Sunday Readings provided by the Roman Catholic Cathedral Church of St. John the Baptist http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/ Sunday Readings Roman Catholic Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist en-gb Fri, 9 May 2008 18:27:25 +0100 Fri, 9 May 2008 18:27:00 +0100 webmaster@stjohncathedral.co.uk FeedForAll v2.0 (2.0.2.9) http://www.feedforall.com They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak.

When Pentecost day came round, the apostles had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.
Now there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, each one bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language. They were amazed and astonished. "Surely," they said, "all these men speaking are Galileans? How does it happen that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; people from Mesopotamia, Judaea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya round Cyrene; as well as visitors from Rome - Jews and proselytes alike - Cretans and Arabs; we hear them preaching in our own language about the marvels of God."


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 103)

R/ Send forth your Spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.

1.Bless the Lord, my soul!
Lord God, how great you are,
How many are your works, O Lord!
The earth is full of your riches. R/

2.You take back your spirit, they die,
returning to the dust from which they came.
You send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the earth. R/

3.May the glory of the Lord last for ever!
May the Lord rejoice in his works!
May my thoughts be pleasing to him.
I find my joy in the Lord. R/


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 12:3-7.12-13)
In the one Spirit we were all baptised.

There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose.
Just as a human body, though it is made up of many parts, is a single unit because all these parts, though many, make one body, so it is with Christ. In the one Spirit we were all baptized, Jews as Well as Greeks, slaves as well as citizens, and one Spirit was given to us all to drink.


Sequence

Holy Spirit, Lord of Light, From the clear celestial height Thy pure beaming radiance give. Come, thou Father of the poor,
Come with treasures which endure: Come, thou light of all that live! Thou, of all consoler's best, Thou, the soul's delightful guest, Dost refreshing peace bestow; Thou in toil art comfort sweet; Pleasant coolness in the heat; Solace in the midst of woe. Light immortal, light divine, Visit thou these hearts of thine, And our inmost being fill: If thou take thy grace away, Nothing pure in man will stay; All his good is turned to ill. Heal our wounds, our strength renew; On our dryness pour thy dew; Wash the stains of guilt away: Bend the stubborn heart and will; Melt the frozen, warm the chill; Guide the steps that go astray. Thou, on us who evermore Thee confess and thee adore, With thy sevenfold gifts descend: Give us comfort when we die; Give us life with thee on high; Give us joys that never end.


Alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia! Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and kindle in them the fire of your love. Alleluia!

Gospel (John 20:19-23)
As the Father sent me, so am I sending you: receive the Holy Spirit.

In the evening of that same day, the first day of the week, the doors were closed in the room where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them "Peace be with you," and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again. "Peace be with you. "As the Father sent me, so am I sending you." After saying this he breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit. For those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained."
]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Fri, 9 May 2008 18:27:00 +0100 Year A

First Reading (Acts 1:1-11)
He was lifted up while they looked on.

In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and
taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles
he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had
shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty
days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of
God. When he had been at table with them, he had told them not to leave
Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. "It is," he had
said, "what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you,
not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit."
Now having met together, they asked him, "Lord, has the time come? Are you
going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He replied, "It is not for you to know
times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will
receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my
witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and
indeed to the ends of the earth."
As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him
from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in
white were standing near them and they said, "Why are you men from Galilee
standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into
heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him
go there."


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 46)

R/ The Lord goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.

l.All peoples, clap your hands.
cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear,
great king over all the Earth. R/

2. God goes up with shouts of joy;
the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
Sing praise for God, sing praise,
sing praise to our king, sing praise. R/

3.God is king of all the earth.
Sing praise with all your skill.
God is king over the nations;
God reigns on his holy throne. R/


Second Reading (Ephesians 1:17-23)
He made him sit at his right hand in heaven.

May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of
wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of
him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his
call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and
how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers. This you
can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to
raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far
above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name
that can be named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come. He has
put all things under his feet, and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head
of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole
creation.

