First Reading

The Wisdom of Ben Sira (Sirach 17: 1-15)

God created man in his own image.

God from the earth created man,
and in his own image he made him.
He makes man return to earth again,
and endows him with a strength of his own.
Limited days of life he gives him,
with power over all things else on earth.
He puts the fear of him in all flesh,
and gives him rule over beasts and birds.
He created for them counsel, and a tongue and eyes and ears,
and an inventive heart,
and filled them with the discipline of understanding.
He created in them knowledge of the spirit;
With wisdom he fills their heart;
good and evil he shows them.
He put the fear of himself upon their hearts,
and showed them his mighty works,
That they might glory in the wonder of his deeds
and praise his holy name.
He has set before them knowledge,
a law of life as their inheritance;
An everlasting covenant he has made with them,
his justice and his judgments he has revealed to them.
His majestic glory their eyes beheld,
his glorious voice their ears heard.
He says to them,

“Avoid all evil”;

each of them he gives precepts about his fellow men.
Their ways are ever known to him,
they cannot be hidden from his eyes.
Over every nation he places a ruler,
but God’s own portion is Israel.
All their actions are clear as the sun to him,
his eyes are ever upon their ways.

— The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 103: 13-14, 15-16, 17-18

The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him,
For he knows how we are formed;
he remembers that we are dust.

Man’s days are like those of grass;
like a flower of the field he blooms;
The wind sweeps over him and he is gone,
and his place knows him no more.

But the kindness of the LORD is from eternity
to eternity toward those who fear him,
And his justice toward children’s children
among those who keep his covenant.

Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia.

Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth; you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark (Mark 10: 13-16)

Whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.

People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them,
but the disciples rebuked them.
When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,

“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,
for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Amen, I say to you,
whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child
will not enter it.”

Then he embraced the children and blessed them,
placing his hands on them.

— The Gospel of the Lord.

First Reading

The Wisdom of Ben Sira (Sirach 6: 5-17)

A faithful friend is beyond price.

A kind mouth multiplies friends and appeases enemies,
and gracious lips prompt friendly greetings.
Let your acquaintances be many,
but one in a thousand your confidant.
When you gain a friend, first test him,
and be not too ready to trust him.
For one sort is a friend when it suits him,
but he will not be with you in time of distress.
Another is a friend who becomes an enemy,
and tells of the quarrel to your shame.
Another is a friend, a boon companion,
who will not be with you when sorrow comes.
When things go well, he is your other self,
and lords it over your servants;
But if you are brought low, he turns against you
and avoids meeting you.
Keep away from your enemies;
be on your guard with your friends.
A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter;
he who finds one finds a treasure.
A faithful friend is beyond price,
no sum can balance his worth.
A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy,
such as he who fears God finds;
For he who fears God behaves accordingly,
and his friend will be like himself.

— The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 119:12, 16, 18, 27, 34, 35

Guide me, Lord, in the way of your commands.

Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes.

In your statutes I will delight;
I will not forget your words.

Open my eyes, that I may consider
the wonders of your law.

Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous deeds.

Give me discernment, that I may observe your law
and keep it with all my heart.

Lead me in the path of your commands,
for in it I delight.

Gospel

Alleluia, alleluia.

Your word, O Lord, is truth; consecrate us in the truth.

Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark (Mark 10: 1-12)

What God has joined together, no human being must separate.

Jesus came into the district of Judea and across the Jordan.
Again crowds gathered around him and, as was his custom,
he again taught them.
The Pharisees approached him and asked,

“Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?”

They were testing him.
He said to them in reply,

“What did Moses command you?”

They replied,

“Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce
and dismiss her.”

But Jesus told them,

“Because of the hardness of your hearts
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife,
and the two shall become one flesh.
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate.”

In the house the disciples again questioned Jesus about this.
He said to them,

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries another
commits adultery against her;
and if she divorces her husband and marries another,
she commits adultery.”

— The Gospel of the Lord.