Sunday between 4 and 10 September    

Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)

First Reading - Isaiah 35.4-7

A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah. Say to those who live in fear, ‘Be strong, and do not be afraid! For God is surely coming, with justice, to save you.’ On that day, the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will run like the deer, and the voiceless will sing for joy! Water will spring up in the wilderness, and rivers will flow in the desert. The burning sand will become a pool, and the thirsty ground an oasis. And where the desert wild-animals once lay in wait, reeds and rushes will grow. This is the word of the Lord.

Second Reading - James 2.1-9, 14-17

A reading from the letter of James. My brothers and sisters, acts of favouritism have no place amongst those who have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. If a person in fine clothes and expensive accessories comes in, and you say, ‘Have a seat up here’, and another comes in, poor and in dirty clothes, and you say, ‘Stand there,’ or, ‘Sit on the floor,’ your judgement between them is godless. For God has chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith, and has honoured them with the inheritance of the kingdom that is promised to those who love God. But in your acts of favouritism, you have dishonoured the poor. Surely you can see that it is the rich who oppress you, and drag you into court, and dishonour the name of God. The law above all other laws in scripture is this: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ Acts of favouritism go against this law.

My brothers and sisters, if you claim to have faith, but do not act upon it, it is no benefit to you; a faith like that cannot save you. If someone is dressed in rags, and has no food, it does no good to say, ‘keep warm, and eat well,’ unless you also give them clothing, shelter and food. Faith that does not lead to good works is no faith at all. This is the word of the Lord.

Gospel - Mark 7.31-37

Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark. Jesus was in the region to the east of Galilee. They brought to him a man with no hearing, and with an impediment in his speech. They begged Jesus to lay his hand on him, to heal him. Jesus took the man aside, in private, away from the crowd. He touched the man’s ears, and tongue, and looked up to heaven, and said aloud, ‘be open.’ Immediately, the man’s ears were opened, and he could hear; and his tongue was freed, and he began to speak clearly. Jesus asked them to tell no one; but the more he asked them, the more they told of all that Jesus did, saying, ‘He even makes the deaf to hear, and frees the tongue of the voiceless to speak.’ This is the Gospel of the Lord.