| First Reading 1 Genesis 1:26-28. 31 |
A reading from the book of Genesis 1:26-28. 31
Male and female he created them.
God said, ‘Let us make man in our own image, in the likeness of ourselves, and let them be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven, the cattle, all the wild beasts and all the reptiles that crawl upon the earth.’ God created man in the image of himself, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them. God blessed them, saying to them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and conquer it. Be masters of the fish of the sea, the birds of heaven and all living animals on the earth.’ God saw all he had made, and indeed it was very good.
This is the word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 32:12. 18.20-22. B! v.5
Response: The Lord fills the earth with his love.
- They are happy, whose God is the Lord,
the people he has chosen as his own.
The Lord looks on those who revere him,
on those who hope in his love. Response - Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
The Lord is our help and our shield.
In him do our hearts find joy.
We trust in his holy name. Response - May your love be upon us, 0 Lord,
as we place all our hope in you. Response
| First Reading 2 Genesis 2:18-24 |
A reading from the book of Genesis 2:18-24
They become one body.
The Lord God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone. I will make him a helpmate.’ So from the soil the Lord God fashioned all the wild beasts and all the birds of heaven. These he brought to the man to see what he would call them; each one was to bear the name the man would give it. The man gave names to all the cattle, all the birds of heaven and all the wild beasts. But no helpmate suitable for man was found for him. So the Lord God made the man fall into a deep sleep. And while he slept, he took one of his ribs and enclosed it in flesh. The Lord God built the rib he had taken from the man into a woman, and brought her to the man. The man exclaimed:
‘This at last is bone from my bones, and flesh from my flesh! This is to be called woman, for this was taken from man.’ This is why a man leaves his father and mother and joins himself I to his wife, and they become one body.
This is the word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 148:1-4. 9-14. ij’v.12
Response: Praise the name of the Lord.
or
Response: Alleluia!
- Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his host. Response - Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, shining stars.
Praise him, highest heavens
and the waters above the heavens. Response - All mountains and hills,
all fruit trees and cedars,
beasts, wild and tame,
reptiles and birds on the wing. Response - All earth’s kings and peoples,
earth’s princes and rulers:
young men and maidens,
old men together with children.
Response - Let them praise the name of the Lord
for he alone is exalted.
The splendour of his name
reaches beyond heaven and earth. Response
| First Reading 3 Genesis 24:48-51. 58-67 |
A reading from the book of Genesis 24:48-51. 58-67
Isaac loved Rebekah, and so he was consoled for the loss of his mother.
Abraham’s servant said to Laban, ‘I blessed the Lord, God of my master Abraham, who had so graciously led me to choose the daughter of my master’s brother for his son. Now tell me whether you are prepared to show kindness and goodness to my master; if not, say so, and I shall know what to do.’
Laban and Bethuel replied, ‘This is from the Lord; it is not in our power to say yes or no to you. Rebekah is there before you. Take her and go; and let her become the wife of your master’s son, as the Lord has decreed.’ They called Rebekah and asked her, ‘Do you want to leave with this man?’ ‘I do,’ she replied. Accordingly they let their sister Rebekah go, with her nurse, and Abraham’s servant and his men. They blessed Rebekah in these words:
‘Sister of ours, increase to thousands and tens of thousands!
May your descendants gain possession of the gates of their enemies!’
Rebekah and her servants stood up, mounted the camels, and followed the man. The servant took Rebekah and departed. Isaac, who lived in the Negeb, had meanwhile come into the wilderness of the well of Lahai Roi. Now Isaac went walking in the fields as evening fell, and looking up saw camels approaching. And Rebecca looked up and saw Isaac. She jumped down from her camel, and asked the servant ‘Who is that man walking through the fields to meet us? The servant replied, ‘That is my master’; then she took her veil and hid her face. The servant told Isaac the whole story, and Isaac led Rebecca to his tent and made her his wife; and he loved her. And so Isaac was consoled for the loss of his mother.
This is the word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 144:8-10.15.17-18. Btv.9
Response: “How good is the Lord to all.
- The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, bounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all,
Compassionate to all his creatures. Response - All your creatures shall thank you, 0 Lord,
And your friends shall repeat their blessing.
The eyes of all creatures look to you
And you give them their food in due time. Response - The Lord is just in all his ways
and loving in all his deeds.
He is close to all who call him,
Who call on him from their hearts. Response
| First Reading 4 Song of Songs 2:8-10.14.16; 8:6-7 |
A reading from the Song of Songs 2:8-10.14.16; 8:6-7
Love is strong as Death.
I hear my Beloved.
See how he comes
leaping on the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
My Beloved is like a gazelle,
like a young stag.
See where he stands
behind our wall.
He looks in at the window,
he peers through the lattice.
My Beloved lifts up his voice,
he says to me,
‘Come then, my love,
my lovely one, come.
My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock.
In the coverts of the cliff,
show me your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet
and your face is beautiful.’
My beloved is mine and I am his.
Set me like a seal on your heart,
like a seal on your arm.
For love is strong as Death,
jealousy relentless as Sheol. The flash of it is a flash of fire,
a flame of the Lord himself.
Love no flood can quench,
no torrents drown.
This is the word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 127:1-5.
Response: O blessed are those who fear the Lord!
or
Response: Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord.
- Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!
By the labour of your hands you shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper. Response - Your wife will be like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house;
your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table. Response - Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life! Response
| First Reading 5 Jeremiah 31:31-34 |
A reading from the prophet Jeremiah 31:31-34
I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the House of Judah.
See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks – when I will make a new covenant with the House of Israel and the House of Judah, but not a covenant like the one I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. No, this is the covenant I will make with the House of Israel when those days arrive – it is the Lord who speaks. Deep within them I will plant my Law, writing it on their hearts. Then I will be their God and they shall be my people. There will be no further need for neighbour to try to teach neighbour, or brother to say to brother, ‘Learn to know the Lord!’ No, they will all know me, the least no less than the greatest it is the Lord who speaks.
This is the word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 111:1-9.
Response: Happy the man who takes delight in the Lord’s commands.
or
Alleluia!
- Happy the man who fears the Lord,
who takes delight in his commands.
His sons will be powerful on earth; .
the children of the upright are blessed. Response - Riches and wealth are in his house;
his justice stands firm for ever.
He is a light in the darkness for the upright:
he is generous, merciful and just. Response - The good man takes pity and lends,
he conducts his affairs with honour.
The just man will never waver:
he will be remembered for ever. Response - He has no fear of evil news;
with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
With a steadfast heart he will not fear;
he will see the downfall of his foes. Response - Open-handed, he gives to the poor;
his justice stands firm for ever.
His head, will be raised in glory. Response
| First Reading 6 Proverbs (31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31) |
A reading from the book of Proverbs (31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31)
The truly capable woman – who can find her?
She is far beyond the price of pearls.
Her husband’s heart has confidence in her,
from her he will derive no little profit.
Advantage and not hurt she brings him
all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax,
she does her work with eager hands.
She sets her hands to the distaff,
her fingers grasp the spindle.
She holds out her hands to the poor,
she opens her arms to the needy.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty:
Give her a share in what her hands have worked for,
and let her works tell her praises at the city gates.
This is the word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 127:1-5,
Response: O blessed are those who fear the Lord!
- Blessed are those who fear the Lord
and walk in his ways!
by the labour of your hands your shall eat.
You will be happy and prosper. Response - Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house:
your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table. Response - Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the lord.
May the lord bless you from Zion
all the days of your life! Response
