The 2nd of June, 2021 is Wednesday in the Ninth Week of Ordinary Time. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the 2021 Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: TB 3:1-11, 16-17A
The first reading from the Book of Tobit.
I was grieved and wept, and prayed in sorrow, saying, “O Lord, you are righteous, and all your works and all your ways are mercy and truth, and you judge true and righteous judgment forever.
Remember me, and look at me. Don’t take vengeance on me for my sins and my ignorances, and the sins of my fathers who sinned before you.
For they disobeyed your commandments. You gave us as plunder, for captivity, for death, and for a proverb of reproach to all the nations among whom we are dispersed.
Now your judgments are many and true, that you should deal with me according to my sins and the sins of my fathers, because we didn’t keep your commandments, for we didn’t walk in truth before you.
Now deal with me according to that which is pleasing in your sight. Command my spirit to be taken from me, that I may be released, and become earth. For it is more profitable for me to die rather than to live, because I have heard false reproaches, and there is much sorrow in me. Command that I be released from my distress, now, and go to the everlasting place. Don’t turn your face away from me.”
The same day it happened to Sarah the daughter of Raguel in Ecbatana of Media, that she also was reproached by her father’s maid servants; because that she had been given to seven husbands, and Asmodaeus the evil spirit killed them, before they had lain with her. And they said to her, “Do you not know that you strangle your husbands? You have had already seven husbands, and you haven’t borne the name of any one of them.
Why do you scourge us? If they are dead, go your ways with them. Let us never see either son or daughter from you.”
When she heard these things, she was grieved exceedingly, so that she thought about hanging herself. Then she said, “I am the only daughter of my father. If I do this, it will be a reproach to him, and I will bring down his old age with sorrow to the grave.”
Then she prayed by the window, and said, “Blessed are you, O Lord my God, and blessed is your holy and honorable name forever! Let all your works praise you forever!”
The prayer of both was heard before the glory of the great God.
Raphael also was sent to heal them both, to scale away the white films from Tobit’s eyes, and to give Sarah the daughter of Raguel for a wife to Tobias the son of Tobit; and to bind Asmodaeus the evil spirit.
Responsorial Psalm: PS 25:2-3, 4-5AB, 6 and 7BC, 8-9
Response: To you, Yahweh, I lift up my soul.
My God, I have trusted in you. Don’t let me be shamed. Don’t let my enemies triumph over me.
Yes, no one who waits for you will be shamed. They will be shamed who deal treacherously without cause.
R: To you, Yahweh, I lift up my soul.
Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth, and teach me, For you are the God of my salvation.
R: To you, Yahweh, I lift up my soul.
Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness, for they are from old times.
Remember me according to your loving kindness, for your goodness’ sake, Yahweh.
R: To you, Yahweh, I lift up my soul.
Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.
R: To you, Yahweh, I lift up my soul.
Gospel of the Day: MK 12:18-27
From the gospel verse according to Mark.
Some Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came to him. They asked him, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us, ‘If a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife behind him, and leaves no children, that his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.’
There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying left no offspring.
The second took her, and died, leaving no children behind him. The third likewise; and the seven took her and left no children. Last of all the woman also died.
In the resurrection, when they rise, whose wife will she be of them? For the seven had her as a wife.”
Jesus answered them, “Isn’t this because you are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God?
For when they will rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
But about the dead, that they are raised, haven’t you read in the book of Moses about the Bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are therefore badly mistaken.”
Other Celebration
An optional celebration on this day is the Memorial of Saints Marcellinus and Peter, Martyrs.
