Readings for the Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church Reading 1 2 Samuel 7:4-17 That night the LORD spoke to Nathan and said:"Go, tell my servant David, 'Thus says the LORD:Should you build me a house to dwell in?I have not dwelt in a house from the day on which I led the children of Israel out of Egypt to the present, but I have been going about in a tent under cloth.In all my wanderings everywhere among the children of Israel, did I ever utter a word to any one of the judges whom I charged to tend my people Israel, to ask: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?'"Now then, speak thus to my servant David, 'The LORD of hosts has this to say: It was I who took you from the pastureand from the care of the flockto be commander of my people Israel.I have been with you wherever you went, and I have destroyed all your enemies before you.And I will make you famous like the great ones of the earth.I will fix a place for my people Israel; I will plant them so that they may dwell in their placewithout further disturbance.Neither shall the wicked continue to afflict them as they did of old, since the time I first appointed judges over my people Israel.I will give you rest from all your enemies.The LORD also reveals to you that he will establish a house for you.And when your time comes and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins, and I will make his Kingdom firm.It is he who shall build a house for my name.And I will make his royal throne firm forever.I will be a father to him,and he shall be a son to me.And if he does wrong, I will correct him with the rod of menand with human chastisements; but I will not withdraw my favor from him as I withdrew it from your predecessor Saul, whom I removed from my presence.Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me; your throne shall stand firm forever.'"Nathan reported all these words and this entire vision to David.  Responsorial Psalm Psalm 89:4-5, 27-28, 29-30 R. (29a) For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.“I have made a covenant with my chosen one;I have sworn to David my servant:I will make your dynasty stand foreverand establish your throne through all ages.”R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant. “He shall cry to me, ‘You are my father,my God, the Rock that brings me victory!’I myself make him firstborn,Most High over the kings of the earth.”R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.“Forever I will maintain my love for him;my covenant with him stands firm.I will establish his dynasty forever,his throne as the days of the heavens.”R. For ever I will maintain my love for my servant.  Alleluia R.  Alleluia, alleluia.The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;all who come to him will live forever.R.  Alleluia, alleluia.  Gospel Mark 4:1-20 On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea.A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down.And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, "Hear this! A sower went out to sow.And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up.Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil.It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain.And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit.It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."He added, "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables.He answered them, "The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you.But to those outside everything comes in parables, so thatthey may look and see but not perceive,and hear and listen but not understand,in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven."Jesus said to them, "Do you not understand this parable?Then how will you understand any of the parables?The sower sows the word.These are the ones on the path where the word is sown.As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them.And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy.But they have no roots; they last only for a time.Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.Those sown among thorns are another sort.They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit.But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept itand bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold."  - - - Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 2 Samuel 6:12b-15, 17-19 David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David amid festivities.As soon as the bearers of the ark of the LORD had advanced six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.Then David, girt with a linen apron, came dancing before the LORD with abandon, as he and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORDwith shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn.The ark of the LORD was brought in and set in its place within the tent David had pitched for it.Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.When he finished making these offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.He then distributed among all the people, to each man and each woman in the entire multitude of Israel, a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raisin cake.With this, all the people left for their homes.  Responsorial Psalm Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10 R. (8) Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!Lift up, O gates, your lintels;reach up, you ancient portals,that the king of glory may come in!R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!Who is this king of glory?The LORD, strong and mighty,the LORD, mighty in battle.R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!Lift up, O gates, your lintels;reach up, you ancient portals,that the king of glory may come in!R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!Who is this king of glory?The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory.R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!  Alleluia See Matthew 11:25 R. Alleluia, alleluia.Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mark 3:31-35 The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.A crowd seated around him told him,"Your mother and your brothers and your sistersare outside asking for you."But he said to them in reply,"Who are my mother and my brothers?"And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,"Here are my mother and my brothers.For whoever does the will of Godis my brother and sister and mother."  Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Angela Merici, Virgin - - - Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.