Thirty First Sunday in Ordinary Time

Deuteronomy 6:2-6 (JB)

A reading from the book of Deuteronomy

Hear Israel, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart.

Moses said to the people: ‘If you fear the Lord your God all the days of your life and if you keep all his laws and commandments which I lay on you, you will have a long life, you and your son and your grandson. Listen then, Israel, keep and observe what will make you prosper and give you great increase, as the Lord God of your fathers has promised you, giving you a land where milk and honey flow.

‘Listen, Israel: The Lord our God is the one Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength. Let these words I urge on you today be written on your heart.’

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Deuteronomy 6:2-6 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Deuteronomy

Moses spoke to the people:

“May you and your children and your children’s children

fear the Lord your God all the days of your life,

and keep all his decrees

and his commandments that I am commanding you,

so that your days may be long.

“Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently,

so that it may go well with you,

and so that you may multiply greatly in a land

flowing with milk and honey,

as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.

“Hear; O Israel:

The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

and with all your soul, and with all your might.

Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 17:2-4, 47, 51 (JB)

R. I love you, Lord, my strength.

I love you, Lord, my strength,

my rock, my fortress, my saviour.

My God is the rock where I take refuge;

my shield, my mighty help, my stronghold.

The Lord is worthy of all praise:

when I call I am saved from my foes. R.

Long life to the Lord, my rock!

Praised be the God who saves me.

He has given great victories to his king

and shown his love for his anointed. R.

Hebrews 7:23-28 (JB)

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

This one, because he remains for ever, has an eternal priesthood.

There used to be a great number of priests under the former covenant, because death put an end to each one of them; but this one, Christ, because he remains for ever, can never lose his priesthood. It follows then, that his power to save is utterly certain, since he is living for ever to intercede for all who come to God through him.

To suit us, the ideal high priest would have to be holy, innocent and uncontaminated, beyond the influence of sinners, and raised up above the heavens; one who would not need to offer sacrifices every day, as the other high priests do for their own sins and then for those of the people, because he has done this once and for all by offering himself. The Law appoints high priests who are men subject to weakness; but the promise on oath, which came after the Law, appointed the Son who is made perfect for ever.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Hebrews 7:23-28 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

The priests of the first covenant were many in number,

because they were prevented by death from continuing in office;

but Jesus holds his priesthood permanently,

because he continues forever.

Consequently he is able for all time

to save those who approach God through him,

since he always lives to make intercession for them.

For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest,

holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners,

and exalted above the heavens.

Unlike the other high priests,

he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day,

first for his own sins,

and then for those of the people;

this he did once for all when he offered himself.

For the law appoints as high priests

those who are subject to weakness,

but the word of the oath,

which came later than the law,

appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

John 14:23 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

All who love me will keep my words,

and my Father will love them and we will come to them.

Alleluia!

John 14:23 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

All who love me will keep my words,

and my Father will love them and we will come to them.

Alleluia!

Mark 12:28-34 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

This is the first commandment, and the second is similar to 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. The second is this: You must love your neighbour as yourself. 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 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.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 12:28-34 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

One of the scribes came near

and heard the religious authorities disputing with one another;

and seeing that Jesus answered them well,

he asked him,

“Which commandment is the first of all?”

Jesus answered, “The first is,

‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one;

you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,

and with all your soul, and with all your mind,

and with all your strength.’

“The second is this,

‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’

There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Then the scribe said to him,

“You are right, Teacher;

you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’;

and ‘to love him with all the heart,

and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’

and ‘to love one’s neighbour as oneself,’-

this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

When Jesus saw that the scribe answered wisely, he said to him,

“You are not far from the kingdom of God.”

After that no one dared to ask Jesus any question.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.