The Epiphany of the Lord ~ 03 January 2015

“Epiphany” comes from the Greek word epiphainen, a verb that means "to shine upon," "to manifest," or “to make known.” The Church celebrates today is the manifestation of our Lord to the whole world; after being made known to the shepherds of Bethlehem He is revealed to the Magi (the three wise men) who have come from the East to adore Him and to bring gifts to the infant King. The magi homage represents the manifestation of the Lord to the Gentiles. The Magi were able to overcome that dangerous moment of darkness before Herod, because they believed the Scriptures, the words of the prophets which indicated that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. And so they fled the darkness and dreariness of the night of the world. They resumed their journey towards Bethlehem and there they once more saw the star, and the gospel tells us that they experienced “a great joy” (Matthew 2:10). he Magi followed faithfully that light which filled their hearts, and they encountered the Lord. In the likeness of the Magi, with our little lights, may we seek the Light and keep the faith.

May the splendor of your majesty, O Lord, we pray, shed its light upon our hearts, that we may pass through the shadows of this world and reach the brightness of our eternal home. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading 1

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.
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. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
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. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
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. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.
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. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

Reading 2
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.

Alleluia
Matthew 2:2
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.


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 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.

Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God ~ 01 January 2016

On New Year's Day, the octave day of Christmas, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God. It is a Holy Day of Obligation as it commemorates the divine motherhood of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord and God Jesus Christ. As the Father from all eternity generates the Son in the love of the Holy Spirit, so Mary, in the flesh, generated the same eternal Word by the power of the Holy Spirit. Christ's Birth was made possible by Mary's fiat: "Be it done unto me according to Thy word.". Calling Mary “Mother of God” is the highest honour we can give to her.

On this day, we too remember our own mothers, living and deceased, and to implore the Blessed Virgin´s intercession for them. May the peace of the Lord remain within us, our families and communities and bring us the joy and happiness in the year to come.

Have a Blessed and Happy New Year.

 

O God, who through the fruitful virginity of Blessed Mary bestowed on the human race the grace of eternal salvation, grant, we pray, that we may experience the intercession of her, through whom we were found worthy to receive the author of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Reading 1

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 God bless us in his mercy.
May the nations be glad and exult
because you rule the peoples in equity;
the nations on the earth you guide.
R. May God bless us in his mercy.
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. May God bless us in his mercy.


Reading 2

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.

Alleluia

Hebrews 1:1-2

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets;
In these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.

Prayer to the Passions and Wounds of Jesus

A powerful prayer, works immediately.
To be said, nine consecutive times.



Make the Sign of the Cross every time you say the prayer.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O Great Passion

O Deep Wounds

O Blood Shed in Abundance

O Meekness

O God of Meekness

O Cruel Death

Have Mercy on Me and Grant my Request, 

if it be for my Salvation. 

{mention request}

AMEN.

Publish Immediately. Believe each word of this prayer as you say it and help will be granted.

Be Merciful, rediscover and experience the Mercy of God the Father

Jubilee Year of Mercy

December 8, 2015 – November 20, 2016

“We constantly need to contemplate the mystery of mercy. 

It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. 

 Our salvation depends on it.”

~ Pope Francis ~

The beginning of the extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy was solemnly marked by the opening of a Holy Door by the Pope in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on 8 December 2015. All other Roman Catholic Churches in Dioceses around the world will open their own Doors of Mercy in communion with the Church of Rome. A door in everyday life has several functions, all repeated by the symbol of the Holy Door:

• it marks the separation between inside and outside, between sin and the order of grace (Mi 7:18-19);
• it permits entry to a new place, in showing mercy and not condemnation (Mt 9:13);
• it provides protection, it provides salvation (Jn 10:7).

Jesus said: “I am the gate” (Jn 10:7). There is only one way that opens wide the entrance into the life of communion with God: this is Jesus, the one and absolute way to salvation. To him alone can the words of the Psalmist be applied in full truth: “This is the Lord’s own gate: where the just may enter” (Ps 117:20).

The Holy Door reminds the faithful of their responsibility when crossing the threshold:

• It is a decision which implies the freedom to choose, and at the same time the courage to abandon something, to leave something behind (cf. Mt 13, 44-46)
• Passing through this door means professing that Jesus Christ is Lord, in strengthening our faith in Him to embrace the new life He has given us. This is what Pope John Paul II had announced to the world on the day of his election: “Open wide the doors to Christ”.

