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First Reading: 1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12
When the time of David's death drew near,
he gave these instructions to his son Solomon:
"I am going the way of all flesh.
Take courage and be a man.
Keep the mandate of the Lord, your God, following his ways
and observing his statutes, commands, ordinances, and decrees
as they are written in the law of Moses,
that you may succeed in whatever you do,
wherever you turn, and the Lord may fulfill
the promise he made on my behalf when he said,
'If your sons so conduct themselves
that they remain faithful to me with their whole heart
and with their whole soul,
you shall always have someone of your line
on the throne of Israel.'"
David rested with his ancestors and was buried in the City of David.
The length of David's reign over Israel was forty years:
he reigned seven years in Hebron
and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.
Responsorial Psalm: 1 Chronicles 29:10, 11ab, 11d-12a, 12bcd
R./ Lord, you are exalted over all.
"Blessed may you be, O Lord,
God of Israel our father,
from eternity to eternity."
R./ Lord, you are exalted over all.
"Yours, O Lord, are grandeur and power,
majesty, splendor, and glory."
R./ Lord, you are exalted over all.
"Lord, you are exalted over all.
Yours, O Lord, is the sovereignty;
you are exalted as head over all.
Riches and honor are from you."
R./ Lord, you are exalted over all.
"In your hand are power and might;
it is yours to give grandeur and strength to all."
R./ Lord, you are exalted over all.
Gospel Introduction
Jesus wants his disciples to be without security and power, so as to be free to go to people in their own life situation and to be free to preach and witness to the Gospel without ambiguity. Would that, the Church today could give such an unambiguous witness.
Gospel Reading: Mark 6:7-13
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.
STS. PETER BAUTISTA, PAUL MIKI
AND COMPANIONS, Martyrs
Memorial
February 5
In 1597, twenty-six Christians were nailed to crosses at Nagasaki, Japan. The best-known among them was Paul Miki, but there was also a Spanish Franciscan who had worked about ten years in the Philippines, Pedro Bautista. Their feast reminds us that the gospel is not destined merely for traditionally Christian countries. Everywhere in the world there are people who can follow Christ in a radical way, perhaps more consistently than we are willing to do. The Church is destined for all people.
Opening Prayer
God, Father of all,
we honor today missionaries and their flock
in whom Christ lived
and in whom he was crucified.
Give that messengers and teachers
of the good news of Jesus
may be one with their people
in life and in death
and dedicated to one another
and to you, our loving God,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer over the Gifts
God, our Father,
from the rising of the sun to its setting
let your faithful people celebrate
the holy sacrifice of Jesus your Son.
Let this be a living witness
that you are the Father of all
and that Jesus lived and died for all
to make us all one,
now and for ever.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father,
your Son Jesus invites all to his table,
however different we may be
in faces, character, personality, nationality.
May we dream and work with Jesus
for a new humanity everywhere
where we learn to encounter all people
in their multifaceted human dignity
and in the riches of their culture.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
