The 21st of February, 2023 is Tuesday in the Seventh Week of Ordinary Time. The Holy Bible verses for the mass readings for this day came from the Liturgical Calendar Year 2023.
Reading 1: SIR 2:1-11
The first reading from The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus.
My son, if you come to serve the Lord, prepare your soul for temptation.
Set your heart aright, constantly endure, and don’t make haste in time of calamity.
Cling to him, and don’t depart, that you may be increased at your latter end.
Accept whatever is brought upon you, and be patient when you suffer humiliation.
For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.
Put your trust in him, and he will help you. Make your ways straight, and set your hope on him.
All you who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy. Don’t turn aside, lest you fall.
All you who fear the Lord, put your trust in him, and your reward will not fail.
All you who fear the Lord, hope for good things, and for eternal gladness and mercy.
Look at the generations of old, and see: Who ever put his trust in the Lord, and was ashamed? Or who remained in his fear, and was forsaken? Or who called upon him, and he neglected him?
For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy. He forgives sins and saves in time of affliction.
Responsorial Psalm: PS 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
Response: Commit your way to Yahweh. Trust also in him, and he will do this.
Trust in Yahweh, and do good. Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.
Also delight yourself in Yahweh, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
R: Commit your way to Yahweh. Trust also in him, and he will do this.
Yahweh knows the days of the perfect. Their inheritance shall be forever.
They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil. In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
R: Commit your way to Yahweh. Trust also in him, and he will do this.
Depart from evil, and do good. Live securely forever.
For Yahweh loves justice, and doesn’t forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
R: Commit your way to Yahweh. Trust also in him, and he will do this.
But the salvation of the righteous is from Yahweh. He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
Yahweh helps them and rescues them. He rescues them from the wicked and saves them, because they have taken refuge in him.
R: Commit your way to Yahweh. Trust also in him, and he will do this.
Gospel of the Day: MK 9:30-37
From the gospel scripture according to Mark.
They went out from there and passed through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know it, for he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, “The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.”
But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.
He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”
But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest.
He sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.”
He took a little child and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”
Other Celebration
An optional celebration on this day is the Memorial of Saint Peter Damian, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.
