Sunday, December 29, 2019

God gives us directions about how to live; we and others are blessed when we follow them. (Readings for Dec. 29, 2019; Lectionary 17)

Key:
What these readings tell us about God
What these readings tell us to do
Hyperlinks to additional resources

Reading 1: Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 
God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother's authority he confirms over her sons.
Whoever 
honors his father atones for sins, and preserves himself from them.
When he prays, he is heard; he stores up riches who 
reveres his mother.
Whoever 
honors his father is gladdened by children, and, when he prays, is heard.
Whoever 
reveres his father will live a long life; he who obeys his father brings comfort to his mother.

My son, 
take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him; revile him not all the days of his life; kindness to a father 
will not be forgotten, firmly planted against the debt of your sins—a house raised in justice to you.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Blessed is everyone who 
fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who 
fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants around your table.
R. Blessed are those who 
fear the Lord and walk in his ways.
Behold, thus is the man 
blessed who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who 
fear the Lord and walk in his ways.


Reading 2: Colossians 3:12-21 
Put on, as God's chosen ones, holy and belovedheartfelt compassionkindnesshumilitygentleness, and patiencebearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body.

And 
be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

And whatever you do, in word or in deed, 
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesusgiving thanks to God the Father through him

Wives, be subordinate to your husbands, as is proper in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them.
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is pleasing to the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children, so they may not become discouraged.


Alleluia: Colossians 3:15A, 16A  
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let the peace of Christ control your heartslet the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

When the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him." Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. He stayed there until the death of Herod,  that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled, Out of Egypt I called my son.

When Herod had died, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel,  for those who sought the child's life are dead." 
He rose, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.  But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go back there. And because he had been warned in a dream, he departed for the region of Galilee. He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, He shall be called a Nazorean.

What these readings tell us about God
God sets a father in honor over his children; a mother's authority he confirms over her sons

Blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways

Blessed is everyone who 
fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!

Blessed are those who 
fear the Lord andwalk in his ways

Blessed are those who 
fear the Lord andwalk in his ways

Blessed are those who 
fear the Lord andwalk in his ways

God's chosen ones

Beloved

the Lord has forgiven you

the peace into which you were also called 

the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him”

the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead”

he had been warned in a dream

What these readings tell us to do
honors his father 

reveres his mother

honors his father 

reveres his father 

obeys his father 

brings comfort to his mother
take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives

Even if his mind fail, be considerate of him; revile him not all the days of his life

kindness to a father 

fear the Lord 

walk in his ways

fears the LORD

walks in his ways

fear the Lord 

walk in his ways

fear the Lord 

walk in his ways

fears the LORD

fear the Lord 

walk in his ways

Put on... heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another 

forgiving one another

as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do

put on love, that is, the bond of perfection

let the peace of Christ control your hearts

be thankful

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs 

gratitude in your hearts to God

do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him  
Wives, be subordinate to your husbands

Husbands, love your wives, and avoid any bitterness toward them

Children, obey your parents in everything

Fathers, do not provoke your children

Let the peace of Christ control your hearts

let the word of Christ dwell in you richly

Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed

He rose, took the child and his mother, and went

because he had been warned in a dream, he departed

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