Download BIBLE READINGS SUITABLE FOR MARRIAGE CEREMONIES

BIBLE READINGS SUITABLE FOR MARRIAGE CEREMONIES
You must choose one First Reading, one Psalm, one Second Reading, and one Gospel. Please do
so when you meet up together in prayer so that the texts you choose will be more meaningful to
you. You can find the equivalent Maltese texts in your own Bible.
At the end of the FIRST and SECOND READINGS please add the following:
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Immediately before the GOSPEL (i.e. after the last Hallelujah) please add the following:
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
At the end of the GOSPEL please add the following:
This is the Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Genesis (1,26-28.31a)
God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea
and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move
along the ground."
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he
created them. God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth
and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature
that moves on the ground. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.
A reading from the book of Genesis (2,18-24)
The Lord God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.
Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the
air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called
each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the
air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found.
So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of
the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he
had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
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The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, 'for
she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to
his wife, and they will become one flesh.
A reading from the book of Genesis (29,9-20)
Jacob was still talking with [the shepherds], when Rachel came with her father's sheep, for she was
a shepherdess. When Jacob saw Rachel daughter of Laban, his mother's brother, and Laban's sheep,
he went over and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the well and watered his uncle's sheep.
Then Jacob kissed Rachel and began to weep aloud. He had told Rachel that he was a relative of her
father and a son of Rebekah. So she ran and told her father.
As soon as Laban heard the news about Jacob, his sister's son, he hurried to meet him. He embraced
him and kissed him and brought him to his home, and there Jacob told him all these things. Then
Laban said to him, "You are my own flesh and blood."
After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, Laban said to him, "Just because you are a
relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be." Now
Laban had two daughters; the name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.
Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel was lovely in form, and beautiful. Jacob was in love with Rachel
and said, "I'll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel." Laban said,
"It's better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me." So Jacob served seven
years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
A reading from the book of Deuteronomy (6,4-9)
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and
with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be
upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when
you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your
hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your
gates.
A reading from the book of Tobit (8,4b-8)
[The evening of the wedding] Tobias rose from the bed, and said to Sarah, 'Get up, my sister! You
and I must pray and petition our Lord to win his grace and his protection.'
She stood up, and they began praying for protection, and this was how he began: You are blessed, O
God of our fathers; blessed too is your name for ever and ever. Let the heavens bless you and all
things you have made for evermore. You it was who created Adam, you who created Eve his wife
to be his help and support; and from these two the human race was born. You it was who said, 'It is
not right that the man should be alone; let us make him a helper like him.' And so I take my sister
not for any lustful motive, but I do it in singleness of heart. Be kind enough to have pity on her and
on me and bring us to old age together. And together they said, 'Amen, Amen,'
A reading from the book of Proverbs (31,10-11.19-20.30-31)
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A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
A reading from the Song of Songs (2,8-10.14.16a; 8,6-7a)
Listen! My lover! Look! Here he comes, leaping across the mountains, bounding over the hills. My
lover is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the
windows, peering through the lattice.
My lover spoke and said to me, "Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. My dove
in the clefts of the rock, in the hiding places on the mountainside, show me your face, let me hear
your voice; for your voice is sweet, and your face is lovely. My lover is mine and I am his.
Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its
jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot
quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.
A reading from the book of Ecclesiasticus (26,1-4.13-16)
How blessed is the husband of a really good wife; the number of his days will be doubled. A perfect
wife is the joy of her husband, he will live out the years of his life in peace. A good wife is the best
of portions, reserved for those who fear the Lord; rich or poor, their hearts will be glad, their faces
cheerful, whatever the season.
The grace of a wife will charm her husband, her understanding will make him the stronger. A silent
wife is a gift from the Lord, no price can be put on a well-trained character. A modest wife is a
boon twice over, a chaste character cannot be over-valued. Like the sun rising over the mountains of
the Lord, such is the beauty of a good wife in a well-run house.
A reading from the book of Isaiah (43,1-7)
Now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear
not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass
through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep
over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you
ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour; I give Egypt for your
ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead. Since you are precious and honoured in my sight, and
because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. Do
not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the
west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not hold them back.' Bring my
sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made."
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A reading from the book of Isaiah (54,5-10)
"Your Maker is your husband – the Lord Almighty is his name – the Holy One of Israel is your
Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife
deserted and distressed in spirit – a wife who married young, only to be rejected," says your God.