The Church has received the mission of showing all people this loving face of God, manifested in Jesus Christ. Pope Francis has commissioned on Catholics around the world as individuals and as a Church “to be a witness of mercy” by reflecting on and practising the spiritual and corporal works of mercy during the year-long extraordinary Jubilee year of Mercy. By being merciful in acts of love, kindness and generosity, we will discover God and experience His mercy. It is a time for forgiveness and reconciliation. Faced with God's mercy, the challenge is not in the difficulty, but in the fact of freely making an act by which we mark our detachment from sin and our desire to be with God. To each one of us, Our Lord Jesus reveals the over-abundance of God’s love, not only does God love me but he wants to find my lost dignity. God does not condemn me in my wrongdoings nor ostracise me in what I have suffered. It is now time for each of us to be merciful towards others, to help them get up, it’s now their turn to get back on their feet.

Indulgence

To obtain the indulgence, one must be in a state of grace and have the interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin. One must receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, receive Holy Communion, pray for the intentions of the Holy Father and pass through the Door of Mercy. The prayer for the intentions of the Pope is left to the choice of the faithful, but an “Our Father” or a “Hail Mary” are suggested.

It is recommended, but not necessary, that these rites be completed on the same day: they may also be carried out over several days.

In addition, the faithful must perform one of the following works,

Works of Piety: for instance, a pilgrimage to a sanctuary, or again an act of piety (Way of the Cross, Rosary, Eucharistic adoration, etc.),

Works of Mercy: for instance, visit brothers and sisters who are in need or are in difficulty (the sick, the imprisoned, elderly people living alone, disabled people, etc.), as if making a pilgrimage to Christ present in them, or support, by a significant contribution, works of a religious or social nature (for the benefit of abandoned children, young people in trouble, the elderly in need, foreigners in various countries seeking better living conditions).

Acts of penance: for example, for at least one whole day, abstain from unnecessary consumption (smoking, alcohol, etc.), or fast and donate a proportionate sum of money to the poor.

One can receive an indulgence for oneself or the faithful departed, but not for another living person: it is up to that person to do what is necessary to free himself or herself from sin. Neither God nor anyone else can be a substitute for one’s own free will. To do something to obtain an indulgence is not a calculated act, but ultimately an act of trust in the absolute Mercy of God.

“In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God forgives our sins, which he truly blots out; and yet sin leaves a negative effect on the way we think and act. But the mercy of God is stronger even than this. It becomes indulgence on the part of the Father who, through the Bride of Christ, his Church, reaches the pardoned sinner and frees him from every residue left by the consequences of sin, enabling him to act with charity, to grow in love rather than to fall back into sin”.

Official hymn for the Jubilee of Mercy

Pope Francis' Jubilee explained

Penang Diocese Year of Mercy Message in English

By Rt Rev Bishop Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang Diocese

Penang Diocese Year of Mercy Message in Tamil

By Rt Rev Bishop Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang Diocese

Penang Diocese Year of Mercy Message in Bahasa Malaysia

By Rt Rev Bishop Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang Diocese

Penang Diocese Year of Mercy Message in Mandarin

By Rt Rev Bishop Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang Diocese

Official link to Vatican Jubilee of Mercy site

Do you know the steadfast love of the Lord?

Lamentations 3:22-23

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

God's love endures forever because he is a covenant-making God who keeps his promises (Psalm 89:2-4). God showed special favor to David when he anointed him to be king of Israel. After David had established peace in the land and wanted to build a house for God, God reassured him that he would build David a house, not made of stone but of flesh, that would last forever (2 Samuel 7:12,16). This royal house would be no ordinary dynasty because God himself promised to raise up an heir to David's house, another "man after God's own heart" - a Savior and King who would bring healing, pardon, and lasting peace for his people.

A new era of grace and salvation begins with the miraculous conception and birth of Jesus

We begin to see the fulfillment of this prophecy and the unfolding of God's plan of redemption in the events leading up to the Incarnation, the birth of the Messiah King. The new era of salvation begins with the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary. This child to be born is conceived by the gracious action of the Holy Spirit upon Mary, who finds favor with God (Luke 1:28). As Eve was the mother of all humanity doomed to sin, now Mary becomes the mother of the new Adam who will father a new humanity by his grace (Romans 5:12-21).

This child to be conceived in her womb is the fulfillment of all God's promises. He will be "great" and "Son of the Most High" and "King" and his name shall be called "Jesus" (Luke 1:31-32), which means "the Lord saves." "He will save his people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). The angel repeats to Mary, the daughter of the house of David, the promise made to King David: "The Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end" (2 Samuel 7:12-16, Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 1:32-33).

Mary believed God's word and gave her unqualified "yes" to God's will

How does Mary respond to the word of God delivered by the angel Gabriel? She knows she is hearing something beyond human capability. It will surely take a miracle which surpasses all that God has done previously. Her question, "how shall this be, since I have no husband" is not prompted by doubt or skepticism, but by wonderment! She is a true hearer of the Word and she immediately responds with faith and trust. Mary's prompt response of "yes" to the divine message is a model of faith for all believers. Mary believed God's promises even when they seemed impossible. She was full of grace because she trusted that what God said was true and would be fulfilled. She was willing and eager to do God's will, even if it seemed difficult or costly. Mary is the “mother of God” because God becomes incarnate when he takes on flesh in her womb. Jesus, whom the Father sent from heaven, is true God and true man.

