Saint Stephen, First Martyr – Feast
Readings of the day

First Reading: Acts 6, 8-10; 7,54-59
Psalm: 30, 3cd-4.6ab.7b.8a.16

Gospel: Mt 10, 17-22

Jesus said to His disciples: “Beware of men, for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and the pagans… Read more »

Readings of the day

First Reading: 2 Sam 7, 1-5.8b-12.14a.16
Psalm: 88 (89), 2-3.4-5.27 & 29

Gospel: Lk 1, 67-79

In those days, Zechariah, John’s father, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. 

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, when the day shall dawn upon us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”  Read more »

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Readings of the day

First Reading: Mal 3, 1-4.23-24
Psalm: 24 (25), 4bc-5ab.8-9.10 & 14

Gospel: Lk 1, 57-66

When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. Her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, but his mother said in reply, “No… Read more »

Readings of the day

First Reading: 1 Sam 1, 24-28
Psalm: 1 Sam 2, 1.4-5.6-7.8abcd

Gospel: Lk 1, 46-55

Mary said: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my saviour.
For he has looked with favour on his lowly servant; from this day all generations will call me blessed. The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name… Read more »

Readings of the day

First Reading: Songs 2, 8-14
Psalm: 32 (33), 2-3.11-12.20-21

Gospel: Lk 1, 39-45

Mary set out in those days and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah,
where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit,
cried out in a loud voice and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb… Read more »

Readings of the day

First Reading: Judg 13, 2-7.24-25a
Psalm: 70 (71), 3-4a.5-6ab.16-17

Gospel: Lk 1, 5-25

In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.  
Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly… Read more »

Readings of the day

First Reading: Jer 23, 5-8
Psalm: 71 (72), 2.12-13.18-19

Gospel: Mt 1, 18-24

This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly… Read more »