Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 104
11 JULY 2021 A.D.


Reading I
Am 7:12-15

Amaziah, priest of Bethel, said to Amos,
“Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!
There earn your bread by prophesying,
but never again prophesy in Bethel;
for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.”
Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet,
nor have I belonged to a company of prophets;
I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores.
The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,
Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”


Responsorial Psalm
Ps 85:9-10, 11-12, 13-14

R.  Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

I will hear what God proclaims;
   the LORD —for he proclaims peace.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
   glory dwelling in our land.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

Kindness and truth shall meet;
   justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
   and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.

The LORD himself will give his benefits;
   our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
   and prepare the way of his steps.
R. Lord, let us see your kindness, and grant us your salvation.


Reading II
Eph 1:3-14 or 1:3-10

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of his grace
that he granted us in the beloved.
In him we have redemption by his blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us
the mystery of his will in accord with his favor
that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

In him we were also chosen,
destined in accord with the purpose of the One
who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will,
so that we might exist for the praise of his glory,
we who first hoped in Christ.
In him you also, who have heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him,
were sealed with the promised holy Spirit,
which is the first installment of our inheritance
toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.

OR:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us in Christ
with every spiritual blessing in the heavens,
as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world,
to be holy and without blemish before him.
In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ,
in accord with the favor of his will,
for the praise of the glory of God’s grace
that he granted us in the beloved.

In him we have redemption by his blood,
the forgiveness of transgressions,
in accord with the riches of his grace that he lavished upon us.
In all wisdom and insight, he has made known to us
the mystery of his will in accord with his favor
that he set forth in him as a plan for the fullness of times,
to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.


Alleluia
Eph 1:17-18

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
that we may know what is the hope that
belongs to our call.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.


Gospel
Mk 6:7-13

Jesus summoned the Twelve and began to send them out two by two
and gave them authority over unclean spirits.
He instructed them to take nothing for the journey
but a walking stick—
no food, no sack, no money in their belts.
They were, however, to wear sandals
but not a second tunic.
He said to them,
“Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave.
Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you,
leave there and shake the dust off your feet
in testimony against them.”
So they went off and preached repentance.
The Twelve drove out many demons,
and they anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them.


Overview of the Gospel:

~ In last Sunday’s Gospel reading, we heard that Jesus had not been able to perform many
miracles in his hometown of Nazareth because of their unbelief (Mark 6:1-6). Verse six
informed us that, “amazed at their lack of faith,” he then went around the vicinity teaching.

~ Jesus calls his twelve handpicked apostles (Mark 3:14-19), sending them (the word apostle
means “one who is sent”) to the surrounding Galilean villages (Matthew 10:5-6). In doing so,
he gives them his own authority to do what he has been doing: healing the sick (Mark 5:25-
34), casting out demons (Mark 5:1-20), and preaching the Gospel (Mark 6:1-2, 7).

~ Jesus sends them out “two by two”—not only for safety and companionship, but in order to
provide the testimony of two witnesses, as required by the Jewish law for life and death cases
(Deuteronomy 19:6). At stake here is spiritual life or death.

~ Palestinian Jews shook the dust from their sandals when leaving Gentile territory and
reentering the Holy Land. It was a derogatory statement against pagan uncleanness. Jesus
instructs them to do so (verse 11) to make the point that if they or the Gospel message were
not welcomed in a certain place, they were to politely take their leave, with no recriminations.

~ Anointing with oil (verse 13) was a symbol of healing and a medicinal agent in the ancient
world (Isaiah 1:6; Luke 10:34). According to the Council of Trent, the Sacrament of Anointing
of the Sick was “instituted in Mark [6:13] and published in the Epistle of St. James” (James
5:14-15). [courtesy: Vince Contreras--"Sunday Scripture Study for Catholics"]


"A  man of prayer is capable of everything. Hence it is very important that missioners dedicate themselves to this practice with great affection, because without it they will accomplish little or nothing, whereas through it, more than by letters or persuasive speech, they will be capable of touching hearts and winning souls to their Creator. "~ St. Vincent de Paul