God gives us the grace to say "yes" to his will and to his transforming work in our lives

When we pray the ancient Nicene Creed (325 AD) we state our confession of faith in this great mystery: "For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man." God gives us grace and he expects us to respond with the same willingness, obedience, and heartfelt trust as Mary did. When God commands he also gives the help, strength, and means to respond. We can either yield to his grace or resist and go our own way. Do you believe in God's promises and do you yield to his grace?

source: Don's Daily email ~ Kairos-EME

Dearest Mother Mary, hear my cries, intercede and pray with Jesus for me, forsake me not but have mercy on sinner like me

Dearest Mother Mary, you are highly favoured by God since your conception in your mother’s St. Anne’s womb to keep you free from all stain of original sin in preparation of you to be the mother of His only son Jesus Christ our Saviour. You are known of your miraculous intercession and prayer to Jesus, I and many have felt and received your miraculous power through Jesus having our petitions answered. Therefore, I who is currently going through storms in my life, and in need of your power intercession and prayer in overcoming the difficulties that I have been facing for several months which have become beyond my means and require urgent help. I have been diagnosed to be suffering from severe OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) whereby my sleep at night is disrupted over 600 times/8hours caused by obstruction of the upper airway (windpipe) when the throat muscles intermittently relax (repetitive pauses) and block my airway during sleep, despite the effort to breathe, and is usually associated with a reduction in blood oxygen saturation. And now I need to buy CPAP machine (continuous positive airway pressure) which cost RM5600~RM5800 to use every night to ensure my airways is always open for breathing. I am also have financial difficulties where I have backlogs with the banks and some people, which I unable solve due to the sum is huge and these people are chasing me each and every day, making me even more worried. Therefore, I put all my trust, hope and believe in the hands of God and your son Jesus, I know I am a sinner and may they show their mercy upon me, and do not let me be put to shame or disgrace but saved and restore me. Only miracle from Jesus by the will of the Father in Heaven can heal and provide for my solution to the above mess that I have caused in my life. I want and vow to change my ways and character for the better, by the help from Jesus and the Father through your intercession and prayer, dearest Mother Mary. As a human, I feel so hopeless, impossible, desperate and worried, I urgently need your miraculous intercession and prayer, which I truly believe will be answered, and the help needed soon come from Jesus with the will of Father. I am confident as whatever a mother asks of her son, he will not reject. Like during the wedding in Cana where Jesus perform His first miracle where when you said to Him the wine has run out, and He instructed the servant to filled the jars with water and miraculous change jars of water into wine. Jesus will always answer you mother Mary, do not forsake me but hear my cry for this urgent and desperate request, pray and intercede for me and all those who are also

in need of your aid. Amen.

ONLY a MIRACLE from the Lord can HELP me.
Send me Your angel Lord.
THIS IS NOT A SCAM, 

I am really going through hard times
and need urgent HELP.
MAY the Lord have MERCY on me.

If you have the Heart and Willing to Help, 

you may send me a email at

stanx4christ@gmail.com

and I will provide you with details

or

directly make your help available

through my PAYPAL link page.

Christmas (Nativity of the Lord) Prayer

Loving God, Help us remember the birth of Jesus, 

that we may share in the song of the angels, 

the gladness of the shepherds, 

and worship of the wise men.

Close the door of hate

and open the door of love all over the world. 

Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. 

Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,

and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.

May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children,

and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, 

forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

~ Robert Louis Stevenson ~

Christmas Prayer for those in sorrow of the recent death of a loved one

God of compassion, there is such a hole in my heart! Today should be a day of joy, but I feel only emptiness and loss. While the world celebrates around me, I remember Christmas celebrations of the past and I long to have my loved one with me. I bring my sorrows to you, Lord, like some odd gift of the magi and dump them at your feet. In my blind tears I wonder if anyone can possibly understand the depth of my sadness.

I know, you can. You sent your son to be with us in our deepest sorrows and I know that even though I might not feel it now, you are here with me, grieving with me, caring for me in my sadness. Dearest lord, help me to turn to the one I miss so much today and speak. Help me heal the loss of our parting and help me not to regret the things I didn't say. Sorrow tears at my heart, but today I ask that my loss soften my heart and make me more compassionate with everyone I meet, so that my loss may become a gift to others.. Amen.

