Twenty Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Genesis 2:18-24 (JB)

A reading from the book of Genesis

They were two in one flesh.

The Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a helpmate.’ So from the soil the Lord God fashioned all the wild beasts and all the birds of heaven. These he brought to the man to see what he would call them; each one was to bear the name the man would give it. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of heaven and all the wild beasts. But no helpmate suitable for man was found for him. So the Lord God made the man fall into a deep sleep. And while he slept, he took one of his ribs and enclosed it in flesh. The Lord God built the rib he had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man. The man exclaimed:

‘This at last is bone from my bones

and flesh from my flesh!

This is to be called woman,

for this was taken from man.’

This is why a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself to his wife, and they become one body.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Genesis 2:18-24 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Genesis

The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground,

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life,

and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it.

Then the Lord God said,

“It is not good that the man should be alone;

I will make him a helper as his partner.”

So out of the ground

the Lord God formed every animal of the field

and every bird of the air;

and brought them to the man to see what he would call them;

and whatever the man called every living creature,

that was its name.

The man gave names to all cattle,

and to the birds of the air;

and to every animal of the field;

but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner.

So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man,

and he slept;

then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh.

And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man

he made into a woman and brought her to the man.

Then the man said,

“This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

this one shall be called Woman,

for out of Man this one was taken.”

Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother

and clings to his wife,

and they become one flesh.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 127 (JB)

R. May the Lord bless us

all the days of our lives.

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 will be 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

in a happy Jerusalem

all the days of your life!

May you see your children’s children.

On Israel, peace! R.

Hebrews 2:9-11 (JB)

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

He who sanctifies, and those who are sanctified have one origin.

We see in Jesus one who was for a short while made lower than the angels and is now crowned with glory and splendour because he submitted to death; by God’s grace he had to experience death for all mankind.

As it was his purpose to bring a great many of his sons into glory, it was appropriate that God, for whom everything exists and through whom everything exists, should make perfect, through suffering, the leader who would take them to their salvation. For the one who sanctifies, and the ones who are sanctified, are of the same stock; that is why he openly calls them brothers.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Hebrews 2:9-11 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

We do indeed see Jesus,

who for a little while was made lower than the angels,

now crowned with glory and honour

because of the suffering of death,

so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

It was fitting that God,

for whom and through whom all things exist,

in bringing many children to glory,

should make the pioneer of their salvation

perfect through sufferings.

For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified

all have one Father.

For this reason

Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 John 4:12 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

If we love one another,

God will live in us in perfect love.

Alleluia!

1 John 4:12 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

If we love one another,

God will live in us in perfect love.

Alleluia!

Mark 10:2-12 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

What God has joined together, no one must divide.

Some Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, ‘Is it against the law for a man to divorce his wife?’ They were testing him. He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ ‘Moses allowed us’ they said ‘to draw up a writ of dismissal and so to divorce.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘It was because you were so unteachable that he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. This is why a man must leave father and mother, and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’ Back in the house the disciples questioned him again about this, and he said to them. ‘The man who divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she is guilty of adultery too.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 10:2-16 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

What God has joined together, no one must divide.

Some Pharisees approached Jesus and asked, ‘Is it against the law for a man to divorce his wife?’ They were testing him. He answered them, ‘What did Moses command you?’ ‘Moses allowed us’ they said ‘to draw up a writ of dismissal and so to divorce.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘It was because you were so unteachable that he wrote this commandment for you. But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. This is why a man must leave father and mother, and the two become one body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, man must not divide.’ Back in the house the disciples questioned him again about this, and he said to them. ‘The man who divorces his wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another she is guilty of adultery too.’

People were bringing little children to him, for him to touch them. The disciples turned them away, but when Jesus saw this he was indignant and said to them, ‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. I tell you solemnly, anyone who does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.’ Then he put his arms round them, laid his hands on them and gave them his blessing.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 10:2-12 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

Some Pharisees came, and to test Jesus they asked,

“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

Jesus answered them, “What did Moses command you?”

They said,

“Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal

and to divorce her.”

But Jesus said to them,

“Because of your hardness of heart

he wrote this commandment for you.

But from the beginning of creation,

‘God made them male and female.’

‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother

and be joined to his wife,

and the two shall become one flesh.’

So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together; let no one separate.”

Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter.

Jesus said to them,

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another

commits adultery against her;

and if she divorces her husband and marries another;

she commits adultery.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 10:2-16 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

Some Pharisees came, and to test Jesus they asked,

“Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?”

Jesus answered them, “What did Moses command you?”

They said,

“Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal

and to divorce her.”

But Jesus said to them,

“Because of your hardness of heart

he wrote this commandment for you.

But from the beginning of creation,

‘God made them male and female.’

‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother

and be joined to his wife,

and the two shall become one flesh.’

So they are no longer two, but one flesh.

Therefore what God has joined together; let no one separate.”

Then in the house the disciples asked him again about this matter.

Jesus said to them,

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another

commits adultery against her;

and if she divorces her husband and marries another;

she commits adultery.”

People were bringing little children to him

in order that Jesus might touch them;

and the disciples spoke sternly to them.

But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them,

“Let the little children come to me;

do not stop them:

for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.

Truly I tell you,

whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child

will never enter it.”

And Jesus took them up in his arms,

laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.