January 12, 2025 - THE BAPTISM OF OUR LORD (Year C)

 

First Reading - 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 you as 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.”

Responsorial Psalm - Ps 104

R –O bless the Lord, my soul!

* O Lord, my God, you are great indeed! you are clothed with majesty and glory, robed in light as with a cloak. You have spread out the heavens like a tent-cloth. R. 

* You have constructed your palace upon the waters. You make the clouds your chariot; you travel on the wings of the wind. You make the winds your messengers, and flaming fire your ministers. R. 

* How manifold are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you have wrought them all – the earth is full of your creatures; the sea also, great and wide, in which are schools without number of living things both small and great. R.

* If you take away their breath, they perish and return to the dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. R. 

Second Reading - Acts 10:34-38

     Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered in the house of Cornelius, saying: “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation, whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.

     You know the word that he sent to the Israelites as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all, what has happened all over Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached, how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.” 

 

 Gospel Acclamation Mk 9:7 

Alleluia! Alleluia! 
 The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered: “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.” 
 Alleluia! Alleluia! 

Gospel - Lk 3:15-16.21-22

    The people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether 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 him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

January 5, 2025 - SOLEMNITY OF THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD (Year C)

 

1st Reading - 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 come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm - Ps 72 

R –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. 

* 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. 

* 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. 

* For he shall rescue the poor man 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. 

2nd Reading-  Eph 3:2-3.5-6

    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 revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that the Gentiles are co-heirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus, through the Gospel.

Gospel Acclamation - Mt 2:2 

Alleluia! Alleluia! 
 We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage. 
 Alleluia! Alleluia! 

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 rising and 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, the Magi 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. The Magi were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house, they 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.