Today's Mass reading from the Bible - Feb/23/2011

<b>FIRST READING: Sirach 4: 11 - 19</b>
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11 Wisdom exalts her sons and gives help to those who seek her.
12 Whoever loves her loves life, and those who seek her early will be filled with joy.
13 Whoever holds her fast will obtain glory, and the Lord will bless the place she enters.
14 Those who serve her will minister to the Holy One; the Lord loves those who love her.
15 He who obeys her will judge the nations, and whoever gives heed to her will dwell secure.
16 If he has faith in her he will obtain her; and his descendants will remain in possession of her.
17 For at first she will walk with him on tortuous paths, she will bring fear and cowardice upon him, and will torment him by her discipline until she trusts him, and she will test him with her ordinances.
18 Then she will come straight back to him and gladden him, and will reveal her secrets to him.
19 If he goes astray she will forsake him, and hand him over to his ruin.

<b>PSALM: Psalms 119: 165, 168, 171 - 172, 174 - 175</b>
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165 Great peace have those who love thy law; nothing can make them stumble.
168 I keep thy precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before thee.
171 My lips will pour forth praise that thou dost teach me thy statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of thy word, for all thy commandments are right.
174 I long for thy salvation, O LORD, and thy law is my delight.
175 Let me live, that I may praise thee, and let thy ordinances help me.

<b>GOSPEL: Mark 9: 38 - 40</b>
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38 John said to him, "Teacher, we saw a man casting out demons in your name, and we forbade him, because he was not following us."
39 But Jesus said, "Do not forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon after to speak evil of me.
40 For he that is not against us is for us.