December 8, 2014

Reading

A Reading From the Book of Genesis     3: 9-15, 20

3:9	And the Lord God called Adam and said to him: “Where are you?”
3:10	And he said, “I heard your voice in Paradise, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and so I hid myself.”
3:11	He said to him, “Then who told you that you were naked, if you have not eaten of the tree from which I instructed you that you should not eat?”
3:12	And Adam said, “The woman, whom you gave to me as a companion, gave to me from the tree, and I ate.”
3:13	And the Lord God said to the woman, “Why have you done this?” And she responded, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
3:14	And the Lord God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you are cursed among all living things, even the wild beasts of the earth. Upon your breast shall you travel, and the ground shall you eat, all the days of your life.
3:15	I will put enmities between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring. She will crush your head, and you will lie in wait for her heel.”
3:20	And Adam called the name of his wife, ‘Eve,’ because she was the mother of all the living.

Second Reading

The Letter of  Saint Paul to the Ephesians   1: 3-6, 11-12

1:3	Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ,
1:4	just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and immaculate in his sight, in charity.
1:5	He has predestined us to adoption as sons, through Jesus Christ, in himself, according to the purpose of his will,
1:6	for the praise of the glory of his grace, with which he has gifted us in his beloved Son.
1:11	In him, we too are called to our portion, having been predestined in accord with the plan of the One who accomplishes all things by the counsel of his will.
1:12	So may we be, to the praise of his glory, we who have hoped beforehand in Christ.

Gospel

The Holy Gospel According to Luke   1: 26-38

1:26	Then, in the sixth month, the Angel Gabriel was sent by God, to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,
1:27	to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the name of the virgin was Mary.
1:28	And upon entering, the Angel said to her: “Hail, full of grace. The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women.”
1:29	And when she had heard this, she was disturbed by his words, and she considered what kind of greeting this might be.
1:30	And the Angel said to her: “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found grace with God.
1:31	Behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and you shall bear a son, and you shall call his name: JESUS.
1:32	He will be great, and he will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. And he will reign in the house of Jacob for eternity.
1:33	And his kingdom shall have no end.”
1:34	Then Mary said to the Angel, “How shall this be done, since I do not know man?”
1:35	And in response, the Angel said to her: “The Holy Spirit will pass over you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. And because of this also, the Holy One who will be born of you shall be called the Son of God.
1:36	And behold, your cousin Elizabeth has herself also conceived a son, in her old age. And this is the sixth month for her who is called barren.
1:37	For no word will be impossible with God.”
1:38	Then Mary said: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let it be done to me according to your word.” And the Angel departed from her.