First Reading

Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7 (JB)

A reading from the book of Genesis

Creation of our first parents, and sin.

The Lord God fashioned man of dust from the soil. Then he breathed into his nostrils a breath of life, and thus man became a living being.

The Lord God planted a garden in Eden which is in the east, and there he put the man he had fashioned. The Lord God caused to spring up from the soil every kind of tree, enticing to look at and good to eat, with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden.

The serpent was the most subtle of all the wild beasts that the Lord God had made. It asked the woman, ‘Did God really say you were not to eat from any of the trees in the garden?’ The woman answered the serpent, ‘We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden. But of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, “You must not eat it, nor touch it, under pain of death”.’ Then the serpent said to the woman, ‘No! You will not die! God knows in fact that on the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.’ The woman saw that the tree was good to eat and pleasing to the eye, and that it was desirable for the knowledge that it could give. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. She gave some also to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they realised that they were naked. So they sewed fig-leaves together to make themselves loin-cloths.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Genesis

The Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground,

and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life;

and the man became a living being.

And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east;

and there he put the man whom he had formed.

Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow

every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food,

the tree of life also in the midst of the garden,

and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal

that the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God say,

‘You shall not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

The woman said to the serpent,

“We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden;

but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree

that is in the middle of the garden,

nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.'”

But the serpent said to the woman,

“You will not die;

for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened,

and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food,

and that it was a delight to the eyes,

and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise,

she took of its fruit and ate;

and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her,

and he ate.

Then the eyes of both were opened,

and they knew that they were naked;

and they sewed fig leaves together

and made loincloths for themselves.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 50:3-6, 12-14, 17 (JB)

R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.

In your compassion blot out my offence.

O wash me more and more from my guilt

and cleanse me from my sin. R.

My offences truly I know them;

my sin is always before me.

Against you, you alone, have I sinned;

what is evil in your sight I have done. R.

A pure heart create for me, O God,

put a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me away from your presence,

nor deprive me of your holy spirit. R.

Give me again the joy of your help;

with a spirit of fervour sustain me.

O Lord, open my lips

and my mouth shall declare your praise. R.

Second Reading

Romans 5:12, 17-19 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

Where sin increased, there grace abounded all the more.

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man’s fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man’s fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Romans 5:12-19 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

Where sin increased, there grace abounded all the more.

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of ‘law-breaking’, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.

Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift. The results of the gift also outweigh the results of one man’s sin: for after one single fall came judgement with a verdict of condemnation, now after many falls comes grace with its verdict of acquittal. If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man’s fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man’s fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Romans 5:12-19 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

Just as sin came into the world through one man,

and death came through sin,

so death spread to all, because all have sinned.

Sin was indeed in the world before the law,

but sin is not reckoned when there is no law.

Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses,

even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam,

who is a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass.

For if the many died through the one man’s trespass,

much more surely have the grace of God

and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,

abounded for the many.

And the free gift is not like the effect of that one person’s sin.

For the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation,

but the free gift following many trespasses brings justification.

If, because of the trespass of one,

death exercised dominion through that one,

much more surely will those who receive the abundance of grace

and the free gift of righteousness

exercise dominion in life through the one, Jesus Christ.

Therefore just as the trespass of one

led to condemnation for all,

so the act of righteousness of one

leads to justification and life for all.

For just as by the disobedience of one person

the many were made sinners,

so by the obedience of one person

the many will be made righteous.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation

Matthew 4:4 (JB)

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!

No one lives on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!

Matthew 4:4 (NRSV)

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!

No one lives on bread alone,

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless glory!

Gospel

Matthew 4:1-11 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus fasted for forty days and nights.

Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, after which he was very hungry, and the tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves.’ But he replied, ‘Scripture says:

Man does not live on bread alone

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

The devil then took him to the holy city and made him stand on the parapet of the Temple. ‘If you are the Son of God,’ he said, ‘throw yourself down; for scripture says:

He will put you in his angels’ charge,

and they will support you on their hands

in case you hurt your foot against a stone.’

Jesus said to him, ‘Scripture also says:

You must not put the Lord your God to the test.’

Next, taking him to a very high mountain, the devil showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. ‘I will give you all these’, he said, ‘if you fall at my feet and worship me.’ Then Jesus replied, ‘Be off, Satan! For scripture says:

You must worship the Lord your God,

and serve him alone.’

Then the devil left him, and angels appeared and looked after him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 4:1-11 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

After being baptized,

Jesus was led up by the Spirit

into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

He fasted forty days and forty nights,

and afterwards he was famished.

The tempter came and said to him,

“If you are the Son of God,

command these stones to become loaves of bread.”

But he answered, “It is written,

‘One does not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'”

Then the devil took him to the holy city

and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him,

“If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down;

for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’

and ‘On their hands they will bear you up,

so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'”

Jesus said to him, “Again it is written,

‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain

and showed him

all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour;

and he said to him,

“All these I will give you,

if you will fall down and worship me.”

Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan!

for it is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'”

Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Posted in Readings