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

~ Matthew 5:4 ~

Thank you, Lord, for the loved one you blessed my life with. Grant me now in my grief, a peace. Give me a comfort that might not make the tears go away, but that lets me feel your presence as you take up a place deep in my heart, with me.

Christmas Tree Blessing Prayer

Holy Creator of Trees,

bless with your abundant grace

this our Christmas tree as a symbol of joy.

May its evergreen branches be a sign

of your never-fading promises.

May its colorful lights and ornaments call us

to decorate with love our home and our world.

May the gifts that surround this tree

be symbols of the gifts we have received

from the Tree of Christ’s Cross.

Holy Christmas tree within our home,

may Joy and Peace come and nest 

in your branches and in our hearts. 

Amen.

~ Author Unknown ~

Merry Christmas 2015 to All

gif image source: BBCOWNSMYLIFE.TUMBLR.COM

“Jesus is the Reason for this Christmas Season”

“Behold... 

I bring you good tidings of great joy.” 

~ Luke 2:10 ~

Today in the town of David 

a Savior has been born to you: 

he is Christ the Lord. 

~ Luke 2:11 ~

And suddenly there was the angel, 

a multitude of the heavenly host, 

praising God and saying: 

“Glory to God in the highest.” 

~ Luke 2:13 ~

“She shall bring forth a son, 

and thou shall call His name Jesus; 

for He shall save 

His people from their sins.” 

~ Matthew 1:21

May the Christmas season 

fill your home with Joy, 

your heart with Love 

and your life with Peace.

gif image source: MINNIE-ON-FOCUS.TUMBLR.COM

Hope, Peace, Joy and Love this Christmas Season

gif image source: WWW.REDDIT.COM

HOPE

1 Peter 1:3-5

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

PEACE

1 Peter 3:10-12

For “He that would love life and see good days, let him keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking guile; let him turn away from evil and do right;let him seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those that do evil.”

JOY

1 Peter 1:6-9

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold which though perishable is tested by fire, may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Without having seen him you love him; though you do not now see him you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy. As the outcome of your faith you obtain the salvation of your souls.

LOVE

1 Peter 1:22-23

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere love of the brethren, love one another earnestly from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God;

The Nativity of the Lord (Christmas) ~ Daytime Mass ~ 25 December 2015

Matthew 1:21-23

she will bear a son, 

and you shall call his name Jesus, 

for he will save his people 

from their sins.”

All this took place to fulfil 

what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

“Behold, a virgin shall conceive 

and bear a son, 

and his name shall be called Emman′u-el”

Reading 1

Isaiah 52:7-10
How beautiful upon the mountains
are the feet of him who brings glad tidings,
announcing peace, bearing good news,
announcing salvation, and saying to Zion,
“Your God is King!”

Hark! Your sentinels raise a cry,
together they shout for joy,
for they see directly, before their eyes,
the LORD restoring Zion.
Break out together in song,
O ruins of Jerusalem!
For the LORD comforts his people,
he redeems Jerusalem.
The LORD has bared his holy arm
in the sight of all the nations;
all the ends of the earth will behold
the salvation of our God.


Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 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 saving power of God.
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 saving power of God.
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. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.
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. All the ends of the earth have seen the saving power of God.


Reading 2

Hebrews 1:1-6
Brothers and sisters:
In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways
to our ancestors through the prophets;
in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son,
whom he made heir of all things
and through whom he created the universe,
who is the refulgence of his glory,
the very imprint of his being,
and who sustains all things by his mighty word.
When he had accomplished purification from sins,
he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
as far superior to the angels
as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

For to which of the angels did God ever say:
You are my son; this day I have begotten you?
Or again:
I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me?
And again, when he leads the firstborn into the world, he says:
Let all the angels of God worship him.

Alleluia 
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A holy day has dawned upon us.
Come, you nations, and adore the Lord.
For today a great light has come upon the earth.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
A man named John was sent from God.
He came for testimony, to testify to the light,
so that all might believe through him.
He was not the light,
but came to testify to the light.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.
John testified to him and cried out, saying,
“This was he of whom I said,
‘The one who is coming after me ranks ahead of me
because he existed before me.’”
From his fullness we have all received,
grace in place of grace,
because while the law was given through Moses,
grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
No one has ever seen God.
The only Son, God, who is at the Father’s side,
has revealed him.

Or

John 1:1-5, 9-14

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things came to be through him,
and without him nothing came to be.
What came to be through him was life,
and this life was the light of the human race;
the light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.
He was in the world,
and the world came to be through him,
but the world did not know him.
He came to what was his own,
but his own people did not accept him.

But to those who did accept him
he gave power to become children of God,
to those who believe in his name,
who were born not by natural generation
nor by human choice nor by a man’s decision
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and made his dwelling among us,
and we saw his glory,
the glory as of the Father’s only Son,
full of grace and truth.