Abide in My Word 2017

Abide in My Word Mass Readings at Your FingertipsÂŽ

2017

The Word Among Us Press 7115 Guilford Drive Frederick, MD 21704 www.wau.org ISBN: 978-1-59325-293-9 ISSN: 1546-0231 Copyright © 2016 by the Word Among Us Press All rights reserved.

Published with the approval of the Committee on Divine Worship, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Excerpts from the Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, and 1970, Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Inc., Washington, D.C. Used with permission.

All rights reserved. No portion of this text may be reproduced without permission in writing from the copyright holder.

The English translation of Psalm Responses from the Lectionary for Mass, Copyright © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL).

All rights reserved.

Scripture readings are from the Roman Catholic liturgical calendar for use in the United States. Celebration of solemnities, feasts, memorials, or other observances particular to your country, diocese, or parish may result in some variation.

No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Cover design by Andrea Alvarez Cover image: John the Baptist Baptized Jesus Christ, 1921,

by Frederic Montenard Church of St. Francis de Sales, Paris, France Photo Credit: De Agostini Picture Library/Bridgeman Images Made and printed in the United States of America.

Table of Contents

Introduction....................................................................5 January............................................................................7 February........................................................................49 March............................................................................93 April............................................................................145 May.............................................................................217 June.............................................................................262 July..............................................................................308 August.........................................................................356 September....................................................................405 October.......................................................................445 November....................................................................489 December....................................................................537

Introduction

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

—Matthew 3:13-17

Dear Friends in Christ, How astonished John the Baptist must have been when Jesus came to him to be baptized. He knew that Jesus was the Lamb of God and did not need to repent and be cleansed of sin. And yet he obeyed Jesus and was rewarded with an epiphany— the revelation of both God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

It was a turning point in Jesus’ life, the inauguration of his public ministry. With the Father’s affirmation of love and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon him, Jesus would now be equipped to carry out the work for which he was sent. And by submitting humbly to John’s baptism, Jesus would be foreshadowing the “baptism” of his bloody death on the cross, where out of love he would give his life for the forgiveness of our sins.

The painting by Frederic Montenard (1849–1926) on the cover of this year’s Abide in My Word 2017 vividly portrays this event. Because Jesus’ baptism is meaningful in so many ways, it is worthwhile to keep this image of it before your eyes throughout the whole year as you pray and read the Scriptures each day.

Abide in My Word 2017 brings to life the scene of Jesus’ baptism and other images and events from the Bible through the Scripture texts contained here “at your fingertips.” The readings are those that have been selected by the Church for use at Mass each day of the entire year, as designated in the Lectionary for Mass for Use in 5

the Dioceses of the United States of America, which is based on the New American Bible translation. During this liturgical year, the Church is following the Gospel of Matthew (Year A) on Sundays and Cycle I for the weekday readings in Ordinary Time.

The readings are carefully arranged so that they complement one another. For example, on Sundays the first reading at Mass offers us selections from the historical books of the Old Testament as well as from the prophets and the Wisdom books that reflect important themes from the Gospel reading for that day. The responsorial psalm or canticle provides a way for us to voice our prayerful response to God. The second reading generally presents selections from the Acts of the Apostles, from the letters written by Paul and others to the early Christians, or from the Book of Revelation, depending on the season. On weekdays, usually only one reading—from either the Old or New Testament—precedes the responsorial psalm and the Gospel.

In the Gospel reading—the climax of the Liturgy of the Word—we encounter Jesus personally. Through the Evangelists—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—we see Jesus’ actions unfold before our eyes and hear his words to us. As Pope Francis so frequently encourages us, “Read the Gospel. . . . Read a passage of the Gospel every day. . . . And there, reading a passage, we will find Jesus. Everything takes on meaning when you find your treasure there, in the Gospel” (Angelus Address, July 27, 2014).

We who have been baptized into Christ have received the same Spirit as Jesus. Baptized into his life and death, we are transformed into his image, taking on his very character. As we open our ears and hearts to God’s words in our daily reading of Scripture, may we hear the Father say of us, “You are my beloved son, you are my beloved daughter, with whom I am well pleased.”

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JANUARY Sunday, January 1 Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God The Octave Day of the Nativity of the Lord First Reading NUMBERS 6:22-27 The LORD said to Moses: “Speak to Aaron and his sons and tell them: This is how you shall bless the Israelites. Say to them: The LORD bless you and keep you!

The LORD let his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you!

The LORD look upon you kindly and give you peace!