Alleluia (Matthew 28:19-20)

Alleluia, alleluia! Go, make disciples of all the nations; I am with you always; yes, to the end of time. Alleluia!


Gospel (Matthew 28:16-20)
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

The eleven disciples set out for Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had
arranged to meet them. When they saw him they fell down before him, though
some hesitated. Jesus came up and spoke to them. He said, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all
the nations; baptise them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And know
that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time."]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Thu, 1 May 2008 22:20:53 +0100 They laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Philip went to a Samaritan town and proclaimed the Christ to them. The people united in welcoming the message Philip preached, either because they had heard of the miracles he worked or because they saw them for themselves. There were, for example, unclean spirits that came shrieking out of many who were possessed, and several paralytics and cripples were cured. As a result there was great rejoicing in that town.
When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, and they went down there, and prayed for the Samaritans to receive the Holy Spirit, for as yet he had not come down on any of them: they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 65)

R/ Cry out with joy to God all the earth.

1. Cry out with joy to God all the earth,
O sing to the glory of his name.
O render him glorious praise.
Say to God: "How tremendous your deeds'" R/

2. "Before you all the earth shall bow;
shall sing to you, sing to your name!"
Come and see the works of God,
tremendous his deeds among men. R/

3. He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the river dry-shod.
Let our joy then be in him;
he rules for ever by his might. R/

4. Come and hear, all who fear God.
I will tell what he did for my soul:
Blessed be God who did not reject my prayer
nor withhold his love from me.        R/


Second Reading (1 Peter 3:15-18)
In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life.

Reverence the Lord Christ in your hearts, and always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you all have. But give it with courtesy and respect and with a clear conscience, so that those who slander you when you are living a good life in Christ may be proved wrong in the accusations that they bring. And if it is the will of God that you should suffer, it is better to suffer for doing right than for doing wrong. Why, Christ himself, innocent though he was, had died once for sins, died for the guilty, to lead us to God. In the body he was put to death, in the spirit he was raised to life.


Alleluia (John 14:23)

Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus said: "If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him." Alleluia!


Gospel (John 14:15-21)
I shall ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate.

Jesus said to his disciples:
"If you love me you will keep my commandments.
I shall ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you for ever,
that Spirit of truth
whom the world can never receive
since it neither sees nor knows him;
but you know him,
because he is with you, he is in you.
I will not leave you orphans;
I will come back to you.
In a short time the world will no longer see me;
but you will see me,
because I live and you will live.
On that day
you will understand that I am in my Father
and you in me and I in you.
Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them
will be one who loves me;
and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I shall love him and show myself to him."
]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 26 Apr 2008 16:13:19 +0100 They elected seven men full of the Holy Spirit.

About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, "It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word." The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
The word of the Lord continued to spread: the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 22)

R/ May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you.

1. Ring out your joy to the Lord,
O you just; for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.
Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp,
with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs. R/

2. For the word of the Lord is faithful
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right
and fills the earth with his love. R/

3 The Lord looks on those who revere him,
on those who hope in his love,
to rescue their souls from death,
to keep them alive in famine. R/


Second Reading (1 Peter 2:4-9)
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood.

The Lord is the living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him; set yourselves close to him so that you too, the holy priesthood that offers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be living stones making a spiritual house. As scripture says: See how I lay in Zion a precious cornerstone that I have chosen and the man who rests his trust on it will not be disappointed. That means that for you who are believers, it is precious; but for unbelievers, the stone rejected by the builders has proved to be the keystone, a stone to stumble over, a rock to bring men down. They stumble over it because they do not believe in the word; it was the fate in store for them.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a people set apart to sing the praises of God who called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.


Alleluia (John 14:6)

Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus said: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me." Alleluia!


