Readings for the Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children Reading 1 2 Sm 5:1-7, 10 All the tribes of Israel came to David in Hebron and said:"Here we are, your bone and your flesh.In days past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led the children of Israel out and brought them back.And the LORD said to you, 'You shall shepherd my people Israel and shall be commander of Israel.'"When all the elders of Israel came to David in Hebron, King David made an agreement with them there before the LORD, and they anointed him king of Israel.David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned for forty years: seven years and six months in Hebron over Judah, and thirty-three years in Jerusalemover all Israel and Judah.Then the king and his men set out for Jerusalem against the Jebusites who inhabited the region.David was told, "You cannot enter here: the blind and the lame will drive you away!" which was their way of saying, "David cannot enter here."But David did take the stronghold of Zion, which is the City of David. David grew steadily more powerful,for the LORD of hosts was with him. Responsorial Psalm PS 89:20, 21-22, 25-26 R. (25a) My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.Once you spoke in a vision,and to your faithful ones you said:“On a champion I have placed a crown;over the people I have set a youth.”R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.“I have found David, my servant;with my holy oil I have anointed him,That my hand may be always with him,and that my arm may make him strong.”R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him.“My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,and through my name shall his horn be exalted.I will set his hand upon the sea,his right hand upon the rivers.”R. My faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him. Alleluia SEE 2 TM 1:10 R.  Alleluia, alleluia.Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed deathand brought life to light through the Gospel.R.  Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 3:22-30 The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and"By the prince of demons he drives out demons."Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, "How can Satan drive out Satan?If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him.But no one can enter a strong man's house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man.Then he can plunder his house.  Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them.But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin."For they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." - - - 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  Jon 3:1-5, 10 The word of the LORD came to Jonah, saying: "Set out for the great city of Nineveh, and announce to it the message that I will tell you." So Jonah made ready and went to Nineveh, according to the LORD'S bidding. Now Nineveh was an enormously large city; it took three days to go through it. Jonah began his journey through the city, and had gone but a single day's walk announcing, "Forty days more and Nineveh shall be destroyed, " when the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast and all of them, great and small, put on sackcloth. When God saw by their actions how they turned from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out. Responsorial Psalm  Ps 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 R. (4a) Teach me your ways, O Lord.Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;teach me your paths,Guide me in your truth and teach me,for you are God my savior.R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.Remember that your compassion, O LORD,and your love are from of old.In your kindness remember me,because of your goodness, O LORD.R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.Good and upright is the LORD;thus he shows sinners the way.He guides the humble to justiceand teaches the humble his way.R. Teach me your ways, O Lord. Reading 2  1 Cor 7:29-31 I tell you, brothers and sisters, the time is running out. From now on, let those having wives act as not having them, those weeping as not weeping, those rejoicing as not rejoicing, those buying as not owning, those using the world as not using it fully. For the world in its present form is passing away. 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 1:14-20 After John had been arrested,Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God:"This is the time of fulfillment.The kingdom of God is at hand.Repent, and believe in the gospel."As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen.Jesus said to them,"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."Then they abandoned their nets and followed him.He walked along a little fartherand saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.They too were in a boat mending their nets.Then he called them.So they left their father Zebedee in the boatalong with the hired men and followed him. - - -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 Sm 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27 David returned from his defeat of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag.On the third day a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.Going to David, he fell to the ground in homage.David asked him, “Where do you come from?”He replied, “I have escaped from the camp of the children of Israel.”“Tell me what happened,” David bade him.He answered that many of the soldiers had fled the battle and that many of them had fallen and were dead, among them Saul and his son Jonathan.David seized his garments and rent them, and all the men who were with him did likewise.They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the soldiers of the LORD of the clans of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.“Alas! the glory of Israel, Saul, slain upon your heights;how can the warriors have fallen!“Saul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished,separated neither in life nor in death,swifter than eagles, stronger than lions!Women of Israel, weep over Saul,who clothed you in scarlet and in finery,who decked your attire with ornaments of gold.“How can the warriors have fallen– in the thick of the battle,slain upon your heights!“I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother!most dear have you been to me;more precious have I held love for you than love for women.“How can the warriors have fallen,the weapons of war have perished!” Responsorial Psalm PS 80:2-3, 5-7 R. (4b) Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.O shepherd of Israel, hearken,O guide of the flock of Joseph!From your throne upon the cherubim, shine forthbefore Ephraim, Benjamin and Manasseh.Rouse your power, and come to save us.R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.O LORD of hosts, how long will you burn with angerwhile your people pray?You have fed them with the bread of tearsand given them tears to drink in ample measure.You have left us to be fought over by our neighbors, and our enemies mock us.R. Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved. Alleluia See Acts 16:14b R. Alleluia, alleluia.Open our hearts, O Lord,to listen to the words of your Son.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 3:20-21 Jesus came with his disciples into the house.Again the crowd gathered,making it impossible for them even to eat.When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Fabian, pope and martyrReadings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Sebastian, martyr - - -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 1 Sm 24:3-21 Saul took three thousand picked men from all Israel and went in search of David and his men in the direction of the wild goat crags.When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he found a cave, which he entered to relieve himself.David and his men were occupying the inmost recesses of the cave.David's servants said to him, "This is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'I will deliver your enemy into your grasp; do with him as you see fit.'"So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul's mantle.Afterward, however, David regretted that he had cut off an end of Saul's mantle.He said to his men,"The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, as to lay a hand on him, for he is the LORD's anointed."With these words David restrained his men and would not permit them to attack Saul.Saul then left the cave and went on his way.David also stepped out of the cave, calling to Saul, "My lord the king!"When Saul looked back, David bowed to the ground in homage and asked Saul:"Why do you listen to those who say, 'David is trying to harm you'?You see for yourself today that the LORD just now delivered you into my grasp in the cave.I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead.I decided, 'I will not raise a hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed and a father to me.'Look here at this end of your mantle which I hold.Since I cut off an end of your mantle and did not kill you, see and be convinced that I plan no harm and no rebellion.I have done you no wrong, though you are hunting me down to take my life.The LORD will judge between me and you, and the LORD will exact justice from you in my case.I shall not touch you.The old proverb says, 'From the wicked comes forth wickedness.'So I will take no action against you.Against whom are you on campaign, O king of Israel?Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, or a single flea!The LORD will be the judge; he will decide between me and you.May he see this, and take my part,and grant me justice beyond your reach!"When David finished saying these things to Saul, Saul answered, "Is that your voice, my son David?"And Saul wept aloud.Saul then said to David: "You are in the right rather than I; you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm.Great is the generosity you showed me today, when the LORD delivered me into your graspand you did not kill me.For if a man meets his enemy, does he send him away unharmed?May the LORD reward you generously for what you have done this day.And now, I know that you shall surely be king and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession." Responsorial Psalm PS 57:2, 3-4, 6 and 11 R. (2a) Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.Have mercy on me, O God; have mercy on me,for in you I take refuge.In the shadow of your wings I take refuge,till harm pass by.R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.I call to God the Most High,to God, my benefactor.May he send from heaven and save me;may he make those a reproach who trample upon me;may God send his mercy and his faithfulness.R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.Be exalted above the heavens, O God;above all the earth be your glory!For your mercy towers to the heavens,and your faithfulness to the skies.R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy. Alleluia 2 Cor 5:19 R. Alleluia, alleluia.God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 3:13-19 Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him.He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,that they might be with himand he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons:He appointed the Twelve:Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder;Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. - - -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.