Mass Readings for : Sunday, 28th January, 2024

Liturgical Readings for : Sunday, 28th January, 2024

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B

A prophet speaks on behalf of God. It is God’s word that Moses speaks, and Jesus can speak with authority because they are sent by God. The teaching Church speaks with authority because it continues the work of Christ, it has a prophetic role in the world. All the activities and charisms of the members come together to assist the teaching work of the whole Church.

FIRST READING

A reading from the book of Deuteronomy 18:15-20
I will raise up a prophet and I will put my words into his mouth.

Moses said to the people:
‘Your God will raise up for you a prophet like myself, from among yourselves, from your own brothers; to him you must listen. This is what you yourselves asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the Assembly.
“Do not let me hear again” you said, “the voice of the Lord my God, nor look any longer on this great fire, or I shall die“;
and the Lord said to me,
“All they have spoken is well said. I will raise up a prophet like yourself for them from their own brothers; I will put my words into his mouth and he shall tell them all I command him. The man who does not listen to my words that he speaks in my name shall be held answerable to me for it. But the prophet who presumes to say in my name a thing I have not commanded him to say, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’“

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 94:1-2. 6-9.
Response O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.

1. Come, ring out our joy to the Lord; hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come before him, giving thanks, with songs let us hail the Lord. Response

2. Come in; let us kneel and bend low; let us kneel before the God who made us
for he is our God and we the people who belong to his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand. Response
3. O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the desert when your fathers put me to the test; when they tried me, though they saw my work.’ Response

SECOND READING

A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 7:32-35
An unmarried woman can devote herself to the Lord’s affairs; all she need worry about is being holy in body and spirit.

I would like to see you free from all worry. An unmarried man can devote himself to the Lord’s affairs, all he need worry about is pleasing the Lord; but a married man has to bother about the world’s affairs and devote himself to pleasing his wife: he is torn two ways.
In the same way an unmarried woman, like a young girl, can devote herself to the Lord’s affairs; all she need worry about is being holy in body and spirit. The married woman, on the other hand, has to worry about the world’s affairs and devote herself to pleasing her husband.

I say this only to help you, not to put a halter round your necks, but simply to make sure that everything is as it should be, and that you give your undivided attention to the Lord.

The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God

Gospel Acclamation Mt 11: 25
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children.
Alleluia!

or Jn 1: 41
Alleluia, alleluia!
The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light ;
on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL

The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 1:21-28 Glory to you, O Lord
He taught them with authority.

Jesus and his followers went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came Jesus went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.

In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit, and it shouted,
‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are: the Holy One of God.‘
But Jesus said sharply,
‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant.
‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’
And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.