So shall they invoke my name upon the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8 R. May God bless us in his mercy.

May God have pity on us and bless us; may he let his face shine upon us.

So may your way be known upon earth; among all nations, your salvation. R. May the nations be glad and exult because you rule the peoples in equity; the nations on the earth you guide. R. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you!

May God bless us, and may all the ends of the earth fear him! R. Second Reading GALATIANS 4:4-7 Brothers and sisters: When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. As proof that you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son then also an heir, through God.

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Gospel LUKE 2:16-21 The shepherds went in haste to Bethlehem and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child. All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds.

And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them.

When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Monday, January 2 First Reading 1 JOHN 2:22-28 Beloved: Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.

Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist. Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.

Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life. I write you these things about those who would deceive you. As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains in you, so that you do not need anyone to teach you. But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false; just as it taught you, remain in him.

And now, children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not be put to shame by him at his coming.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4 R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. R. The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.

He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. R. 8

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All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. R. Gospel JOHN 1:19-28 This is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to him to ask him, “Who are you?” He admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, “I am not the Christ.” So they asked him, “What are you then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?” He said: “I am the voice of one crying out in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

Some Pharisees were also sent. They asked him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.” This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Tuesday, January 3 First Reading 1 JOHN 2:29–3:6 If you consider that God is righteous, you also know that everyone who acts in righteousness is begotten by him.

See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure, as he is pure.

Everyone who commits sin commits lawlessness, for sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who remains in him sins; no one who sins has seen him or known him.

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Responsorial Psalm PSALM 98:1, 3cd-4, 5-6 R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. R. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. R. Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD. R. Gospel JOHN 1:29-34 John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from the sky and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’

Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

Wednesday, January 4 First Reading 1 JOHN 3:7-10 Children, let no one deceive you. The person who acts in righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. Whoever sins belongs to the Devil, because the Devil has sinned from the beginning. Indeed, the Son of God was revealed to destroy the works of the Devil. No one who is begotten by God commits sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot sin because he is begotten by God. In this way, the children of God and the children of the Devil are made plain; no one who fails to act in righteousness belongs to God, nor anyone who does not love his brother.

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Responsorial Psalm PSALM 98:1, 7-8, 9 R. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. R. Let the sea and what fills it resound, the world and those who dwell in it; Let the rivers clap their hands, the mountains shout with them for joy before the LORD. R. The LORD comes; he comes to rule the earth; He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity. R. Gospel JOHN 1:35-42 John was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” The two disciples heard what he said and followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following him and said to them, “What are you looking for?” They said to him, “Rabbi” (which translated means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day. It was about four in the afternoon. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two who heard John and followed Jesus. He first found his own brother Simon and told him, “We have found the Messiah,” which is translated Christ. Then he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you will be called Cephas,” which is translated Peter.

Thursday, January 5 First Reading 1 JOHN 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 One and 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 life because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a 11

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murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If someone who has worldly means sees 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 speech but in deed and truth.

Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him in 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. Responsorial Psalm PSALM 100:1b-2, 3, 4, 5 R. 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. Know that the LORD is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends. R. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise; Give thanks to him; bless his name. R. The LORD is good: the LORD, whose kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness, to all generations. R. Gospel JOHN 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.” 12

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Friday, January 6 First Reading 1 JOHN 5:5-13 Beloved: Who indeed is the victor over the world but 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 God has this testimony within himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar by 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 know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God. Responsorial Psalm PSALM 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 R. 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. 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. 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. Gospel MARK 1:7-11 (or LUKE 3:23-38 or 3:23, 31-34, 36, 38) 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 13

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he saw the heavens being torn open and 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.�

Saturday, January 7 First Reading 1 JOHN 5:14-21 Beloved: We have this confidence in him that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, we know that what we have asked him for is ours. If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.

We know that anyone begotten by God does not sin; but the one begotten by God he protects, and the Evil One cannot touch him. We know that we belong to God, and the whole world is under the power of the Evil One. We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. And we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Children, be on your guard against idols.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b R. The Lord takes delight in his people. (or R. Alleluia.)

Sing to the LORD a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful.

Let Israel be glad in their maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. R. Let them praise his name in the festive dance, let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.

For the LORD loves his people, and he adorns the lowly with victory. R. Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their couches; Let the high praises of God be in their throats.

This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia. R.

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Gospel JOHN 2:1-11 There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”

And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him.

