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| First Reading |
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Ecclesiasticus 3.2-6.12-14
The Lord honours the father in his children,
and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons.
Whoever respects his father is atoning for his sins,
he who honours his mother is like someone amassing a fortune.
Whoever respects his father will be happy with children of his
own,
he shall be heard on the day when he prays.
Long life comes to him who honours his father,
he who sets his mother at ease is showing obedience to the Lord.
My son, support your father in his old age,
do not grieve him during his life.
Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy,
do not despise him in your health and strength;
for kindness to a father shall not be forgotten
but will serve as reparation for your sins.
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| Responsorial Psalm |
| Psalm 127:1-5
| Response: |
O blessed are those who fear the
Lord and walk in his ways! |
- 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.
- Your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house:
your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table.
- Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life!
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| Second Reading |
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Colossians 3:12-21
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.
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| Gospel |
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Matthew 2.13-15.19-23
After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord
appeared to Joseph in a dream and said. 'Get up, take the child
and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there
until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child
and do away with him.' So Joseph got up and, taking the child and
his mother with him, left that night for Egypt. where he stayed
until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken
through the prophet: I called my son out of Egypt.
After Herod's death, the angel of the Lord appeared
in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, 'Get up, take the child
and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for
those who wanted to kill the child are dead.' So Joseph got up
and, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the
land of Israel. But when he learnt that Archelaus had succeeded
his father Herod as ruler of Judaea he was afraid to go there,
and being warned in a dream he left for the region of Galilee.
There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words
spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled: He will be called
a Nazarene.
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Back to Scripture Readings
Readings from The Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton
Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday and Company Ltd.
Psalm © The Grail (England) published by HarperCollins.
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