Gospel (John 14:1-12)
I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Jesus said to his disciples:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Trust in God still, and trust in me.
There are many rooms in my Father's house;
if there were not, I should have told you.
I am now going to prepare a place for you,
and after I have gone and prepared you a place,
I shall return to take you with me;
so that where I am
you may be too.
You know the way to the place where I am going."
Thomas said, "Lord, we do not know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus said: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you know me, you know my Father too. From this moment you know him and have seen him."
Philip said, "Lord, let us see the Father and then we shall be satisfied." "Have I been with you all this time, Philip," said Jesus to him "and you still do not know me? "To have seen me is to have seen the Father, so how can you say, 'Let us see the Father'? Do you not believe
that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak as from myself: It is the Father, living in me, who is doing this work. You must believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; believe it on the evidence of this work, if for no other reason. I tell you most solemnly, whoever believes in me
will perform the same works as I do myself, he will perform even greater works, because I am going to the Father."]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:19:01 +0100 The People of God keep the Passover on their entry into the promised land.

The Lord said to Joshua, "Today I have taken the shame of Egypt away from you."
The Israelites pitched their camp at Gilgal and kept the Passover there on the fourteenth day of the month, at evening in the plain of Jericho. On the morrow of the Passover they tasted the produce of that country, unleavened bread and roasted ears of corn, that same day. From that time, from their first eating of the produce of that country, the manna stopped falling. And having manna no longer, the Israelites fed from that year onwards on what the land of Canaan yielded.


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 33)

R/ Taste and see that the Lord is good.

1. I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad. R/

2. Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free. R/

3. Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called; the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress. R/


Second Reading (2 Corinthians 5:17-21)
God reconciled us to himself through Christ.

For anyone who is in Christ, there is a new creation; the old creation has gone, and now the new one is here. It is all God's work. It was God who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the work of handing on this reconciliation. In other words, God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself, not holding men's faults against them, and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled. So we are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were appealing through us, and the appeal that we make in Christ's name is: be reconciled to God. For our sake God made the sinless one into sin, so that in him we might become the goodness of God.


Alleluia (Luke 15:18)
Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you." Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!


Gospel (Luke 15:1-3.11-32)
Your brother here was dead and has come to life.

The tax collectors and the sinners were all seeking the company of Jesus to hear what he had to say, and the Pharisees and the scribes complained. "This man" they said "welcomes sinners and eats with them." So he spoke this parable to them:
"A man had two sons. The younger said to his father, 'Father, let me have the share of the estate that would come to me.' So the father divided the property between them. A few days later, the younger son got together everything he had and left for a distant country where he squandered his money on a life of debauchery.
"When he had spent it all, that country experienced a severe famine, and now he began to feel the pinch, so he hired himself out to one of the local inhabitants who put him on his farm to feed the pigs. And he would willingly have filled his belly with the husks the pigs were eating but no one offered him anything. Then he came to his senses and said, 'How many of my father's paid servants have more food than they want, and here am I dying of hunger! I will leave this place and go to my father and say: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I no longer deserve to be called your son; treat me as one of your paid servants.' So he left the place and went back to his father.
"While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity. He ran to the boy, clasped him in his arms and kissed him tenderly. Then his son said, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I no longer deserve to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the calf we have been fattening, and kill it; we are going to have a feast, a celebration, because this son of mine was dead and has come back to life; he was lost and is found.' And they began to celebrate.
"Now the elder son was out in the fields, and on his way back, as he drew near the house, he could hear music and dancing. Calling one of the servants he asked what it was all about. 'Your brother has come' replied the servant 'and your father has killed the calf we had fattened because he has got him back safe and sound.' He was angry then and refused to go in, and his father came out to plead with him; but he answered his father, 'Look, all these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed your orders, yet you never offered me so much as a kid for me to celebrate with my friends. But, for this son of yours, when he comes back after swallowing up your property — he and his women — you kill the calf we had been fattening.'
"The father said,'My son, you are with me always and all I have is yours. But it is only right we should celebrate and rejoice, because your brother here was dead and has come to life; he was lost and is found.' "

]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 1 Mar 2008 10:52:47 +0000 I Am has sent me to you.

