Category: Daily Readings

  • January 10, 2012, Reading

    The First Book of Samuel   1: 1-8

    1:1 There was a certain man from Ramah of Zophim, on Mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
    1:2 And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the second was Peninnah. And Peninnah had sons. But Hannah did not have children.
    1:3 And this man went up from his city, on the established days, so that he might adore and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests of the Lord, were in that place.
    1:4 Then the day arrived, and Elkanah immolated. And he gave portions to his wife Peninnah, and to all her sons and daughters.
    1:5 But to Hannah he gave one portion with sorrow. For he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb.
    1:6 And her rival afflicted her and vehemently distressed her, to a great extent, for she rebuked her that the Lord had closed her womb.
    1:7 And she did so every year, when the time returned for them to ascend to the temple of the Lord. And she provoked her in this way. And so, she wept and did not take food.
    1:8 Therefore, her husband Elkanah said to her: “Hannah, why are you weeping? And why do you not eat? And for what reason do you afflict your heart? Am I not better to you than ten sons?”
  • January 9, 2012, Gospel

    The Acts of the Apostles   10: 34-38

    10:34 Then, Peter, opening his mouth, said: “I have concluded in truth that God is not a respecter of persons.
    10:35 But within every nation, whoever fears him and works justice is acceptable to him.
    10:36 God sent the Word to the sons of Israel, announcing the peace through Jesus Christ, for he is the Lord of all.
    10:37 You know that the Word has been made known throughout all Judea. For beginning from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached,
    10:38 Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power, traveled around doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil. For God was with him.
  • January 9, 2012, Reading

    The Book of the Prophet Isaiah   42: 1-4, 6-7

    42:1 Behold my servant, I will uphold him, my elect, with him my soul is well-pleased. I have sent my Spirit upon him. He will offer judgment to the nations.
    42:2 He will not cry out, and he will not show favoritism to anyone; neither will his voice be heard abroad.
    42:3 The bruised reed he will not break, and the smoldering wick he will not extinguish. He will lead forth judgment unto truth.
    42:4 He will not be saddened or troubled, until he establishes judgment on earth. And the islands will await his law.
    42:6 I, the Lord, have called you in justice, and I have taken your hand and preserved you. And I have presented you as a covenant of the people, as a light to the Gentiles,
    42:7 so that you may open the eyes of the blind, and lead out the prisoner from confinement and those sitting in darkness from the house of incarceration.
  • January 8, 2012, Gospel

    The Holy Gospel According to Matthew   2: 1-12

    2:1 And so, when Jesus had been born in Bethlehem of Judah, in the days of king Herod, behold, Magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem,
    2:2 saying: “Where is he who was born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, and we have come to adore him.”
    2:3 Now king Herod, hearing this, was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.
    2:4 And gathering together all the leaders of the priests, and the scribes of the people, he consulted with them as to where the Christ would be born.
    2:5 And they said to him: “In Bethlehem of Judea. For so it has been written by the prophet:
    2:6 ‘And you, Bethlehem, the land of Judah, are by no means least among the leaders of Judah. For from you shall go forth the ruler who shall guide my people Israel.’ ”
    2:7 Then Herod, quietly calling the Magi, diligently learned from them the time when the star appeared to them.
    2:8 And sending them into Bethlehem, he said: “Go and diligently ask questions about the boy. And when you have found him, report back to me, so that I, too, may come and adore him.”
    2:9 And when they had heard the king, they went away. And behold, the star that they had seen in the east went before them, even until, arriving, it stood still above the place where the child was.
    2:10 Then, seeing the star, they were gladdened by a very great joy.
    2:11 And entering the home, they found the boy with his mother Mary. And so, falling prostrate, they adored him. And opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
    2:12 And having received a response in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back by another way to their own region.
  • January 8, 2012, Second Reading

    The Letter of Saint Paul to the Ephesians   3: 2-3, 5-6

    2:2 in which you walked in times past, according to the age of this world, according to the prince of the power of this sky, the spirit who now works in the sons of distrust.
    2:3 And we too were all conversant in these things, in times past, by the desires of our flesh, acting according to the will of the flesh and according to our own thoughts. And so we were, by nature, sons of wrath, even like the others.
    2:5 even when we were dead in our sins, has enlivened us together in Christ, by whose grace you have been saved.
    2:6 And he has raised us up together, and he has caused us to sit down together in the heavens, in Christ Jesus,
  • January 8, 2012, First Reading

