First Reading

Wisdom 7:7-11 (JB)

A reading from the book of Wisdom

In comparison to wisdom, I held riches as nothing.

I prayed, and understanding was given me;

I entreated, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.

I esteemed her more than sceptres and thrones;

compared with her, I held riches as nothing.

I reckoned no priceless stone to be her peer,

for compared with her, all gold is a pinch of sand,

and beside her silver ranks as mud.

I loved her more than health or beauty,

preferred her to the light,

since her radiance never sleeps.

In her company all good things came to me,

at her hands riches not to be numbered.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Wisdom 7:7-11 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Wisdom

I prayed, and understanding was given me;

I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.

I preferred her to sceptres and thrones,

and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her.

Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem,

because all gold is but a little sand in her sight,

and silver will be accounted as clay before her.

I loved her more than health and beauty,

and I chose to have her rather than light,

because her radiance never ceases.

All good things came to me along with her;

and in her hands uncounted wealth.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 89:12-17 (JB)

R. Fill us with your love, O Lord,

and we will sing for joy!

Make us know the shortness of our life

that we may gain wisdom of heart.

Lord, relent! Is your anger for ever?

Show pity to your servants. R.

In the morning, fill us with your love;

we shall exult and rejoice all our days.

Give us joy to balance our affliction

for the years when we knew misfortune. R.

Show forth your works to your servants;

let your glory shine on their children.

Let the favour of the Lord be upon us:

give success to the work of our hands. R.

Second Reading

Hebrews 4:12-13 (JB)

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

The word of God discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

The word of God is something alive and active: it cuts like any double-edged sword but more finely: it can slip through the place where the soul is divided from the spirit, or joints from the marrow; it can judge the secret emotions and thoughts. No created thing can hide from him; everything is uncovered and open to the eyes of the one to whom we must give account of ourselves.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Hebrews 4:12-13 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews

The word of God is living and active,

sharper than any two-edged sword,

piercing until it divides soul from spirit,

joints from marrow;

it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

And before God no creature is hidden,

but all are naked and laid bare

to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

Matthew 5:3 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Happy the poor in spirit;

the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Alleluia!

Matthew 5:3 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are the poor in spirit;

the kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Alleluia!

Gospel

Mark 10:17-27 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

Go and sell whatever you have and come follow me.

Jesus was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’ And he said to him, ‘Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days.’ Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, ‘There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, ‘My children,’ he said to them, ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were more astonished than ever. ‘In that case’ they said to one another ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 10:17-30 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark

Go and sell whatever you have and come follow me.

Jesus was setting out on a journey when a man ran up, knelt before him and put this question to him, ‘Good master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: You must not kill; You must not commit adultery; You must not steal; You must not bring false witness; You must not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’ And he said to him, ‘Master, I have kept all these from my earliest days.’ Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him, and he said, ‘There is one thing you lack. Go and sell everything you own and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ But his face fell at these words and he went away sad, for he was a man of great wealth.

Jesus looked round and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!’ The disciples were astounded by these words, but Jesus insisted, ‘My children,’ he said to them, ‘how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’ They were more astonished than ever. ‘In that case’ they said to one another ‘who can be saved?’ Jesus gazed at them. ‘For men’ he said ‘it is impossible, but not for God: because everything is possible for God.’

Peter took this up. ‘What about us?’ he asked him. ‘We have left everything and followed you.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you solemnly, there is no one who has left house, brothers, sisters, father, children or land for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not be repaid a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and land – not without persecutions – now in this present time and, in the world to come, eternal life.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 10:17-27 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

As Jesus was setting out on a journey,

a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him,

“Good Teacher; what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good?

No one is good but God alone.

You know the commandments:

‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery;

You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness;

You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.'”

He said to Jesus,

“Teacher; I have kept all these since my youth.”

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said,

“You lack one thing; go, sell what you own,

and give the money to the poor;

and you will have treasure in heaven;

then come, follow me.”

“When the man heard this,

he was shocked and went away grieving,

for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,

“How hard it will be for those who have wealth

to enter the kingdom of God!”

And the disciples were perplexed at these words.

But Jesus said to them again,

“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle

than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

They were greatly astounded and said to one another;

“Then who can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said,

“For mortals it is impossible, but not for God;

for God all things are possible.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 10:17-30 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Mark

As Jesus was setting out on a journey,

a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him,

“Good Teacher; what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good?

No one is good but God alone.

You know the commandments:

‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery;

You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness;

You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.'”

He said to Jesus,

“Teacher; I have kept all these since my youth.”

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said,

“You lack one thing; go, sell what you own,

and give the money to the poor;

and you will have treasure in heaven;

then come, follow me.”

“When the man heard this,

he was shocked and went away grieving,

for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples,

“How hard it will be for those who have wealth

to enter the kingdom of God!”

And the disciples were perplexed at these words.

But Jesus said to them again,

“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle

than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

They were greatly astounded and said to one another;

“Then who can be saved?”

Jesus looked at them and said,

“For mortals it is impossible, but not for God;

for God all things are possible.”

Peter began to say to him,

“Look, we have left everything and followed you.”

Jesus said “Truly I tell you,

there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters

or mother or father or children or fields,

for my sake and for the sake of the good news,

who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age-

houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields-

but with persecution-

and in the age to come, eternal life.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.