Christmas Season, Friday after Epiphany
Mass Readings
First Reading – 1 Jn 5:5-13
Beloved: Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and Blood. The Spirit is the one who testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three who testify, the Spirit, the water, and the Blood, and the three are of one accord. If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this, that he has testified on behalf of his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 (R.12a)
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you. R.
He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word! R.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia. R.
Gospel – Luke 5:12-16
It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.
Featured Saints
St. Melchiades (Miltiades), Pope (†314). He received the Lateran Palace from Emperor Constantine and established it as the papal residence. He fought against Donatism and strove to establish concord.
St. Gregory of Nyssa, bishop (†a. 400). Brother of St. Basil the Great and St. Macrina. Under the influence of St. Gregory Nazianzen, he embraced divine service and was appointed as Bishop of Nyssa, in present-day Turkey.
St. John of Jerusalem, bishop (†417). At a time of controversy concerning true doctrine, in the city of Jerusalem, he laboured zealously for the Catholic Faith and for peace in the Church.
St. Peter Orseolo, monk (†c.987/988). After serving as Doge of Venice, he retired to a hermitage near the Abbey of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa, France.
St. Paul of Thebes, hermit (†fourth century). He took refuge in a desert to flee the edict of Decius, which ordered the apostasy of every Catholic; he is the first hermit.
Blessed Gregory X, Pope (†1276). Worked tirelessly to restore Church unity and settle disputes between Christian princes and convoked the 2nd council of Lyon to recuperate the Holy Land.
Blessed Gonzalo de Amarante, priest (†c. 1259). Priest from Braga, Portugal, who after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, became a Dominican and finally withdrew to a hermitage.
Blessed Anna of the Angels Monteagudo, virgin (†1686). Dominican religious born in Peru; she had the gifts of prophecy and counsel.
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