    The Book of the Prophet Isaiah   60: 1-6

    60:1 Rise up to be illuminated, O Jerusalem! For your light has arrived, and the glory of the Lord has risen over you.
    60:2 For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and thick darkness will cover the peoples. Then the Lord will rise above you, and his glory will be seen in you.
    60:3 And the nations will walk in your light, and the kings will walk by the splendor of your rising.
    60:4 Lift up your eyes all around and see! All these have been gathered together; they have arrived before you. Your sons will arrive from far away, and your daughters will rise up from your side.
    60:5 Then you will see, and you will overflow, and your heart will be amazed and expanded. When the multitude of the sea will have been converted to you, the strength of the nations will approach you.
    60:6 A multitude of camels will inundate you: the dromedaries from Midian and Ephah. All those from Sheba will arrive, carrying gold and frankincense, and announcing praise to the Lord.
  • January 7, 2012, Gospel

    The Holy Gospel According to John   2: 1-11

    2:1 And on the third day, a wedding was held in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there.
    2:2 Now Jesus was also invited to the wedding, with his disciples.
    2:3 And when the wine was failing, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.”
    2:4 And Jesus said to her: “What is that to me and to you, woman? My hour has not yet arrived.”
    2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
    2:6 Now in that place, there were six stone water jars, for the purification ritual of the Jews, containing two or three measures each.
    2:7 Jesus said to them, “Fill the water jars with water.” And they filled them to the very top.
    2:8 And Jesus said to them, “Now draw from it, and carry it to the chief steward of the feast.” And they took it to him.
    2:9 Then, when the chief steward had tasted the water made into wine, since he did not know where it was from, for only the servants who had drawn the water knew, the chief steward called the groom,
    2:10 and he said to him: “Every man offers the good wine first, and then, when they have become inebriated, he offers what is worse. But you have kept the good wine until now.”
    2:11 This was the beginning of the signs that Jesus accomplished in Cana of Galilee, and it manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.
  • January 7, 2012, Reading

    The First Letter of St. John   5: 14-21

    5:14 And this is the confidence which we have toward God: that no matter what we shall request, in accord with his will, he hears us.
    5:15 And we know that he hears us, no matter what we request; so we know that we can obtain the things that we request of him.
    5:16 Anyone who realizes that his brother has sinned, with a sin that is not unto death, let him pray, and life shall be given to him who has sinned not unto death. There is a sin which is unto death. I am not saying that anyone should ask on behalf of that sin.
    5:17 All that is iniquity is sin. But there is a sin unto death.
    5:18 We know that everyone who is born of God does not sin. Instead, rebirth in God preserves him, and the evil one cannot touch him.
    5:19 We know that we are of God, and that the entire world is established in wickedness.
    5:20 And we know that the Son of God has arrived, and that he has given us understanding, so that we may know the true God, and so that we may remain in his true Son. This is the true God, and this is Eternal Life.
    5:21 Little sons, keep yourselves from false worship. Amen.
  • January 6, 2012, Reading

    The First Letter St. John   5: 5-13

    5:5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God!
    5:6 This is the One who came by water and blood: Jesus Christ. Not by water only, but by water and blood. And the Spirit is the One who testifies that the Christ is the Truth.
    5:7 For there are Three who give testimony in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. And these Three are One.
    5:8 And there are three who give testimony on earth: the Spirit, and the water, and the blood. And these three are one.
    5:9 If we accept the testimony of men, then the testimony of God is greater. For this is the testimony of God, which is greater: that he has testified about his Son.
    5:10 Whoever believes in the Son of God, holds the testimony of God within himself. Whoever does not believe in the Son, makes him a liar, because he does not believe in the testimony which God has testified about his Son.
    5:11 And this is the testimony which God has given to us: Eternal Life. And this Life is in his Son.
    5:12 Whoever has the Son, has Life. Whoever does not have the Son, does not have Life.
    5:13 I am writing this to you, so that you may know that you have Eternal Life: you who believe in the name of the Son of God.
  • January 6, 2012, Gospel

    The Holy Gospel According to Luke   1: 7-11

    1:7 And he preached, saying: “One stronger than me comes after me. I am not worthy to reach down and loosen the laces of his shoes.
    1:8 I have baptized you with water. Yet truly, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
    1:9 And it happened that, in those days, Jesus arrived from Nazareth of Galilee. And he was baptized by John in the Jordan.
    1:10 And immediately, upon ascending from the water, he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit, like a dove, descending, and remaining with him.
    1:11 And there was a voice from heaven: “You are my beloved Son; in you I am well pleased.”