Memorial of Mary Mother of the Church
First Reading | Sirach 17:19-24 (or Genesis 3:9-15, 20)
Conversion is turning toward the Lord and away from sin that enslaves us. We need to change many things in our life. When we repent of our sins, we must commit to change the structures that nurture sin. This is the only way to defeat sin and to grow in holiness.
19 To the penitent God provides a way back, he encourages those who are losing hope and has chosen for them the lot of truth. 20 Return to him and give up sin, pray to the Lord and make your offenses few. 21 Turn again to the Most High and away from your sin, hate intensely what he loathes, and know the justice and judgments of God, stand firm in the way set before you, in prayer to the Most High God. 22 Who in the nether world can glorify the Most High in place of the living who offer their praise? 23 No more can the dead give praise than those who have never lived; you who are alive and well shall praise and glorify God in his mercies. 24 How great the mercy of the Lord, his forgiveness of those who return to him!
Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 6, 7 (or Judith 13:18, 19)
R: Let the just exult and rejoice in the Lord.
1 Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed the man to whom the Lord imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. (R) 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, “I confess my faults to the Lord,” and you took away the guilt of my sin. (R) 6 For this shall every faithful man pray to you in time of stress. Though deep waters overflow, they shall not reach him. (R) 7 You are my shelter; from distress you will preserve me; with glad cries of freedom you will ring me round. (R)
Gospel | Mark 10:17-27 (or John 19:25-27)
Jesus looks down upon us, gazes into our eyes, and tells us that He loves us. This is the basis of our friendship with God—a friendship where we are called to give our lives in the service of the Gospel. Let us remember that God’s love for us comes first—it precedes His call for us to serve. Thus, we follow the same pattern in our relationships with others. They must be built upon our mutual love for one another.
Jesus Christ became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.
17 As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up, knelt down before him, and asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; you shall not defraud; honor your father and your mother.” 20 He replied and said to him, “Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.” 21 Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, “You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 22 At that statement his face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. 23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24 The disciples were amazed at his words. So Jesus again said to them in reply, “Children, how hard it is to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for one who is rich to enter the Kingdom of God.” 26 They were exceedingly astonished and said among themselves, “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “For men it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God.”