"For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of
anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion
on you," says the Lord your Redeemer. "To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the
waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you,
never to rebuke you again. Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my
unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord,
who has compassion on you.
A reading from the book of Isaiah (55,1-3.10-13)
"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and
eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not
bread, and your labour on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your
soul will delight itself in abundance. Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I
will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David."
"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the
earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so
is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I
desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their
hands. Instead of the thorn bush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the Lord's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."
A reading from the book of Isaiah (61,10–62,5)
I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of
salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden
causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all
nations.
For Zion's sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet, till her
righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch. The nations will see your
righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the
Lord will bestow. You will be a crown of splendour in the Lord's hand, a royal diadem in the hand
of your God. No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate, but you shall be
called 'My delight is in her,' and your land 'Married,' for the Lord will take delight in you, and your
land will be married. As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a
bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
A reading from the book of Jeremiah (31,31-32a.33-34a)
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"The time is coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel
and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I
took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt.
"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will
put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my
people. No longer will a man teach his neighbour, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,'
because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the Lord.
A reading from the book of Ezekiel (16,3-14)
This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: "Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the
Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. On the day you were born your
cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt
or wrapped in cloths. No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these
things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you
were despised. Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in
your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’ I made you grow like a plant of the field.
You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. Your breasts were formed
and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare. Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and
saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered
your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you," declares the
Sovereign Lord, "and you became mine. I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you
and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I
dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. I adorned you with jewellery: I put
bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on
your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver; your
clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey
and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among the
nations on account of your beauty, because the splendour I had given you made your beauty
perfect," declares the Sovereign Lord.
A reading from the book of Ezekiel (36,24-28)
"I will take you out of the nations, [says the Lord,] I will gather you from all the countries and bring
you back into your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will
cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a
new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I
will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. You
will live in the land I gave your forefathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God."
A reading from the book of Hosea (2,14.15b-20)
Thus says the Lord, "I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly
to her. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of
the land of Egypt. In that day," declares the Lord, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no
longer call me 'my master.' I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their
names be invoked. In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the
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birds of the air and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will
abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety. I will betroth you to me forever; I will
betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion. I will betroth you in faithfulness,
and you will acknowledge the Lord."
For the period in Easter, you may choose one of the following readings:
Acts of the Apostles 1,12-14
Acts of the Apostles 2,42-47
Revelation 5,8-10
Revelation 19,1.5-9a
Revelation 21,1-5a
Revelation 22,16-17.20
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
For the psalms below, please insert the Response after each stanza!
Psalm 22 (23)
Response: We will fear no evil, Lord, for you are with us.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 32 (33)
Response: Our hearts rejoice in the Lord.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love.
We wait in hope for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
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May your unfailing love rest upon us,
O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
Psalm 33 (34)
Response: Let us bless the Lord at all times.
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.
This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Psalm 39 (40)
Response: We are ready, O Lord, to do your will.
I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.
Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust.
Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.
Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have opened;
burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
Then I said, “Here I am, I have come”
“It is written about me in the scroll.
I desire to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.”
I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly;
I do not seal my lips, as you know, O Lord.
Do not withhold your mercy from me, O Lord;
may your love and your truth always protect me.
Psalm 45 (46)
Response: God is our refuge and strength.
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God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Come and see the works of the Lord, the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 60 (61)
Response: Lord, I take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.
I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.
For you have heard my vows, O God;
you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.
Increase the days of the king's life, his years for many generations.
May he be enthroned in God's presence forever; appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.
Then will I ever sing praise to your name and fulfil my vows day after day.
Psalm 67 (66)
Response: May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us,
that your ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.
May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the
earth.
May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you.
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Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us.
God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.
Psalm 85 (86)
Response: Teach us your way, O Lord.
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;
I will glorify your name forever.
For great is your love toward me.
But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
Turn to me and have mercy on me;
grant your strength to your servant and save the son of your maidservant.
Psalm 99 (100)
Response: The Lord is good and his love endures forever.
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his;
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 102 (103)
Response: The Lord’s love is from everlasting to everlasting.
Bless the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
He forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
he satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Lord works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse, nor will he harbour his anger forever;
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he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him.
From everlasting to everlasting the Lord's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children,
with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.