Moses was looking after the flock of Jethro, his father-in-law, priest of Midian. He led his flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the shape of a flame of fire, coming from the middle of a bush. Moses looked; there was a bush blazing but it was not being burnt up. "I must go and look at this strange sight," Moses said "and see why the bush is not burnt." Now the Lord saw him go forward to look, and God called to him from the middle of the bush. "Moses, Moses!" he said. "Here I am" he answered. "Come no nearer" he said, Take off your shoes, for the place on which you stand is holy ground. I am the God of your father," he said "the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this Moses covered his face, afraid to look at God.
And the Lord said, "I have seen the miserable state of my people In Egypt-1 have heard their appeal to be free of their slave-drivers. Yes, I am well aware of their sufferings. I mean to deliver them out of the hands of the Egyptians and bring them up out of that land to a land rich and broad, a land where milk and honey flow."
Then Moses said to God, "I am to go, then, to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you.' But if they ask me what his name is, what am I to tell them?" And God said to Moses, "I Am who I Am. This" he added "is what you must say to the sons of Israel: 'I Am has sent me to you.'" And God also said to Moses, "You are to say to the sons of Israel: 'The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name for all time; by this name I shall be invoked for all generations to come."


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 102)

R/ The Lord is compassion and love.

1. My soul, give thanks to the Lord,
all my being, bless his holy name.
My soul give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings. R/

2. It is he who forgives all your guilt,
who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with love and compassion. R/

3. The Lord does deeds of justice,
gives judgement for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses
and his deeds to Israel's sons. R/

4. The Lord is compassion and love,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
For as the heavens are high above the earth
so strong is his love for those who fear him. R/


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 10:1-6.10-12)
The life of the people under Moses in the desert was written down to be a lesson for us.

I want to remind you, brothers, how our fathers were all guided by a cloud above them and how they all passed through the sea. They were all baptised into Moses in this cloud and in this sea; all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink, since they all drank from the spiritual rock that followed them as they went, and that rock was Christ. In spite of this, most of them failed to please God and their corpses littered the desert.

These things all happened as warnings for us, not to have the wicked lusts for forbidden things that they had. You must never complain: some of them did, and they were killed by the Destroyer.
All this happened to them as a warning, and it was written down to be a lesson for us who are living at the end of the age. The man who thinks he is safe must be careful that he does not fall.


Alleluia (Matthew 4:17)
Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God! Repent, says the Lord, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Glory to you, O Christ, you are the Word of God!


Gospel (Luke 13:1-9)
Unless you repent you will all perish as they did.

Some people arrived and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with that of their sacrifices. At this he said to them, "Do you suppose these Galileans who suffered like that were greater sinners than any other Galileans? They were not, I tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did. Or those eighteen on whom the tower at Siloam fell and killed them? Do you suppose that they were more guilty than all the other people living in Jerusalem? They were not 1 tell you. No; but unless you repent you will all perish as they did."
He told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none. He said to the man who looked after the vineyard, 'Look here, for three years now I have been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and finding none. Cut it down: why should it be taking up the ground?' 'Sir,' the man replied 'leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.' "
]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:13:57 +0000 God enters into a Covenant with Abraham, the man of faith.

Taking Abram outside the Lord said, "Look up to heaven and count the stars if you can. Such will be your descendants" he told him. Abram put his faith in the Lord, who counted this as making him justified.
"I am the Lord" he said to him "who brought you out of Urof the Chaldaeans to make you heir to this land." "My Lord, the Lord" Abram replied "how am I to know that 1 shall inherit it?" He said to him, "Get me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon." He brought him all these, cut them in half and put half on one side and half facing it on the other; but the birds he did not cut in half. Birds of prey came down on the carcasses but Abram drove them off.
Now as the sun was setting Abram fell into a deep sleep, and terror seized him. When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, there appeared a smoking furnace and a fire-brand that went between the halves. That day the Lord made a Covenant with Abram in these terms: To your descendants I give this land, from the wadi of Egypt to the Great River."


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 26)

R/ The Lord is my light and my help.

1. The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink? R/

2. O Lord, hear my voice when I call;
have mercy and answer.
Of you my heart has spoken:
"Seek his face." R/

3. It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger;
you have been my help. R/

4. I am sure I shall see the Lord's goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord! R/


Second Reading (Philippians 3:17-4:1)
Christ will transfigure our bodies into copies of his glorious body.

