FIRST READING

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Hebrews       4:12-16
Let us be confident, then, in approaching the throne of grace.

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.

Since in Jesus, the Son of God, we have the supreme high priest who has gone through to the highest heaven, we must never let go of the faith that we have professed. For it is not as if we had a high priest who was incapable of feeling our weaknesses with us; but we have one who has been tempted in every way that we are, though he is without sin. Let us be confident, then, in approaching the throne of grace, that we shall have mercy from him and find grace when we are in need of help.

The Word of the Lord

Responsorial Psalm       Ps 18
Response                             Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life.

1. The law of the Lord is perfect,
it  revives the soul
The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,
it gives wisdom to the simple.           Response

2. The precepts of the Lord are right,
they gladden the heart.
The command of the Lord is dear,
it gives light to the eyes.                     Response

3. The fear of the Lord is holy,
abiding for ever.
The decrees of the Lord are truth
and all of them just.                            Response

4. May the spoken words of my mouth,
the thoughts of my heart,
win favour in your sight, O Lord,
my rescuer, my rock!                          Response

Gospel  Acclamation         Ps 118: 29. 35
Alleluia, alleluia!
Bend my heart to your will, O Lord,
and teach me your commands.
Alleluia!

Or                                             Lk 7: 16
Alleluia, alleluia!
The Lord  has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL

A reading from the holy Gospel according to  Luke        4: 18
'I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.'

Jesus went out again to the shore of the lake; and all the people came to him, and he taught them. As he was walking on he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus, sitting by the customs house, and he said to him, 'Follow me'. And he got up and followed him.

When Jesus was at dinner in his house, a number of tax collectors and sinners were also sitting at the table with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many of them among his followers. When the scribes of the Pharisee party saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, 'Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?' When Jesus heard this he said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick. I did not come to call the virtuous, but sinners.'

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Gospel Reflection
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The scripture readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/

The Gospel reflection comes from: Weekday Reflections for the Liturgical Year 2018/2019; I Want to Know Christ  
by Martin Hogan, published by The Messenger  c/f   www.messenger.ie/bookshop/

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Scripture Themes
The fulfillment of God's promise is compared to a wedding feast. The wine that flows in plenty speaks of the joy of the kingdom.


FIRST READING 

A reading from the book of the Prophet  Isaiah       62:1-5
As the bridegroom rejoices in his bride, so will your God rejoice in you.

About Zion I will not be silent,
about Jerusalem I will not grow weary,
until her integrity shines out like the dawn
and her salvation flames like a torch.

The nations then will see your integrity,
all the kings your glory,
and you will be called by a new name,
one which the mouth of the Lord will confer.
You are to be a crown of splendour in the hand of the Lord,
a princely diadem in the hand of your God;
no longer are you to be named 'Forsaken',
nor your land 'Abandoned',
but you shall be called 'My Delight'
and your land 'The Wedded';
for the Lord takes delight in you
and your land will have its wedding.
Like a young man marrying a virgin,
so will the one who built you wed you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices in his bride,
so will your God rejoice in you.

The Word of the Lord

Responsorial Psalm     Ps 95
Response                         Proclaim the wonders of the Lord among all the peoples.

l. O sing a new song to the Lord,
sing to the Lord all the earth.
O sing to the Lord, bless his name.          Response

2. Proclaim his help day by day,
tell among the nations his glory
and his wonders among all the peoples. Response

3. Give the Lord, you families of peoples,
give the Lord glory and power,
give the Lord the glory of his name.         Response

4. Worship the Lord in his temple.
O earth, tremble before him.
Proclaim to the nations: 'God is king.'
He will judge the peoples in fairness.     Response

SECOND READING  

A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Corintians        12:4-11
There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit.

There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose. One may have the gift of preaching with wisdom given him by the Spirit; another may have the gift of preaching instruction given him by the same Spirit; and another the gift of faith given by the same Spirit; another again the gift of healing, through this one Spirit; one, the power of miracles; another, prophecy; another the gift of recognising spirits; another the gift of tongues and another the ability to interpret them.1 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, who distributes different gifts to different people just as he chooses.

The Word of the Lord

Gospel  Acclamation       Jn 6: 63
Alleluia, alleluia!
Your words are spirit and they are life:
you have the message of eternal life.
Alleluia!

Or                                           2 Thess 2: 14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Through the Good News God called us
to share the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL                      

A reading from the holy Gospel according John        2:1-11
This was the first of the signs given by Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee.

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the wedding was all finished, the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine'. Jesus said 'Woman, why turn to me? My hour has not come yet.' His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.' There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, 'Fill the jars with water', and they filled them to the brim. 'Draw some out now' he told them 'and take it to the steward.' They did this; the steward tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from - only the servants who had drawn the water knew - the steward called the bridegroom and said; 'People generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had plenty to drink; but you have kept the best wine till now'.

This was the first of the signs given by Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be seen, and his disciples believed in him.

The Gospel of the Lord.
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The scripture readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/