Mass Readings
Catholic Ireland
Liturgical Readings for : Monday, 13th January, 2025Léachtaí Gaeilge
Next Sunday's Readings
Monday, First Week in Ordinary Time, Cycle 1
Optional Memorial of St Hilary, bishop of Potiers and doctor of the Church.
Hilary was exiled or his beliefs by Emperor Canstantius, died c. 367
The letter to the Hebrews is really a homily rather than a letter with the message of forgiveness, courage, hope and challenge.
FIRST READING
A reading from the letter to the Hebrews 1:1-6
God has spoken to us through his Son.
At various times in the past and in various different ways, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our own time, the last days, he has spoken to us through his Son, the Son that he has appointed to inherit everything and through whom he made everything there is. He is the radiant light of God’s glory and the perfect copy of his nature, sustaining the universe by his powerful command; and now that he has destroyed the defilement of sin, he has gone to take his place in heaven at the right hand of divine Majesty. So he is now as far above the angels as the title which he has inherited is higher than their own name.
God has never said to any angel: You are my Son, today I have become your father;
or: I will be a father to him and he a son to me.
Again, when he brings the First-born into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 96
Response All you angels, worship the Lord.
1. The Lord is king, let earth rejoice, the many coastlands be glad.
Cloud and darkness are his raiment; his throne, justice and right. Response
2. The skies proclaim his justice; all peoples see his glory.
All you spirits, worship him. Response
3. For you indeed are the Lord most high above all the earth
exalted far above all spirits. Response
Gospel Acclamation Acts 16: 14
Alleluia, alleluia!
Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son.
Alleluia!
Or
Alleluia, alleluia!
The kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the Gospel according to Mark 1:14-20 Glory to you, O Lord
Repent, and believe the Good News.
After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God.
‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’
As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen.
And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men‘.
And at once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Gospel Reflection Monday, First Week in Ordinary Time Mark 1:14–20
(We have had four weeks of the season of Advent and two weeks of the season of Christmas. We are now in the first week of what is called Ordinary Time and we will remain in Ordinary Time until the beginning of the Season of Lent, Until then, we will be reading the gospel of Mark, chapter by chapter on weekdays.)
Today we read Mark’s account of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. There are two elements to the way Jesus begins his public ministry in today’s gospel reading. There is an announcement and a call or summons. Jesus’ announcement is referred to by Mark as ‘the Good News from God’. What is this ‘good news’ or ‘gospel’ that Jesus announces? It is the news that ‘the kingdom of God is close at hand’. God’s just and loving rule is present in Jesus. That remains the gospel for us today. God is not remote but is close at hand through Jesus, now risen Lord. God’s drawing near to us is to be welcomed as good news, because God draws near to bring us life, to deliver us from all that diminishes and damages us. Every day we live in the presence of this good news.
Following on his announcement of good news, Jesus issues a summons, a call, which is both general and particular. The general call is ‘repent and believe the Good News’. We are being called, all of us, to entrust ourselves to this good news, to turn towards the God who is drawing near to us, which will often mean turning away from what blocks us from God, what we call sin. The particular call is addressed to four fishermen, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of people’. In other words, share with me in announcing my good news to others. This particular call is also addressed to each one of us. Each in our own way are called to be heralds of the good news that God has drawn near to us. Our whole way of being is to proclaim God’s life giving love for all in practical and concrete ways. That is what it means to be a follower of Jesus.
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The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 1966 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and used with the permission of the publishers. http://dltbooks.com/
The Scripture Reflection is available with our thanks from Reflections on the Weekday Readings : Your word is a lamp for my feet and light for my path by Martin Hogan and published by Messenger Publications c/f www.messenger.ie/bookshop/
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