Mass Readings

First Reading – Sir 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 – Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5. (R.cf.1 )

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.

Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
your children like olive plants
around your table.R.

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.

Second Reading – Col 3:12-21 or 3:12-17

Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing 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 Jesus,  giving 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.

OR:

Brothers and sisters: Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing 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 Jesus,  giving thanks to God the Father through him.

OR: 1 Jn 3:1-2, 21-24

Beloved: See what love the Father has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. And so 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 shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Gospel – Mt 2:13-15, 19-23

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.

Featured Saints

This year Sunday has precedence over the Feast of  The Holy Innocents, martyrs. Herod, the Roman ruler of Judea, filled with fear upon hearing of the birth of the “King of the Jews”, ordered the killing of all male children two years of age and under in Bethlehem and  surrounding area. The Church proclaims them as martyrs.

St. Gaspar del Bufalo, priest (†1837). He was exiled from Rome for refusing the oath of fidelity to Napoleon’s regime. He founded the Congregations of Missionaries and Sisters of the Most Precious Blood.

St. Anthony of Lérins (†circa 520). After many years of hermitic life, he ended his days in the monastery of  Lérins, France.

Blessed Gregory Khomysyn, bishop and martyr (†1945). Bishop of Ivano-Frankivsk, died in prison in Kiev, Ukraine.

Blessed Matthia Nazzarei, virgin (†c. 1326). From a noble family of Matelica, Italy, she fled her home at 18 years of age and entered the Clarist convent of St. Mary Magdalene, of which she was later abbess
for forty years

St. Catherine Volpicelli, virgin (†1894). Foundress of the Institute of Handmaids of the Sacred Heart in Naples, Italy

Photo gallery

The Massacre of the Innocents

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