Psalm 111 (112)
Response: Blessed is the man who delights in the Lord’s commands.
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.
His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man.
Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
Surely he will never be shaken; a righteous man will be remembered forever.
He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.
He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever;
his horn will be lifted high in honor.
Psalm 120 (121)
Response: May the Lord watch over us and protect us.
I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip – he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all harm – he will watch over your life;
the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 126 (127)
Response: Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain.
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Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat –
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth.
Psalm 127 (128)
Response: Blessed are all who fear the Lord.
Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways.
You will eat the fruit of your labour; blessings and prosperity will be yours.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house;
your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.
Thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life.
Psalm 138 (139)
Response: Your works are wonderful, O Lord, I know that full well.
O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.
You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake, I am still with you.
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Psalm 144 (145)
Response: The Lord is gracious and compassionate.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
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All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints will extol you.
They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,
so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Psalm 148
Response: Let us praise the Lord: blessed be his name.
Praise the Lord from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
You mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds.
Kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth,
young men and maidens, old men and children.
Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted.
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans (5,1-8)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord
Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.
And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings,
because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character,
hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the
Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless,
Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man
someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we
were still sinners, Christ died for us.
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans (8,31b-35.37-39)
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If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us
all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge
against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ
Jesus, who died – more than that, who was raised to life – is at the right hand of God and is also
interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or
persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face
death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are
more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life,
neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor
depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in
Christ Jesus our Lord.
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans (12,1-2.9-13)
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the
pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to
test and approve what God's will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will. Love must be sincere.
Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one
another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the
Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in
need. Practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those
who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another.
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans (15,1-3.5-7.13)
We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of
us should please his neighbour for his good, to build him up. For even Christ did not please himself
but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." May the God who
gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow
Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow
with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians (12,31-14,1a)
Eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the
tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith
that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and
surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It
does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily
angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It
always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there
are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is
knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection
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comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I
reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor
reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully,
even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of
these is love. Follow the way of love.
A reading from the second letter of St Paul to the Corinthians (5,14-17)
Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And
he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for
them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though
we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a
new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians (1,3-14)
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms
with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be
holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus
Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has
freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness
of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and
understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure,
which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfilment
– to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ. In him we were
also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in
conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might
be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of
truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the
promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those
who are God's possession – to the praise of his glory.
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians (1,15-23)
Ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not
stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that
you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that
you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the
saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his
mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his
right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every
title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all
things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his
body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians (2,4-10)
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Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when
we were dead in transgressions – it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with
Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming
ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ
Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the
gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians (3,14-21)
Brethren, I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its
name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in
your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being
rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and
long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that
you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do
immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to
him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians (4,1-6)
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be
completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to
keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit – just as
you were called to one hope when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and
Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Ephesians (5,1-2.21-33)
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved
us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Submit to one another out
of reverence for Christ. Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head
of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Saviour. Now as the
church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her
holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a
radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same
way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.
After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the
church – for we are members of his body. "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother
and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery – but I am
talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves
himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians (2,1-16a)
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If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any
fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being
like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish
ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should
look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not
consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very
nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he
humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him
to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that
Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always
obeyed – not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your
salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his
good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless
and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine
like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life.
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians (4,4-9)
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The
Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with
thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all
understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is
true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things. Whatever you have
learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will
be with you.
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians (3,9b-17)
Brethren, you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is
being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised
or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as
God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,
gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have
against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which
binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as
members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns
and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or
deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians (5,14-28)
We urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with
everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each
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other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for
this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with
contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the
God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept
blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do
it. Brothers, pray for us. Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss. I charge you before the Lord to have
this letter read to all the brothers. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
A reading from the letter to the Hebrews (13,1-6a)
Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have
entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow
prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. Marriage should be
honoured by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the
sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have,
because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with
confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid."
A reading from the first letter of St Peter (2,2-10)
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, the living Stone – rejected by
men but chosen by God and precious to him – you also, like living stones, are being built into a
spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone, and
the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame." Now to you who believe, this stone is
precious. But to those who do not believe, "The stone the builders rejected has become the
capstone," and, "A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall." They stumble
because they disobey the message – which is also what they were destined for. But you are a chosen
people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the
praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people,
but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received
mercy.