My brothers, be united in following my rule of life. Take as your models everybody who is already doing this and study them as you used to study us. I have told you often, and I repeat it today with tears, there are many who are behaving as the enemies of the cross of Christ. They are destined to be lost. They make foods into their god and they are proudest of something they ought to think shameful; the things they think important are earthly things.
For us, our homeland is in heaven, and from heaven comes the saviour we are waiting for, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will transfigure these wretched bodies of ours into copies of his glorious body. He will do that by the same power with which he can subdue the whole universe.
So then, my brothers and dear friends, do not give way but remain faithful in the Lord. I miss you very much, dear friends; you are my joy and my crown.


Alleluia (Matthew 17:5)
Glory and praise to you, O Christ! From the bright cloud the Father's voice was heard: "This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him". Glory and Praise to you, O Christ!


Gospel (Luke 9:28-36)
As Jesus prayed, the aspect of his face was changed.

Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up the mountain to pray. As he prayed, the aspect of his face was changed and his clothing became brilliant as lightning. Suddenly there were two men there talking to him; they were Moses and Elijah appearing in glory, and they were speaking of his passing which he was to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were heavy with sleep, but they kept awake and saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As these were leaving him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is wonderful for us to be here; so let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah." — He did not know what he was saying. As he spoke, a cloud came and covered them with shadow; and when they went into the cloud the disciples were afraid. And a voice came from the cloud saying, "This is my Son, the Chosen One. Listen to him." And after the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. The disciples kept silence and, at that time, told no one what they had seen.]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Fri, 15 Feb 2008 23:07:31 +0000 The creation and sin of our first parents.

The Lord God fashioned man of dust from the soil. Then he breathed into his nostrils a
breath of life, and thus man became a living being.
The Lord God planted a garden in Eden which is in the east, and there he put the man
he had fashioned. The Lord God caused to spring up from the soil every kind of tree
enticing to look at and good to eat, with the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge
of good and evil in the middle of the garden.
The serpent was the most subtle of all the wild beasts that the Lord God had made. It
asked the woman, "Did God really say you were not to eat from any of the trees in the
garden?" The woman answered the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees in the
garden. But of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden God said, 'You must not
eat it, nor touch it, under pain of death.'" Then the serpent said to the woman: "No! You
will not die! God knows in fact that on the day you eat it your eyes will be opened and
you will be like gods, knowing good and evil." The woman saw that the tree was good
to eat and pleasing to the eye, and that it was desirable for the knowledge that it could
give. So she took some of its fruit and ate it. She gave some also to her husband who
was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they
realised that they were naked. So they sewed fig-leaves together to make themselves
loin-cloths.


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 50)

R/ Have mercy on us, O Lord, for we have sinned.

1. Have mercy on me, God, in your kindness.
In your compassion blot out my offence.
O wash me more and more from my guilt
and cleanse me from my sin. R/

2. My offences truly I know them;
my sin is always before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned;
what is evil in your sight I have done. R/

3. A pure heart create for me, O God,
put a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from your presence,
nor deprive me of your holy spirit. R/

4. Give me again the joy of your help;
with a spirit of fervour sustain me.
O Lord, open my lips
and my mouth shall declare your praise. R/


Second Reading (Romans 5:12.17-19)
However great the number of sins committed, grace was even greater.

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned.
Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of "law-breaking", yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of
breaking a law.
Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man's fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift. The results of the gift also outweigh the results of one man's sin: for after one single fall came judgement with a verdict of condemnation, now after many falls comes grace with its verdict of acquittal.
If it is certain that death reigned over everyone as the consequence of one man's fall, it is even more certain that one man, Jesus Christ, will cause everyone to reign in life who receives the free gift that he does not deserve, of being made righteous. Again, as one man's fall brought condemnation on everyone, so the good act of one man brings everyone life and makes them justified. As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man's obedience many will be made righteous.


Alleluia (Matthew 4:4)
Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory! Man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. Praise to you, O Christ, king of eternal glory!


