First reading
Ezekiel 17:22–24
I will plant a shoot on the high mountain of Israel.
Responsorial psalm
Psalm 91(92):2–3, 13–16
R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.
Second reading
2 Corinthians 5:6–10
We want to be exiled from the body and make our home with the Lord.
Gospel acclamation
John 15:15
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.
Gospel
Mark 4:26–34
The kingdom of God is a mustard seed growing into the biggest shrub of all.
Images from the Word
- Kingdom of God
- Sprouting and growing
- In parables
- Noble cedar
- Going by faith
Liturgical notes
When the Sacred Scriptures are read in the Church, God himself speaks to his people, and Christ, present in his word, proclaims the Gospel. Therefore, the readings from the Word of God are to be listened to reverently by everyone, for they are an element of the greatest importance in the Liturgy.
—General Instruction of the Roman Missal, §29
Week after week, the holy people of God are fed by the word of God. God speaks when the Scriptures are proclaimed at Mass, and the people of God, attentive to their God, bring life to that word during the week as they engage in daily life, having been formed to see life from God’s point of view. The homily unlocks for the people a deeper understanding of that word and connects it to their life. The homilist provides a living commentary so that God’s word may be alive and active.
‘O Lord, hear my voice, for I have called to you; be my help. Do not abandon or forsake me, O God, my Saviour!’
—entrance antiphon