The Holy Family

1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28 (JB)

A reading from the first book of Samuel

For the whole of his life, Samuel shall be lent to the Lord.

Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son, and called him Samuel ‘since’ she said ‘I asked the Lord for him.’

When a year had gone by, 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 is weaned. Then I will 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; and the child was with them. They slaughtered the bull and 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 here beside you, praying to the Lord. This is the child I prayed for, and the Lord granted me what I asked 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.

Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 (JB)

A reading from the Book of Ecclesiasticus

Whoever fears the Lord honours 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.

1 Samuel 1:20-22, 24-28 (NRSV)

A reading from the first book of Samuel

In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son.

She named him Samuel, for she said,

“I have asked him of the Lord.”

Elkanah and all his household

went up to offer to the Lord the yearly sacrifice,

and to pay his vow.

But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband,

“As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him,

that he may appear in the presence of the Lord,

and remain there forever;

I will offer him as a nazirite for all time.”

When she had weaned him,

she took him up with her,

along with a three-year-old bull,

a measure of flour, and a skin of wine.

She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh;

and the child was young.

Then they slaughtered the bull,

and they brought the child to Eli.

And she said,

“Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord,

I am the woman who was standing here in your presence,

praying to the Lord.

For this child I prayed;

And the Lord has granted me the petition that I made to him.

Therefore I have lent him to the Lord;

As long as he lives, he is given to the Lord.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Sirach

The Lord honours a father above his children,

and he confirms a mother’s right over her children.

Those who honour their father atone for sins,

and those who respect their mother

are like those who lay up treasure.

Those who honour their father

will have joy in their own children,

and when they pray they will be heard.

Those who respect their father will have long life,

and those who honour their mother obey the Lord.

My child, help your parents in their old age,

and do not grieve them as long as they live;

even if their minds fail, be patient with them;

because you have all your faculties do not despise them.

For kindness to your mother and father will not be forgotten,

and will be credited to you against your sins.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 127:1-5 (JB)

R. Happy 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. R.

Your wife like a fruitful vine

in the heart of your house;

your children like shoots of the olive,

around your table. R.

Indeed thus shall be blessed

the man who fears the Lord.

May the Lord bless you from Zion

all the days of your life! R.

Ps 83:2-3, 5-6, 9-10 (JB)

R. How happy they who dwell in your house, O Lord.

How lovely is your dwelling place,

Lord, God of hosts.

My soul is longing and yearning,

is yearning for the courts of the Lord.

My heart and my soul ring out their joy

to God, the living God. R.

They are happy, who dwell in your house,

for ever singing your praise.

They are happy, whose strength is in you;

they walk with ever growing strength. R.

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. R.

1 John 3:1-2, 21-24 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St. John

He calls you his own children, and that is what you are.

Think of the love that 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 it does not acknowledge us.

My dear people, we are already the children of God

but what we are to be in the future has not yet been revealed,

all we know is, that when it is revealed

we shall be like him

because we shall see him as he really is.

My dear people,

if we cannot be condemned by our own conscience,

we need not be afraid in God’s presence,

and whatever we ask him,

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 that he has given us.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Colossians 3:12-21 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Colossians

Concerning the Christian life in the world.

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.

1 John 3:1-2, 21-24 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of John

See what love the Father has given us,

that we should be called children of God;

and that is what we are.

The reason the world does not know us is

that it did not know him.

Beloved,

we are God’s children now;

what we will be has not yet been revealed.

What we do know is this:

when he is revealed, we will be like him,

for we will see him as he is.

Beloved,

if our hearts do not condemn us,

we have boldness before God;

and we receive from him whatever we ask,

because we obey his commandments

and do what pleases him.

And this is his commandment,

that we should believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ

and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

All who obey his commandments abide in him,

and he abides in them.

And by this we know that he abides in us,

by the Spirit that he has given us.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Colossians 3:12-21 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Colossians

As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,

clothe yourselves with compassion,

kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

Bear with one another and,

if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other;

just as the Lord has forgiven you,

so you also must forgive.

Above all, clothe yourselves with love,

which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

to which indeed you were called in the one body.

And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly;

teach and admonish one another in all wisdom;

and with gratitude in your hearts

sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God.

And whatever you do, in word or deed,

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,

giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly.

Children, obey your parents in everything,

for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord.

Fathers, do not provoke your children,

or they may lose heart.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

cf Acts 16:14 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our heart, O Lord,

to listen to the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

Colossians 3:15, 16 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

May the peace of Christ rule in our hearts,

and the fullness of his message live within you.

Alleluia!

cf Acts 16:14 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our hearts, O Lord,

to listen to the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

Colossians 3:15, 16 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

May the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

and the fullness of his message live within you.

Alleluia!

Luke 2:41-52 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

His parents found him in the temple, sitting among the learned men listening to them.

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.

Luke 2:41-52 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke

Now every year the parents of Jesus went to Jerusalem

for the festival of the Passover.

And when he was twelve years old,

they went up as usual for the festival.

When the festival was ended and they started to return,

the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem,

but his parents did not know it.

Assuming that he was in the group of travellers,

they went a day’s journey.

Then they started to look for him among their relatives and friends.

When they did not find him,

they returned to Jerusalem to search for him.

After three days they found him in the temple,

sitting among the teachers,

listening to them and asking them questions.

And all who heard him were amazed

at his understanding and his answers.

When his parents saw him they were astonished;

and his mother said to him,

“Child, why have you treated us like this?

Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.”

He said to them,

“Why were you searching for me?

Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”

But they did not understand what he said to them.

Then Jesus went down with them and came to Nazareth,

and was obedient to them.

His mother treasured all these things in her heart

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in years,

and in divine and human favour.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.