Mass Readings
Catholic Ireland
Liturgical Readings for : Sunday, 29th December, 2024Léachtaí Gaeilge
Next Sunday's Readings
Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Feast, Year C
Sunday within the Octave of Christmas
FIRST READING
A reading from the first book of the Prophet Samuel 1:20-22 24-28
Samuel is made over to the Lord for the whole of his life.
Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son, whom she called him Samuel, ‘since’, she said, ‘I asked the Lord for him.’
When a year had gone the husband Elkanah, went up again with all his family to offer the annual sacrifice to the Lord and to fulfil his vow. Hannah, however did not go up, having said to her husband,
‘Not before the child has been weaned. Then I shall bring him and present him before the Lord 
and he shall stay there for ever.’
When she had weaned him, she took him up with her together with a three-year-old bull, an ephah of flour and a skin of wine, and she brought him to the Temple of the Lord at Shiloh; the child was with them. They slaughtered the bull and led the child’s mother came to Eli She said,
‘If you please, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who stood beside you here, praying to the Lord. This is the child for which I prayed for, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. Now I make him over to the Lord for the whole of his life. He is made over to the Lord’ .
There she left him, for the Lord
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 83: 2-3, 5-6, 9-10 Rv v5
Response: They are happy who dwell in you house O Lord
How lovely is your dwelling place , Lord God of Hosts.
My soul is longing and yearning, yearning for the courts of the Lord.
My heart and my soul ring out their joy, To God the living God. Response
They are happy, who dwell in you house forever singing your praise.
They are happy, whose strength is in you. They walk with ever growing strength. Response
O Lord , God of hosts, hear my prayer, give ear O God of Jacob.
Turn your eyes, O god, our shield, look on the face of your anointed. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of St John 3:1-2, 21-24
We are called God’s children, and that is what we are.
Think of the love the Father has lavished on us,
by letting us be called God’s children and that is what we are!
Because the world refused to acknowledge him, therefore does not acknowledge us.
My dear people, we are already the children of God for that is what we are;
but what we shall be in the future has not yet been revealed,
all we know is, when it is revealed we shall be like him as he really is.
My dear people, if we cannot be condemned our own conscience,
we need not be afraid in God’s presence us, and whatever we ask we shall receive ,
because we keep his commandments and live the kind of Life that he wants.
His commandments are these; that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ
and that we love one another as he told us to.
Whoever keeps his commandments lives in God, and God lives in him.
We know that he lives in us by the Spirit he has given us.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, Alleluia
Open our heart, O Lord to accept the words of your Son
Alleluia
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 2:41-52 Glory to you, O Lord
Every year the parents of Jesus used to go to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up for the feast as usual. When they were on their way home after the feast, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem without his parents knowing it. They assumed he was with the caravan, and it was only after a day’s journey that they went to look for him among their relations and acquaintances. When they failed to find him they went back to Jerusalem looking for him everywhere.
Three days later, they found him in the Temple, sitting among the doctors, listening to them, and asking them questions; and all those who heard him were astounded at his intelligence and his replies. They were overcome when they saw him, and his mother said to him,
“My child, why have you done this to us? See how worried your father and I have been, looking for you.”
“Why were you looking for me?” he replied. “Did you not know that I must be busy with my Father’s affairs?” But they did not understand what he meant.
He then went down with them and came to Nazareth and lived under their authority. His mother stored up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom, in stature, and in favour with God and men.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
____________________
Alternate readings
FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6. 12-14
He who fears the Lord, respects his parents
The Lord honours the father in his children,
and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons.
Whoever respects his father is atoning for his sins,
he who honours his mother is like someone amassing a fortune.
Whoever respects his father will be happy with children of his own,
he shall be heard on the day when he prays.
Long life comes to him who honours his father,
he who sets his mother at ease is showing obedience to the Lord.
My son, support your father in his old age, do not grieve him during his life.
Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy, do not despise him in your health and strength;
for kindness to a father shall not be forgotten but will serve as reparation for your sins.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm 127:1-5 R/v 1
Response O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!
- O 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 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
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians 3:12-21
Family life in the Lord
You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion,
in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins.
The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body.
Always be thankful.
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, give way to your husbands, as you should in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives and treat them with gentleness.
Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. Parents, never drive your children to resentment or you will make them feel frustrated.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation Col 3:15-16
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, let the message of Christ find a home in you.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 2:22-40 Glory to you, O Lord
The child grew, filled with wisdom.
When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord — observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord — and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked 
forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:
‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace, just as you promised;
because my eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see,
a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel.’
As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected — and a sword will pierce your own soul too — so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’
There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.
When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
*******************************************************************
Alternative readings
12-31-2026 Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, Feast, Year B
Liturgical note: There are alternative 1st and 2nd Readings. below 1st reading Genesis 15:1-6, 221:1-3 and 2nd reading Hebrews 18:11-12
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-3
Your heir shall be your own flesh and blood.
