Reading for Friday, Second Week in Ordinary Time Year A

 First Reading : (Hebrews 8:6-13)

Responsorial Psalm :(Psalms 85:8, 10, 11-12, 13-14)

Gospel: (Mark 3:13-19)

 First Reading : (Hebrews 8:6-13) 
As it is, he has been given a ministry as far superior as is the covenant of which he is the mediator, which is founded on better promises. If that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no room for a second one to replace it.

And in fact God does find fault with them; he says: Look, the days are coming, the Lord declares, when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah, but not a covenant like the one I made with their ancestors, the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of Egypt, which covenant of mine they broke, and I too abandoned them, the Lord declares.

No, this is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel, when those days have come, the Lord declares: In their minds I shall plant my laws writing them on their hearts. Then I shall be their God, and they shall be my people.

There will be no further need for each to teach his neighbour, and each his brother, saying ‘Learn to know the Lord!’ No, they will all know me, from the least to the greatest, since I shall forgive their guilt and never more call their sins to mind.

By speaking of a new covenant, he implies that the first one is old. And anything old and ageing is ready to disappear.

Responsorial Psalm :(Psalms 85:8, 10, 11-12, 13-14)
I am listening. What is God’s message? Yahweh’s message is peace for his people, for his faithful, if only they renounce their folly. His saving help is near for those who fear him, his glory will dwell in our land. Faithful Love and Loyalty join together, Saving Justice and Peace embrace.

Loyalty will spring up from the earth, and Justice will lean down from heaven. Yahweh will himself give prosperity, and our soil will yield its harvest. Justice will walk before him, treading out a path.

Gospel: (Mark 3:13-19)

He now went up onto the mountain and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to proclaim the message, with power to drive out devils.

And so he appointed the Twelve, Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or ‘Sons of Thunder’; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.