Mass Readings for January 8, 2007

The Baptism of the Lord

Reading 1

Is 42:1-4, 6-7

Thus says the LORD:Here is my servant whom I uphold,my chosen one with whom I am pleased,upon whom I have put my spirit;he shall bring forth justice to the nations,not crying out, not shouting,not making his voice heard in the street.a bruised reed he shall not break,and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,until he establishes justice on the earth;the coastlands will wait for his teaching.

I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,I have grasped you by the hand;I formed you, and set youas a covenant of the people,a light for the nations,to open the eyes of the blind,to bring out prisoners from confinement,and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness.

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Responsorial Psalm

Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10

R. (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Give to the LORD, you sons of God,

give to the LORD glory and praise,

Give to the LORD the glory due his name;

adore the LORD in holy attire.

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters,

the LORD, over vast waters.

The voice of the LORD is mighty;

the voice of the LORD is majestic.

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The God of glory thunders,

and in his temple all say, “Glory!”

The LORD is enthroned above the flood;

the LORD is enthroned as king forever.

R. The Lord will bless his people with peace.

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Gospel

Lk 3:15-16, 21-22

The people were filled with expectation,and all were asking in their heartswhether John might be the Christ.John answered them all, saying, "I am baptizing you with water,but one mightier than I is coming.I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals.He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

After all the people had been baptized and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon himin bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my beloved Son;with you I am well pleased."

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Mass Readings for Sunday January 7, 2007

The Epiphany of the Lord

Reading 1

Is 60:1-6

Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,the glory of the Lord shines upon you.See, darkness covers the earth,and thick clouds cover the peoples;but upon you the LORD shines,and over you appears his glory.Nations shall walk by your light,and kings by your shining radiance.Raise your eyes and look about;they all gather and come to you:your sons come from afar,and your daughters in the arms of their nurses.

Then you shall be radiant at what you see,your heart shall throb and overflow,for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you,the wealth of nations shall be brought to you.Caravans of camels shall fill you,dromedaries from Midian and Ephah;all from Sheba shall comebearing gold and frankincense,and proclaiming the praises of the LORD.

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Responsorial Psalm

Ps 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13

R. (cf. 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

O God, with your judgment endow the king,

and with your justice, the king’s son;

He shall govern your people with justice

and your afflicted ones with judgment.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Justice shall flower in his days,

and profound peace, till the moon be no more.

May he rule from sea to sea,

and from the River to the ends of the earth.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts;

the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute.

All kings shall pay him homage,

all nations shall serve him.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out,

and the afflicted when he has no one to help him.

He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor;

the lives of the poor he shall save.

R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

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Reading II

Eph 3:2-3a, 5-6

Brothers and sisters:You have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for your benefit, namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation.It was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealedto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body,and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

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Gospel

Mt 2:1-12

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews?We saw his star at its risingand have come to do him homage."When King Herod heard this,he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet:And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;since from you shall come a ruler,who is to shepherd my people Israel."Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star’s appearance.He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child.When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage."After their audience with the king they set out.And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the housethey saw the child with Mary his mother.They prostrated themselves and did him homage.Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way.

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Mass Readings for Saturday January 6, 2007

Saturday before Epiphany

Reading 1

1 Jn 5:5-13

Beloved:Who indeed is the victor over the worldbut the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,not by water alone, but by water and Blood. The Spirit is the one who testifies,and the Spirit is truth. So there are three that testify,the Spirit, the water, and the Blood, and the three are of one accord. If we accept human testimony,the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this,that he has testified on behalf of his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of Godhas this testimony within himself.Whoever does not believe God has made him a liarby not believing the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony:God gave us eternal life,and this life is in his Son. Whoever possesses the Son has life;whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you so that you may knowthat you have eternal life,you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

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Responsorial Psalm

Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;

praise your God, O Zion.

For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;

he has blessed your children within you.

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

He has granted peace in your borders;

with the best of wheat he fills you.

He sends forth his command to the earth;

swiftly runs his word!

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,

his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.

He has not done thus for any other nation;

his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

or:

R. Alleluia.

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Gospel

Mk 1:7-11

This is what John the Baptist proclaimed:"One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn openand the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens,"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

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Mass Readings for Friday January 5, 2007

Memorial of Saint John Neumann, bishop

Reading 1

1 Jn 3:11-21

Beloved:This is the message you have heard from the beginning:we should love one another,unlike Cain who belonged to the Evil Oneand slaughtered his brother. Why did he slaughter him? Because his own works were evil,and those of his brother righteous. Do not be amazed, then, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to lifebecause we love our brothers.Whoever does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer,and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him.The way we came to know lovewas that he laid down his life for us;so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.If someone who has worldly meanssees a brother in need and refuses him compassion,how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speechbut in deed and truth.

Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truthand reassure our hearts before himin whatever our hearts condemn,for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,we have confidence in God.

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Responsorial Psalm

Ps 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5

R. (2a) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;

serve the LORD with gladness;

come before him with joyful song.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Know that the LORD is God;

he made us, his we are;

his people, the flock he tends.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

his courts with praise;

Give thanks to him; bless his name.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

The LORD is good:

the LORD, whose kindness endures forever,

and his faithfulness, to all generations.

R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

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Gospel

Jn 1:43-51

Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow me."Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him,"We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth."But Nathanael said to him,"Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him,"Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him." Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him,"Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathanael answered him,"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Jesus answered and said to him,"Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this."And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."

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