The readings meet you in the ordinary place where faith is practiced. Stay with what Jesus says or does here, and let it ask for one honest response.
Today’s readings
First Reading
Hebrews 10:32-39
But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions, and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so. For you both had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens. Therefore don't throw away your boldness, which has a great reward. For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise. "In a very little while, he who comes will come and will not wait. But the righteous one will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him." But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the saving of the soul.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 37:3-4, 5-6, 23-24, 39-40
Trust in the LORD, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture. Also delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD. Trust also in him, and he will do this: he will make your righteousness shine out like light, and your justice as the noon day sun. A man's steps are established by the LORD. He delights in his way. Though he stumble, he shall not fall, for the LORD holds him up with his hand. But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble. The LORD helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.
Gospel
Mark 4:26-34
He said, "God's Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn't know how. For the earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." He said, "How will we liken God's Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it? It's like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth, yet when it is sown, grows up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow." With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. Without a parable he didn't speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
A question for your journal
What line from today's readings do you want to carry into one ordinary hour?
Scripture text: World English Bible Catholic Edition, public domain. Reading citations are prepared for Come Aside from MIT-licensed citation metadata.
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