Sunday, January 8 The Epiphany of the Lord First Reading ISAIAH 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.

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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 PSALM 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 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 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. Second Reading EPHESIANS 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 revealed to 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.

Gospel MATTHEW 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 16

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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 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.

Monday, January 9 The Baptism of the Lord First Reading ISAIAH 42:1-4, 6-7 (or ACTS 10:34-38) 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 17

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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 PSALM 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 R. 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 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 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. Gospel MATTHEW 3:13-17 Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him.

After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Tuesday, January 10 (First Week in Ordinary Time) First Reading HEBREWS 2:5-12 It was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking.

Instead, someone has testified somewhere: 18

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What is man that you are mindful of him, or the son of man that you care for him?

You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor, subjecting all things under his feet.

In “subjecting” all things to him, he left nothing not “subject to him.”

Yet at present we do not see “all things subject to him,” but we do see Jesus “crowned with glory and honor” because he suffered death, he who “for a little while” was made “lower than the angels,” that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

For it was fitting that he, for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many children to glory, should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering. He who consecrates and those who are being consecrated all have one origin. Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them “brothers” saying: I will proclaim your name to my brethren, in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 8:2ab and 5, 6-7, 8-9 R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.

O LORD, our Lord, how glorious is your name over all the earth!

What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? R. You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor.

You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet. R. All sheep and oxen, yes, and the beasts of the field, The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea, and whatever swims the paths of the seas. R. Gospel MARK 1:21-28 Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked 19

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him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Wednesday, January 11 First Reading HEBREWS 2:14-18 Since the children share in blood and Flesh, Jesus likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9 R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. (or R. Alleluia.)

Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds.

Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds. R. Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. R. You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!

He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. R. He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations— Which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. R.

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Gospel MARK 1:29-39 On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.

They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door.

He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also.

For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee.

Thursday, January 12 First Reading HEBREWS 3:7-14 The Holy Spirit says: Oh, that today you would hear his voice, “Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion in the day of testing in the desert, where your ancestors tested and tried me and saw my works for forty years.

Because of this I was provoked with that generation and I said, ‘They have always been of erring heart, and they do not know my ways.’

As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter into my rest.’”

Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. Encourage yourselves daily while it is still “today,” so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end.

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Responsorial Psalm PSALM 95:6-7c, 8-9, 10-11 R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us.

For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. R. Oh, that today you would hear his voice: “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, Where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.” R. Forty years I was wearied of that generation; I said: “This people’s heart goes astray, they do not know my ways.”

Therefore I swore in my anger: “They shall never enter my rest.” R. Gospel MARK 1:40-45 A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.”

The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Friday, January 13 First Reading HEBREWS 4:1-5, 11 Let us be on our guard while the promise of entering into his rest remains, that none of you seem to have failed. For in fact we have received the Good News just as our ancestors did. But the word that they heard did not profit them, for they were not united in faith with those who listened. For we who believed enter into that rest, just as he has said: 22

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As I swore in my wrath, “They shall not enter into my rest,” and yet his works were accomplished at the foundation of the world. For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works; and again, in the previously mentioned place, They shall not enter into my rest.

Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 78:3 and 4bc, 6c-7, 8 R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

What we have heard and know, and what our fathers have declared to us, we will declare to the generation to come The glorious deeds of the LORD and his strength. R. That they too may rise and declare to their sons that they should put their hope in God, And not forget the deeds of God but keep his commands. R. And not be like their fathers, a generation wayward and rebellious, A generation that kept not its heart steadfast nor its spirit faithful toward God. R. Gospel MARK 2:1-12 When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, “Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?” Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”—he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.” He rose, picked up his mat at once, 23

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and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

Saturday, January 14 First Reading HEBREWS 4:12-16 The word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account.

Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 19:8, 9, 10, 15 R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. R. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye. R. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; The ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just. R. Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. R. Gospel MARK 2:13-17 Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and 24

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followed Jesus. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus heard this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Sunday, January 15 Second Sunday in Ordinary Time First Reading ISAIAH 49:3, 5-6 The LORD said to me: You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory.

Now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength!

It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10 R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry.

And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God. R. Sacrifice or offering you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me.

Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.” R. “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” R. 25

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I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. R. Second Reading 1 CORINTHIANS 1:1-3 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Gospel JOHN 1:29-34 John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.’ I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel.” John testified further, saying, “I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’

Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God.”

