The 20th of January, 2022 is Thursday in the Second Week of Ordinary Time. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the Year 2022 of Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: 1 SM 18:6-9; 19:1-7
The first reading from the Book of Samuel.
As they came, when David returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul with tambourines, with joy, and with instruments of music.
The women sang to one another as they played, and said, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”
Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have credited David with ten thousands, and they have only credited me with thousands. What can he have more but the kingdom?”
Saul watched David from that day and forward.
Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, greatly delighted in David.
Jonathan told David, saying, “Saul my father seeks to kill you. Now therefore, please take care of yourself in the morning, live in a secret place, and hide yourself.
I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will talk with my father about you; and if I see anything, I will tell you.”
Jonathan spoke good of David to Saul his father, and said to him, “Don’t let the king sin against his servant, against David; because he has not sinned against you, and because his works have been very good toward you; for he put his life in his hand and struck the Philistine, and Yahweh worked a great victory for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced. Why then will you sin against innocent blood, to kill David without a cause?”
Saul listened to the voice of Jonathan; and Saul swore, “As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death.”
Jonathan called David, and Jonathan showed him all those things. Then Jonathan brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.
Responsorial Psalm: PS 56:1-2, 8-9A, 9B-10, 11-12
Response: In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid.
Be merciful to me, God, for man wants to swallow me up. All day long, he attacks and oppresses me.
My enemies want to swallow me up all day long, for they are many who fight proudly against me.
R: In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid.
You count my wanderings. You put my tears into your container. Aren’t they in your book?
Then my enemies shall turn back in the day that I call.
R: In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid.
I know this: that God is for me.
In God, I will praise his word. In Yahweh, I will praise his word.
R: In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid.
I have put my trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
Your vows are on me, God. I will give thank offerings to you.
R: In God, I put my trust. I will not be afraid.
Gospel of the Day: MK 3:7-12
From the gospel verse according to Mark.
Jesus withdrew to the sea with his disciples; and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea, from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, beyond the Jordan, and those from around Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came to him.
He spoke to his disciples that a little boat should stay near him because of the crowd, so that they wouldn’t press on him.
For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him.
The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him and cried, “You are the Son of God!”
He sternly warned them that they should not make him known.
Other Celebration
An optional celebration on this day is the Memorial of Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr as well as Saint Sebastian, Martyr.
