14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Ezekiel 2:2-5 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Ezekiel

The people are rebellious; they shall know there will be a prophet in their midst.

The spirit came into me and made me stand up, and I heard the Lord speaking to me. He said, ‘Son of man, I am sending you up to the Israelites, to the rebels who have turned against me. Till now they and their ancestors have been in revolt against me. The sons are defiant and obstinate; I am sending you to them, to say, “The Lord says this.” Whether they listen or not, this set of rebels shall know there is a prophet among them.’

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ezekiel 2:2-5 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Ezekiel

The heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.

When I saw this, I fell on my face,

and I heard the voice of someone speaking.

When the voice spoke to me,

a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet;

and I heard one speaking to me:

“Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel,

to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against me;

The descendants are impudent and stubborn.

I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them,

‘Thus says the Lord God.’

Whether they hear or refuse to hear

(for they are a rebellious house),

they shall know that there has been a prophet among them.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 122 (JB)

R. Our eyes are fixed on the Lord,

pleading for his mercy.

To you have I lifted up my eyes,

you who dwell in the heavens:

my eyes, like the eyes of slaves

on the hand of their lords. R.

Like the eyes of a servant

on the hand of his mistress,

so our eyes are on the Lord our God

till he shows us his mercy. R.

Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.

We are filled with contempt.

Indeed all too full is our soul

with the scorn of the rich,

with the proud man’s disdain. R.

Corinthians 12:7-10 (JB)

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

I will glory in my infirmities so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

In view of the extraordinary nature of these revelations, to stop me from getting too proud I was given a thorn in the flesh, an angel of Satan to beat me and stop me from getting too proud! About this thing, I have pleaded with the Lord three times for it to leave me, but he has said, ‘My grace is enough for you: my power is at its best in weakness.’ So I shall be very happy to make my weaknesses my special boast so that the power of Christ may stay over me, and that is why I am quite content with my weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions, and the agonies I go through for Christ’s sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NRSV)

A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians

Considering the exceptional character of the revelations,

to keep me from being too elated,

a thorn was given me in the flesh,

a messenger of Satan to torment me,

to keep me from being too elated.

Three times I appealed to the Lord about this,

that it would leave me,

but he said to me,

“My grace is sufficient for you,

for power is made perfect in weakness.”

So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,

so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

Therefore I am content

with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities

for the sake of Christ;

for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

cf Luke 4:18 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;

he sent me to bring Good News to the poor.

Alleluia!

Luke 4:18 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Spirit of the Lord now upon me;

has sent me to bring good news to the poor.

Alleluia!

Mark 6:1-6 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

A prophet is despised only in his own country.

Jesus went to his home town and his disciples accompanied him. With the coming of the sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue and most of them were astonished when they heard him. They said, ‘Where did the man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been granted him, and these miracles that are worked through him? This is the carpenter, surely, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joset and Jude and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here with us?’ And they would not accept him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country among his own relations and in his own house’; and he could work no miracle there, though he cured a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 6:1-6 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

Jesus came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.

On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue,

and many who heard him were astounded.

They said, “Where did this man get all this?

What is this wisdom that has been given to him?

What deeds of power are being done by his hands!

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary

and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon,

and are not his sisters here with us?”

And they took offence at him.

Then Jesus said to them,

“Prophets are not without honour,

except in their hometown,

and among their own kin, and in their own house.”

And Jesus could do no deed of power there,

except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.

And Jesus was amazed at their unbelief.

Then he went about among the villages teaching.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.