Monday, January 16 First Reading HEBREWS 5:1-10 Brothers and sisters: Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to him: You are my Son: this day I have begotten you; just as he says in another place,

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You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

In the days when he was in the Flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 110:1, 2, 3, 4 R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.” R. The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.” R. “Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.” R. The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” R. Gospel MARK 2:18-22 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast.

People came to Jesus and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”

Tuesday, January 17 First Reading HEBREWS 6:10-20 Brothers and sisters: God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones. We earnestly desire each of you to 27

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demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of hope until the end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises.

When God made the promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, and said, I will indeed bless you and multiply you. And so, after patient waiting, Abraham obtained the promise. Now, men swear by someone greater than themselves; for them an oath serves as a guarantee and puts an end to all argument. So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise an even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose, he intervened with an oath, so that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil, where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner, becoming high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 111:1-2, 4-5, 9 and 10c R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever. (or R. Alleluia.)

I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the company and assembly of the just.

Great are the works of the LORD, exquisite in all their delights. R. He has won renown for his wondrous deeds; gracious and merciful is the LORD. He has given food to those who fear him; he will forever be mindful of his covenant. R. He has sent deliverance to his people; he has ratified his covenant forever; holy and awesome is his name.

His praise endures forever. R. Gospel MARK 2:23-28 As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made 28

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for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”

Wednesday, January 18 First Reading HEBREWS 7:1-3, 15-17 Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings and blessed him.

And Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. His name first means righteous king, and he was also “king of Salem,” that is, king of peace. Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

It is even more obvious if another priest is raised up after the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become so, not by a law expressed in a commandment concerning physical descent but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. For it is testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 110:1, 2, 3, 4 R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.

The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.” R. The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.” R. “Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.” R. The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” R. Gospel MARK 3:1-6 Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was re29

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stored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

Thursday, January 19 First Reading HEBREWS 7:25–8:6 Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them.

It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever.

The main point of what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. Now every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus the necessity for this one also to have something to offer. If then he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are those who offer gifts according to the law. They worship in a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tabernacle. For God says, “See that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.”

Now he has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17 R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me.

Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.” R. “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!” R. I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. R. May all who seek you exult and be glad in you, 30

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And may those who love your salvation say ever, “The LORD be glorified.” R. Gospel MARK 3:7-12 Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” He warned them sternly not to make him known.

Friday, January 20 First Reading HEBREWS 8:6-13 Brothers and sisters: Now our high priest has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second one. But he finds fault with them and says: Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will conclude a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they did not stand by my covenant and I ignored them, says the Lord.

But this is the covenant I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds and I will write them upon their hearts.

I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kin, saying, “Know the Lord,” for all shall know me, from least to greatest.

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For I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sins no more.

When he speaks of a “new� covenant, he declares the first one obsolete.

And what has become obsolete and has grown old is close to disappearing.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 85:8 and 10, 11-12, 13-14 R. Kindness and truth shall meet.

Show us, O LORD, your mercy, and grant us your salvation.

Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. R. Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss.

Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. R. The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase.

Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps. R. Gospel MARK 3:13-19 Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: He appointed the Twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.

Saturday, January 21 First Reading HEBREWS 9:2-3, 11-14 A tabernacle was constructed, the outer one, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of offering; this is called the Holy Place. Behind the second veil was the tabernacle called the Holy of Holies.

But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not 32

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made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own Blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer’s ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the Blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God. Responsorial Psalm PSALM 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord.

All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness, For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth. R. God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy; the LORD, amid trumpet blasts.

Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our king, sing praise. R. For king of all the earth is God: sing hymns of praise.

God reigns over the nations, God sits upon his holy throne. R. Gospel MARK 3:20-21 Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

Sunday, January 22 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time First Reading ISAIAH 8:23–9:3 First the LORD degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the end he has glorified the seaward road, the land west of the Jordan, the District of the Gentiles.

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Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness: for there is no gloom where but now there was distress.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone.

You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as people make merry when dividing spoils.

For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 27:1, 4, 13-14 R. The Lord is my light and my salvation.

The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear?

The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? R. One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his temple. R. I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. R. Second Reading 1 CORINTHIANS 1:10-13, 17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose. For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you. I mean that each of you is saying, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided?

Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not 34

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with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.

Gospel MATTHEW 4:12-23 (or MATTHEW 4:12-17) When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.

From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.

Monday, January 23 [Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. Readings from the Lectionary for Mass, vol. IV, the Mass “For Peace and Justice,” nos. 887–891, may be substituted for those listed here.]