A reading from the first letter of St Peter (3,1-9)
Wives, be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be
won over without words by the behaviour of their wives, when they see the purity and reverence of
your lives. Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the
wearing of gold jewellery and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading
beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight. For this is the way the
holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were
submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You
are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear. Husbands, in the same way be
considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as
heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. Finally, all of
you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and
17
humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were
called so that you may inherit a blessing.
A reading from the first letter of St John (3,18-24)
Dear friends, this is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought
to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in
need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with
words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth,
and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is
greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we
have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands
and do what pleases him. And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ,
and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in
them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us.
A reading from the first letter of St John (4,7-19)
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born
of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is
how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live
through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning
sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No
one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in
us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have
seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. If anyone
acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and
rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In
this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment,
because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear,
because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love
because he first loved us.
THE GOSPEL
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matt 6,33)
Hallelujah.
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew (6,25-33)
18
In those days, Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat
or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body
more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in
barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who
of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or
spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. If that
is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire,
will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we
eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and
your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well."
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labour in vain. (Ps 126/127,1)
Hallelujah.
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew (7,21.24-29)
In those days, Jesus said to his disciples: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the
kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Therefore
everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built
his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against
that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears
these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on
sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it
fell with a great crash." When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his
teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Love one another deeply, from the heart, for you have been born again. (cf. 1 Peter 1,22-23)
Hallelujah.
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew (22,35-40)
In those days, an expert in the law, tested Jesus with this question: "Teacher, which is the greatest
commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is
like it: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments."
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GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Father, may they be one, just as you are in me and I am in you. (cf. John 17,21)
Hallelujah.
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Mark (10,1-9.13-16)
Jesus then left that place and went into the region of Judea and across the Jordan. Again crowds of
people came to him, and as was his custom, he taught them. Some Pharisees came and tested him
by asking, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" "What did Moses command you?" he
replied. They said, "Moses permitted a man to write a certificate of divorce and send her away." "It
was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law," Jesus replied. "But at the
beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man will leave his father
and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two,
but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."
People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked
them. When Jesus saw this, he was greatly displeased and he said to them, "Let the little children
come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the
truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he
took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6,36)
Hallelujah.
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to Luke (6,27-36)
In those days, Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to
those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes
you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from
taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not
demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those
who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those
from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,'
expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without
expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most
High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."
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GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. This is a profound mystery. (Eph 5,25.32)
Hallelujah.
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to John (2,1-11)
On those days a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his
disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him,
"They have no more wine." "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has
not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding
from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled
them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."
They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did
not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he
called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the
cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his
glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
God gives the Spirit without limit. (John 3,34)
Hallelujah.
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to John (3,28-36a)
In those days, John the Baptist said: "You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ but
am sent ahead of him.' The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom
waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine,
and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less. The one who comes from
above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the
earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but
no one accepts his testimony. The man who has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the
one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. The Father
loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life."
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God, because God is love. (Cf. 1 John 4,7.8b)
21
Hallelujah.
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to John (14,12-17)
In those days, Jesus said to his disciples: "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do
what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You
may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. If you love me, you will obey what I
command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever
– the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But
you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you, says the Lord.
Now remain in my love. (John 15,9)
Hallelujah.
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to John (15,1-17)
In those days, Jesus said to his disciples: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts
off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that
it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.
Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the
vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a
man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If
anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches
are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.
If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.
This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. As the
Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you
will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have
told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this:
Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for
his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a
servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I
learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and
appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you
ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other."
The following Gospel is a shorter version of the one above.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
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Hallelujah, hallelujah.
God is love. Let us love one another just as he has loved us. (Cf. 1 John 4,8.11)
Hallelujah.
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to John (15,9-17)
In those days, Jesus said to his disciples: "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now
remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed
my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you
and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you
do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's
business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have
made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit
– fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my
command: Love each other."
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Hallelujah, hallelujah.
Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. (1 John 4,16)
Hallelujah.
GOSPEL
A reading from the Gospel according to John (17,20-26)
In those days, [Jesus looked toward heaven and prayed: "Holy Father,] my prayer is not for them
alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be
one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may
believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one
as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world
know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, I want those you
have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because
you loved me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know
you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will
continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I
myself may be in them."
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