FIRST READING
“The covenant he mediates is better. ”
A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews (Hebrew 8:6-13)
Brethren: As it is, Christ has obtained a ministry which is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion for a second. For he finds fault with them when he says: “The days will come, says the Lord, when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; for they did not continue in my covenant, and so I paid no heed to them, says the Lord. This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach every one his fellow or every one his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord. ’ for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will be merciful towards their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” In speaking of a new covenant he treats the first as obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 85:5 and 10.11-12.13- 14 (R. 11a)
R/. Merciful love and faithfulness have met.
Let us see, O LORD, your mercy,
and grant us your salvation.
His salvation is near for those who fear him,
and his glory will dwell in our land. R.
Merciful love and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have kissed.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth,
and justice look down from heaven. R.
R/. Merciful love and faithfulness have met.
Also the LORD will bestow his bounty,
and our earth shall yield its increase.
Justice will march before him,
and guide his steps on the way R.
ALLELUIA 2 Corinthians 5:19
Alleluia. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
He called to him those whom he desired to be with him.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 3:13-19)
At that time: Jesus went up on the mountain, and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach and have authority to cast out demons: Simon whom he surnamed Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, whom he surnamed Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
In the ministry of Christ, He is the Mediator between us and God. He is the one who corrected the deficiency of the old sacrifice that was obsolete. Jesus, who minister to us in this new era of our worship, has changed the old order that was not efficient. He gives us a very promising and efficient yet effective worship. In our worship, He does everything well in us by living in our conscience and mind. He is the reminder of what is good in us, who leads us to a life of perfection. Let us allow His grace to enlighten our spirit, reminding us of what is true and good and leading us to effective worship of God.