Catholic Church Readings for Thursday, February 4, 2021: Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Catholic Church Readings for Thursday, February 4, 2021: Thursday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 326

Reading I

Heb 12:18-19, 21-24

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.

Responsorial Psalm

48:2-3ab, 3cd-4, 9, 10-11

R.    (see 10)  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. 

R.    O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.

Mount Zion, “the recesses of the North,”

    the city of the great King.

God is with her castles;

    renowned is he as a stronghold.

R.    O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.

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.

R.    O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.

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.

R.    O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.

Alleluia

Mk 1:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

The Kingdom of God is at hand;

repent and believe in the Gospel.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mk 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.