First Reading HEBREWS 9:15, 24-28 Christ is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.

For Christ did not enter into a sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself, that he might now appear before God on 35

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our behalf. Not that he might offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters each year into the sanctuary with blood that is not his own; if that were so, he would have had to suffer repeatedly from the foundation of the world. But now once for all he has appeared at the end of the ages to take away sin by his sacrifice. Just as it is appointed that human beings die once, and after this the judgment, so also Christ, offered once to take away the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await him.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6 R. Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.

Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. R. The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.

He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. R. All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. R. Sing praise to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and melodious song.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the LORD. R. Gospel MARK 3:22-30 The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.”

Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have for36

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giveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Tuesday, January 24 First Reading HEBREWS 10:1-10 Brothers and sisters: Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of them, it can never make perfect those who come to worship by the same sacrifices that they offer continually each year. Otherwise, would not the sacrifices have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, once cleansed, would no longer have had any consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is only a yearly remembrance of sins, for it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats take away sins. For this reason, when he came into the world, he said: Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you took no delight.

Then I said, As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, O God. First he says, Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in. These are offered according to the law. Then he says, Behold, I come to do your will. He takes away the first to establish the second. By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 40:2 and 4ab, 7-8a, 10, 11 R. Here am I Lord; I come to do your will.

I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me.

And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God. R. Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me.

Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, “Behold I come.” R. I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. R. Your justice I kept not hid within my heart; your faithfulness and your salvation I have spoken of; 37

2017 Mass Readings

I have made no secret of your kindness and your truth in the vast assembly. R. Gospel MARK 3:31-35 The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house. Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.” But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Wednesday, January 25 The Conversion of Saint Paul the Apostle First Reading ACTS 22:3-16 (or ACTS 9:1-22) Paul addressed the people in these words: “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city. At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today. I persecuted this Way to death, binding both men and women and delivering them to prison. Even the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify on my behalf. For from them I even received letters to the brothers and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem in chains for punishment those there as well.

“On that journey as I drew near to Damascus, about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’ And he said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’ My companions saw the light but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me. I asked, ‘What shall I do, sir?’

The Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told about everything appointed for you to do.’ Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light, I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus.

“A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law, and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me and stood there and said, ‘Saul, my brother, regain your sight.’ And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him. Then he said, ‘The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice; for you will be his witness before all to what you 38

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have seen and heard. Now, why delay? Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away, calling upon his name.’”

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 117:1bc, 2 R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. (or R. Alleluia, alleluia.)

Praise the LORD, all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples! R. For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever. R. Gospel MARK 16:15-18 Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.

These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Thursday, January 26 Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops First Reading 2 TIMOTHY 1:1-8 (or TITUS 1:1-5) Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God for the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, my dear child: grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am grateful to God, whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day. I yearn to see you again, recalling your tears, so that I may be filled with joy, as I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and that I am confident lives also in you.

For this reason, I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God. 39

2017 Mass Readings

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10 R. Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.

Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all you lands.

Sing to the LORD; bless his name. R. Announce his salvation, day after day.

Tell his glory among the nations; among all peoples, his wondrous deeds. R. Give to the LORD, you families of nations, give to the LORD glory and praise; give to the LORD the glory due his name! R. Say among the nations: The LORD is king.

He has made the world firm, not to be moved; he governs the peoples with equity. R. Gospel MARK 4:21-25 Jesus said to his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” He also told them, “Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you.

To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Friday, January 27 First Reading HEBREWS 10:32-39 Remember the days past when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a great contest of suffering. At times you were publicly exposed to abuse and affliction; at other times you associated yourselves with those so treated. You even joined in the sufferings of those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, knowing that you had a better and lasting possession. Therefore, do not throw away your confidence; it will have great recompense. You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised.

For, after just a brief moment, he who is to come shall come; he shall not delay.

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But my just one shall live by faith, and if he draws back I take no pleasure in him.

We are not among those who draw back and perish, but among those who have faith and will possess life.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 37:3-4, 5-6, 23-24, 39-40 R. The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.

Trust in the LORD and do good, that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.

Take delight in the LORD, and he will grant you your heart’s requests. R. Commit to the LORD your way; trust in him, and he will act.

He will make justice dawn for you like the light; bright as the noonday shall be your vindication. R. By the LORD are the steps of a man made firm, and he approves his way.

Though he fall, he does not lie prostrate, for the hand of the LORD sustains him. R. The salvation of the just is from the LORD; he is their refuge in time of distress.

