FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-3
Your heir shall be your own flesh and blood.
It happened some time later that the word of the Lord was spoken to
Abram in a vision, ‘Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward
will be very great.’
‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘what do you intend to give me? I go
childless…’ Then Abram said, ‘See, you have given me no
descendants; some man of my household will be my heir’. And then this
word of the Lord was spoken to him, ‘He shall not be your heir; your heir
shall be of your own flesh and blood’. Then taking him outside he said,
‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your
descendants’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted
this as making him justified.
The Lord dealt kindly with Sarah as he had said, and did what he had
promised her. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old
age, at the time God had promised.
The Word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm 127:1-5 R/v 1
Response: O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!
1. O blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!
By the labour of your hands you shall eat
You will be happy and prosper.
2. Your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
your children like shoots of the olive
around your table.
3. Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life.
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians 3:12-21
Family life in the Lord
You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be
clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and
patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel
begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all
these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love.
And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this
that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you.
Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in
your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and
never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, give way to your husbands, as you should in the Lord. Husbands,
love your wives and treat them with gentleness. Children, be obedient to
your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. Parents,
never drive your children to resentment or you will make them feel
frustrated.
The Word of the Lord
Gospel Acclamation Col 3:15-16
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts;
let the message of Christ find a home in you.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 2:22-40
The child grew, filled with wisdom.
When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of
Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to
the Lord — observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every
first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord — and also to offer in
sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of
turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man
named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward
to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been
revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he
had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came
to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for
him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God;
and he said:
‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,
just as you promised;
because my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared for all the nations to see,
a light to enlighten the pagans
and the glory of your people Israel.’
As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that
were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his
mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of
many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected — and a sword will
pierce your own soul too — so that the secret thoughts of many may be
laid bare.’
There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe
of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had
been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now
eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and
day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began
to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the
deliverance of Jerusalem.
When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went
back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew
to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with
him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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