It happened some time later that the word of the Lord was spoken to Abram in a vision,
‘Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great.‘
‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘what do you intend to give me? I go childless…’ Then Abram said, ‘See, you have given me no descendants; some man of my household will be my heir’.
And then this word of the Lord was spoken to him,
‘He shall not be your heir; your heir shall be of your own flesh and blood’.
Then taking him outside he said, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.
The Lord dealt kindly with Sarah as he had said, and did what he had promised her. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the time God had promised.
The Word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 104:1-6. 8-9, R7-8
Response He, the Lord, is our God: his judgments prevail in all the earth.
1. Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name, make known his deeds among the peoples.
O sing to him, sing his praise; tell all his wonderful works! Response
2. Be proud of his holy name, let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice.
Consider the Lord and his strength; constantly seek his face. Response
3.Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, the judgments he spoke.
O children of Abraham, his servant, O sons of the Jacob he chose. Response
4. He remembers his covenant for ever,
his promise for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter to the Hebrews 18, 11-12, 17-19
The faith of Abraham, Sarah and Issac.
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going.
It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore.
It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though the promises had been made to him and he had been told: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
***********************
Alternate year’s gospels
GOSPEL Year A
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 2:13-15. 19-23 Glory to you, O Lord
Take the child and his mother and escape into Egypt
After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him’.
So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him left that night or Egypt, where they stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:
I called my son out of Egypt.’
After Herod’s death, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said,
‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead’. So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel. But when he learnt that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as ruler of Judaea he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he left for the region of Galilee. There he settled in a town called Nazareth.
In this way the words spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled:
‘He will be called a Nazarene.’
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
For homily resources for this Sunday’s Gospel click here: https://www.catholicireland.net/sunday-homily/
*****************************************
Scripture Reflection: 31th Dec., Feast of the Holy Family Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23
The picture that Matthew gives us of the family of Mary, Joseph and Jesus in our gospel reading is of a family that endured a series of displacements. Living in Bethlehem, they had to travel to Egypt to protect themselves from the murderous intent of King Herod. The death of Herod seemed like the moment to return home from Egypt to Bethlehem. However, Herod’s son, Archelaus became ruler of Judea, where Bethlehem was located, and as he did not seem a better prospect than his father Herod, the family were had to move further north to Galilee, to the little village of Nazareth, beyond the territory of Archelaus.
Here was a family on the move, trying desperately to find a place where they could live their lives in peace. It is a story that has a very familiar ring to it in these times. We have seen on our television screens so many people forced to leave their homes for their own safety and having to set out in search of a more peaceful environment where they can rear their families without living in fear all the time. When we hear the term ‘holy family’, it might suggest to us a family that is somewhat removed from the struggles of normal family living. Matthew’s portrait of this family in our gospel reading suggests otherwise.
Here was a family that was very familiar with what Shakespeare called ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’. Yet, Matthew suggests that here was also a family that was open to God’s presence in the midst of all their suffering, loss and displacement. Joseph, in particular, is portrayed as seeking the Lord in all his trials and discovering the Lord’s presence and guidance in the harsh realities of life. At one level the journeys from Bethlehem to Egypt and from Egypt to Nazareth was forced on them by political circumstances, but the evangelist Matthew suggests that at another, deeper, level, it was travelled in response to the Lord’s guidance and prompting. Joseph believed that their journey to Egypt and then to Galilee was at the Lord’s directing.
The holiness of this family consists in their faithfulness, their openness to the Lord even in those circumstances which might have suggested that the Lord had abandoned them. Their relationship with the Lord remained the primary relationship in their lives, even when they seemed to be moving from one dark valley to another. This is a family who inspires and encourages us to keep faith in the Lord, to keep our focus on him at all times, including those times when so much seems to be taken from us.
*********************
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 2022-2023: 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/
____________________________________________________
YEAR A: 2023 AD
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Ecclesiasticus 3:2-6. 12-14
He who fears the Lord respects his parents.
The Lord honours the father in his children,
and upholds the rights of a mother over her sons.
Whoever respects his father is atoning for his sins,
he who honours his mother is like someone amassing a fortune.
Whoever respects his father will be happy with children of his own,
he shall be heard on the day when he prays.
Long life comes to him who honours his father,
he who sets his mother at ease is showing obedience to the Lord.
My son, support your father in his old age,
do not grieve him during his life.
Even if his mind should fail, show him sympathy,
do not despise him in your health and strength;
for kindness to a father shall not be forgotten
but will serve as reparation for your sins.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 127:1-5 Rv1
Response: O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!
1. O 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
2 Your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
your children like shoots of the olive,
around your table. Response
3 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
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians 3:12-21
Family Life in the Lord.
You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and 
complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.
Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him
Wives, give way to your husbands, as you should in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and treat them with gentleness. Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. Parents, never drive your children to resentment or you will make them feel frustrated.
The word of the Lord
Gospel Acclamation Col.3:15,16
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts;
let the message of Christ find a home in you.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 2:22-40
The child grew, filled with wisdom.