And the LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him. R. Gospel MARK 4:26-34 Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the Kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.

Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.”

He said, “To what shall we compare the Kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

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2017 Mass Readings

Saturday, January 28 First Reading HEBREWS 11:1-2, 8-19 Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. Because of it the ancients were well attested.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go. By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise; for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God. By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age—and Sarah herself was sterile—for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy. So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.

All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth, for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son, of whom it was said, Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.

He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.

Responsorial Psalm LUKE 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75 R. Blessed be the Lord the God of Israel; he has come to his people.

He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David. R. Through his holy prophets he promised of old. that he would save us from our sins, from the hands of all who hate us.

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He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. R. This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: to set us free from the bonds of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. R. Gospel MARK 4:35-41 On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to his disciples: “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him. A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up. Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?” They were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”

Sunday, January 29 Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time First Reading ZEPHANIAH 2:3; 3:12-13 Seek the LORD, all you humble of the earth, who have observed his law; seek justice, seek humility; perhaps you may be sheltered on the day of the LORD’s anger.

But I will leave as a remnant in your midst a people humble and lowly, who shall take refuge in the name of the LORD: the remnant of Israel.

They shall do no wrong and speak no lies; nor shall there be found in their mouths a deceitful tongue; they shall pasture and couch their flocks with none to disturb them.

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2017 Mass Readings

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 146:6-7, 8-9, 9-10 R. Blessed the poor in spirit; the kingdom of heaven is theirs! (or R. Alleluia.)

The LORD keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets captives free. R. The LORD gives sight to the blind; the LORD raises up those who were bowed down.

The LORD loves the just; the LORD protects strangers. R. The fatherless and the widow the LORD sustains, but the way of the wicked he thwarts.

The LORD shall reign forever; your God, O Zion, through all generations. Alleluia. R. Second Reading 1 CORINTHIANS 1:26-31 Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.”

Gospel MATTHEW 5:1-12a When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.

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Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.�

Monday, January 30 First Reading HEBREWS 11:32-40 Brothers and sisters: What more shall I say? I have not time to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, did what was righteous, obtained the promises; they closed the mouths of lions, put out raging fires, escaped the devouring sword; out of weakness they were made powerful, became strong in battle, and turned back foreign invaders. Women received back their dead through resurrection. Some were tortured and would not accept deliverance, in order to obtain a better resurrection.

Others endured mockery, scourging, even chains and imprisonment.

They were stoned, sawed in two, put to death at sword’s point; they went about in skins of sheep or goats, needy, afflicted, tormented. The world was not worthy of them. They wandered about in deserts and on mountains, in caves and in crevices in the earth.

Yet all these, though approved because of their faith, did not receive what had been promised. God had foreseen something better for us, so that without us they should not be made perfect.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 31:20, 21, 22, 23, 24 R. Let your hearts take comfort, all who hope in the Lord.

How great is the goodness, O LORD, which you have in store for those who fear you, And which, toward those who take refuge in you, you show in the sight of the children of men. R. You hide them in the shelter of your presence from the plottings of men; 45

2017 Mass Readings

You screen them within your abode from the strife of tongues. R. Blessed be the LORD whose wondrous mercy he has shown me in a fortified city. R. Once I said in my anguish, “I am cut off from your sight”; Yet you heard the sound of my pleading when I cried out to you. R. Love the LORD, all you his faithful ones!

The LORD keeps those who are constant, but more than requites those who act proudly. R. Gospel MARK 5:1-20 Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory.

Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.” And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Then the man went off and 46

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began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed.

Tuesday, January 31 First Reading HEBREWS 12:1-4 Brothers and sisters: Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him Jesus endured the cross, despising its shame, and has taken his seat at the right of the throne of God. Consider how he endured such opposition from sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.

Responsorial Psalm PSALM 22:26b-27, 28 and 30, 31-32 R. They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.

I will fulfill my vows before those who fear him.

The lowly shall eat their fill; they who seek the LORD shall praise him: “May your hearts be ever merry!� R. All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; All the families of the nations shall bow down before him.

To him alone shall bow down all who sleep in the earth; Before him shall bend all who go down into the dust. R. And to him my soul shall live; my descendants shall serve him.

Let the coming generation be told of the LORD that they may proclaim to a people yet to be born the justice he has shown. R. Gospel MARK 5:21-43 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at 47

2017 Mass Readings

his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him and a large crowd followed him.

There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak. She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?”

But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, Who touched me?” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.”

While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. At that they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat.

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