First Reading

Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 12: 18-19, 21-24)

You have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God.

Brothers and sisters:
You have not approached that which could be touched
and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness
and storm and a trumpet blast
and a voice speaking words such that those who heard
begged that no message be further addressed to them.
Indeed, so fearful was the spectacle that Moses said,

“I am terrified and trembling.”

No, you have approached Mount Zion
and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,
and countless angels in festal gathering,
and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven,
and God the judge of all,
and the spirits of the just made perfect,
and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant,
and the sprinkled Blood that speaks more eloquently
than that of Abel.

— The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm (Ps 48: 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 9, 10-11)

O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.

Great is the LORD and wholly to be praised
in the city of our God.
His holy mountain, fairest of heights,
is the joy of all the earth.

Mount Zion, “the recesses of the North,”
the city of the great King.
God is with her castles;
renowned is he as a stronghold.

As we had heard, so have we seen
in the city of the LORD of hosts,
In the city of our God;
God makes it firm forever.

O God, we ponder your mercy
within your temple.
As your name, O God, so also your praise
reaches to the ends of the earth.
Of justice your right hand is full.

Gospel

Alleluia. Alleluia.

The Kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the Gospel.

Alleluia.

Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark (Mk 6: 7-13)

He began to send them out.

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey but a walking stick
– no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals but not a second tunic.
He said to them,

“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave from there.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.”

So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.

— The Gospel of the Lord.