Saint Andrew's Parish,Westland Row

Sunday 23rd September 2012

First Reading (Ws 2:12. 17-20)
A reading from the book of Wisdom.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death.
The godless say to themselves,
'Let us lie in wait for the virtuous man, since he annoys us
and opposes our way of life,
reproaches us for our breaches of the law
and accuses us of playing false to our upbringing.
Let us see if what he says is true,
let us observe what kind of end he himself will have.
If the Virtuous man is God's son, God will take his part
and rescue him from the clutches of his enemies.
Let us test him with cruelty and with torture,
and thus explore this gentleness of his
and put his endurance to the proof.
Let us condemn him to a shameful death
since he will be looked after - we have his word for it.'

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God

Second Reading (Jm 3:16-4:3)
A reading from the letter of St. James.
Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds
which will bear fruit in holiness.
Wherever you find jealousy and ambition, you find
disharmony, and wicked things of every kind being done;
whereas the wisdom that comes down from above is
essentially something pure; it also makes for peace,
and is kindly and considerate; it is full of compassion
and shows itself by doing good; nor is there any trace of
partiality or hypocrisy in it. Peacemakers, when they work
for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.
Where do these wars and battles between yourselves
first start? Isn't it precisely in the desires fighting inside
your own selves? You want something and you haven't
got it; so you are prepared to kill. You have an ambition
that you cannot satisfy; so you fight to get your way by
force. Why you don't have what you want is because you
don't pray for it; when you do pray and don't get it, it is
because you have not prayed properly, you have prayed
for something to indulge your own desires.

The word of the Lord

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation (Jn 8:12)
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord,
anyone who follows me
will have the light of life.

Alleluia!

Gospel (Mk 9:30-37)
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
A reading from the holy Gospel
according to Mark.
Glory to you, O Lord.
The Son of Man will be delivered. If anyone wants to be first,
he must make himself servant of all.
After leaving the mountain Jesus and his disciples made
their way through Galilee; and he did not want anyone to
know, because he was instructing his disciples; he was
telling them, 'The Son of Man will be delivered into the
hands of men; they will put him to death; and three days
after he has been put to death he will rise again.' But they
did not understand what he said and were afraid to ask him.
They came to Capernaum, and when he was in the
house he asked them, 'What were you arguing about
on the road?' They said nothing because they had been
arguing which of them was the greatest. So he sat down,
called the Twelve to him and said, 'If anyone wants to be
first, he must make himself last of all and servant of all.'
He then took a little child, set him in front of them, put his
arms round him, and said to them, 'Anyone who welcomes
one of these little children in my name, welcomes me; and
anyone who welcomes me welcomes not me but the one
who sent me.'

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