When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord — observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord — and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:
‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,
just as you promised;
because my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared for all the nations to see,
a light to enlighten the pagans
and the glory of your people Israel.’
As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected — and a sword will pierce your own soul too — so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’
There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.
When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
_______________________________
Shorter form of this Gospel
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 2:22. 39-40
The child grew, filled with wisdom.
When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Taken from THE JERUSALEM BIBLE, published and copyright 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House Inc, and used by permission of the publishers.
_________________________
*****************************
(Year B: 2026 AD)
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Genesis 15:1-6, 21:1-3
Your heir shall be your own flesh and blood.
It happened some time later that the word of the Lord was spoken to Abram in a vision, ‘Have no fear, Abram, I am your shield; your reward will be very great.’
‘My Lord,’ Abram replied ‘what do you intend to give me? I go childless…’ Then Abram said, ‘See, you have given me no descendants; some man of my household will be my heir’. And then this word of the Lord was spoken to him, ‘He shall not be your heir; your heir shall be of your own flesh and blood’. Then taking him outside he said, ‘Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants’ he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.
The Lord dealt kindly with Sarah as he had said, and did what he had promised her. So Sarah conceived and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the time God had promised.
The Word of the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 104:1-6. 8-9, R7-8
Response He, the Lord, is our God: his judgments prevail in all the earth.
1. Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name,
make known his deeds among the peoples. Response
O sing to him, sing his praise;
tell all his wonderful works!
2. Be proud of his holy name,
let the hearts that seek the Lord rejoice. Response
Consider the Lord and his strength;
constantly seek his face.
3.Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, the judgments he spoke.
O children of Abraham, his servant,
O sons of the Jacob he chose. Response
4. He remembers his covenant for ever,
his promise for a thousand generations,
the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the letter to the Hebrews 18, 11-12, 17-19
The faith of Abraham, Sarah and Issac.
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed the call to set out for a country that was the inheritance given to him and his descendants, and that he set out without knowing where he was going.
It was equally by faith that Sarah, in spite of being past the age, was made able to conceive, because she believed that he who had made the promise would be faithful to it. •Because of this, there came from one man, and one who was already as good as dead himself, more descendants than could be counted, as many as the stars of heaven or the grains of sand on the seashore.
It was by faith that Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He offered to sacrifice his only son even though the promises had been made to him and he had been told: It is through Isaac that your name will be carried on. He was confident that God had the power even to raise the dead; and so, figuratively speaking, he was given back Isaac from the dead.
The Word of the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation Col.3:15,16
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts;
let the message of Christ find a home in you.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 2:22-40
The child grew, filled with wisdom.
When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord — observing what stands written in the Law of the Lord: Every first-born male must be consecrated to the Lord — and also to offer in sacrifice, in accordance with what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons. Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to Israel’s comforting and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Prompted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the Law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God; and he said:
‘Now, Master, you can let your servant go in peace,
just as you promised;
because my eyes have seen the salvation
which you have prepared for all the nations to see,
a light to enlighten the pagans
and the glory of your people Israel.’
As the child’s father and mother stood there wondering at the things that were being said about him, Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘You see this child: he is destined for the fall and for the rising of many in Israel, destined to be a sign that is rejected — and a sword will pierce your own soul too — so that the secret thoughts of many may be laid bare.’
There was a prophetess also, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was well on in years. Her days of girlhood over, she had been married for seven years before becoming a widow. She was now eighty-four years old and never left the Temple, serving God night and day with fasting and prayer. She came by just at that moment and began to praise God; and she spoke of the child to all who looked forward to the deliverance of Jerusalem.
When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
_______________________________
or Shorter form of this Gospel 2020
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 2:22. 39-40
The child grew, filled with wisdom.
When the day came for them to be purified as laid down by the Law of Moses, the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.
When they had done everything the Law of the Lord required, they went back to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. Meanwhile the child grew to maturity, and he was filled with wisdom; and God’s favour was with him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
***************
Alternative Gospel for Year A
GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 2:13-15. 19-23
Take the child and his mother and escape into Egypt
After the wise men had left, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you, and escape into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, because Herod intends to search for the child and do away with him’.
So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him left that night or Eypt, where they stayed until Herod was dead. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:I called my son out of Egypt.’
After Herod’s death, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother with you and go back to the land of Israel, for those who wanted to kill the child are dead’. So Joseph got up and, taking the child and his mother with him, went back to the land of Israel. But when he learnt that Archelaus had succeeded his father Herod as ruler of Judaea he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he left for the region of Galilee. There he settled in a town called Nazareth. In this way the words spoken through the prophets were to be fulfilled:
‘He will be called a Nazarene.’
Wives, give way to your husbands, as you should in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and treat them with gentleness. Children, be obedient to your parents always, because that is what will please the Lord. Parents, never drive your children to resentment or you will make them feel frustrated.
The Gospel of the Lord