Sunday of the 31st Week in Ordinary Time
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Mass Readings
First Reading – Dt 6:2-6
Moses spoke to the people, saying: “Fear the LORD, your God, and keep, throughout the days of your lives, all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you, and thus have long life. Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them, that you may grow and prosper the more, in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers, to give you a land flowing with milk and honey. “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength. Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today.”
Responsorial Psalm – Ps 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51 (R.2)
R. I love you, Lord, my strength.
I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. R.
My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies. R.
The LORD lives! And blessed be my rock!
Extolled be God my savior.
You who gave great victories to your king
and showed kindness to your anointed. R.
Second Reading – Heb 7:23-28
Brothers and sisters: The levitical priests were many because they were prevented by death from remaining in office, but Jesus, because he remains forever, has a priesthood that does not pass away. Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever.
Gospel – Mk 12:28b-34
One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” Jesus replied, “The first is this: Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall 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 shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these.” The scribe said to him, “Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, ‘He is One and there is no other than he.’ And ‘to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Featured Saints
Sunday takes precedence over the Optional Memorial of St. Martin de Porres, religious (†1639). Born in Lima, Peru, in 1579, of Spanish and black descent. He entered the Dominican Order as a lay brother and took upon himself the most humble and repugnant tasks. He was gifted with extraordinary mystical gifts, such as prophecy, ecstasy and bilocation.
St. Perminius, bishop (†circa 755). Abbot and Bishop of Reichenau, he preached the Gospel to the Alemans and Bavarians, founded many monasteries and wrote a book for his followers on the religious instruction of uncultured peoples.
St. Bernard, bishop (†1130). From a noble family of the Counts of Marsi and Sangro, he became a Benedictine in Montecasino. At the age of 30, he was elevated to episcopal dignity in the diocese of Marsi, Italy, and fought against simony, while striving to restore ecclesiastical discipline and to protect the poor.
St. Ermengol, bishop (†1035). One of the most illustrious prelates who dedicated themselves to restoring Christianity in the lands reconquested from the moors in Catalonia, Spain.
St. Peter Francis Néron,priest and martyr (†1860). Religious from the Foreign Missions Society of Paris, who was imprisoned in a cramped cell, cruelly beaten and beheaded in Tonkin, Vietnam under the Emperor Tu Duc.
St. Joannicius, monk (†846). He left the imperial army to live as a hermit on Mount Olympus and later entered the monastery of Antidium, Turkey. He defended the veneration of sacred images and is the author of several icons in honour of the Virgin Mary.
St. Sylvia (†seventh century). Mother of Pope St. Gregory the Great. She abandoned the world to better dedicate herself to prayer and penance.
Blessed Alpais, virgin (†1211). Peasant who lived alone in a small cell in Cudot, France, where she received the gift of counsel and of performing miracles.
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