Saint Scholastica, Virgin

First reading

Song of Songs 8:6-7

The flash of love is a flame of the Lord himself

Set me like a seal on your heart,
like a seal on your arm.
For love is strong as Death,
jealousy as relentless as Sheol.
The flash of it is a flash of fire,
a flame of the Lord himself.
Love no floods can quench,
no torrents drown.

Were a man to offer all the wealth of his house to buy love,
contempt is all he would purchase.

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 148:1-2,11-14

Praise the Lord from the heavens,
 praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels,
 praise him, all his host.

All earth’s kings and peoples,
 earth’s princes and rulers,
young men and maidens,
 old men together with children.

Let them praise the name of the Lord
 for he alone is exalted.
The splendour of his name
 reaches beyond heaven and earth.

He exalts the strength of his people.
 He is the praise of all his saints,
of the sons of Israel,
 of the people to whom he comes close.

Gospel

Luke 10:38-42

Martha works; Mary listens

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord’s feet and listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the serving said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered: ‘Martha, Martha,’ he said ‘you worry and fret about so many things, and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it is not to be taken from her.’


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Scripture readings taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc, and used by permission of the publishers. For on-line information about other Random House, Inc. books and authors, see the Internet web site at http://www.randomhouse.com.