing the Lord.

We are always full of confidence when we remember that to live in the body means to be exiled from the Lord, going as we do by faith and not by sight – we are full of confidence, I say, and actually want to be exiled from the body and make our home with the Lord. Whether we are living in the body or exiled from it, we are intent on pleasing him. For all the truth about us will be brought out in the law court of Christ, and each of us will get what he deserves for the things he did in the body, good or bad.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (NRSV)

A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians.

Brothers and sisters,

we are always confident,

even though we know that while we are at home in the body

we are away from the Lord-

for we walk by faith, not by sight.

Yes, we do have confidence,

and we would rather be away from the body

and at home with the Lord.

So whether we are at home or away,

we make it our aim to please him.

For all of us must appear before the judgment seat of Christ,

so that each may receive recompense

for what has been done in the body,

whether good or evil.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

GA (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;

all who come to him will live for ever.

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 4:26-34 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

The mustard seed, the smallest of all the seeds, grows into the biggest shrub of all.

Jesus said to the crowd, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time; he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’

He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’

Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 4:26-34 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

Such a large crowd gathered around Jesus

that he got into a boat and began to teach them using many parables.

Jesus said:

“The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,

and would sleep and rise night and day,

and the seed would sprout and grow,

without the sower knowing how.

The earth produces of itself,

first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.

But when the grain is ripe,

at once he goes in with the sickle,

because the harvest has come.”

Jesus also said,

“With what can we compare the kingdom of God,

or what parable will we use for it?

It is like a mustard seed,

which, when sown upon the ground,

is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;

yet when it is sown it grows up

and becomes the greatest of all shrubs,

and puts forth large branches,

so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them,

as they were able to hear it;

he did not speak to them except in parables,

but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.