Gospel (Matthew 4:1-11)
Jesus fasts for forty days and is tempted.

Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by
the devil. He fasted for forty days and forty nights, after which he
was very hungry, and the tempter came and said to him, "If you
are the Son of God, tell these stones to turn into loaves". But he
replied, "Scripture says:
Man does not live on bread alone
but on every word that comes from the mouth of God".
The devil then took him to the holy city and made him stand on
the parapet of the Temple. "If you are the Son of God" he said
"throw yourself down; for scripture says:
He will put you in his angels' charge,
and they will support you on their hands
in case you hurt your foot against a stone".
Jesus said to him, "Scripture also says:
You must not put the Lord your God to the test".
Next, taking him to a very high mountain, the devil showed him
all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour. "I will give
you all these," he said, "if you fall at my feet and worship me."
Then Jesus replied, "Be off, Satan! For scripture says:
You must worship the Lord your God,
and serve him alone."
Then the devil left him, and angels appeared and looked after
him.]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 9 Feb 2008 21:47:28 +0000 In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people.

Seek the Lord
all you, the humble of the earth,
who obey his commands.
Seek integrity,
seek humility:
you may perhaps find shelter
on the day of the anger of the Lord.
In your midst I will leave
a humble and lowly people,
and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of
the Lord.
They will do no wrong, will tell no lies;
and the perjured tongue will no longer be found in their mouths.
But they will be able to graze and rest with no one to disturb them.


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 145)

R/ How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

1. It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever,
who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry,
the Lord, who sets prisoners free. R/

2. It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind,
who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger
and upholds the widow and orphan. R/

3. It is the Lord who loves the just
but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever,
Zion's God, from age to age. R/


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
God chose what is foolish by human reckoning.

Take yourselves for instance, brothers, at the time when you were called: how many of you were wise in the ordinary sense of the word, how many were influential people, or came from noble families? No, it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen — those who are nothing at all to show up those who are everything. The human race has nothing to boast about to God, but you, God has made members of Christ Jesus and by God's doing he has become our wisdom, and our virtue, and our holiness, and our freedom. As scripture says: if anyone wants to boast, let him boast about the Lord.


Alleluia (Matthew 11:25)
Alleluia, alleluia! Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom to mere children. Alleluia!

Alternative Alleluia (Matthew 5:12)
Alleluia, alleluia! Rejoice and be glad: your reward will be great in heaven. Alleluia!



Gospel (Matthew 5:1-12)
How happy are the poor in spirit.

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

"How happy are the poor in spirit; theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Happy the gentle: they shall have the earth for their heritage.
Happy those who mourn: they shall be comforted.
Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right: they shall be satisfied.
Happy the merciful: they shall have mercy shown them.
Happy are the pure in heart: they shall see God.
Happy the peacemakers: they shall be called sons of God.
Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right: theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven."
]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Fri, 1 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0000 In Galilee of the nations the people has seen a great light.

In days past the Lord humbled the land of Zebulum and the land
of Naphtali, but in days to come he will confer glory on the Way
of the Sea on the far side of Jordan, province of the nations.
The people that walked in darkness
has seen a great light;
on those who live in a land of deep shadow
a light has shone.
You have made their gladness greater,
you have made their joy increase;
they rejoice in your presence
as men rejoice at harvest time,
as men are happy when they are dividing the spoils.
For the yoke that was weighing on him,
the bar across his shoulders,
the rod of his oppressor,
these you break as on the day of Midian.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 26)

R/ Here I am Lord! I come to do your will.

1.The Lord is my light and my help.
The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink? R/

2. There is one thing I ask of the Lord,
for this I long,
to live in the house of the Lord,
all the days of my life,
to savour the sweetness of the Lord,
to behold his temple. R/

3. I am sure I shall see the Lord's goodness
in the land of the living.
Hope in him, hold firm and take heart.
Hope in the Lord! R/


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 1:10-13. 17)
Make up the differences between you instead of disagreeing among yourselves.

I appeal to you, brothers, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, to make up the differences between you, and instead of disagreeing among yourselves, to be united again in your belief and practice. From what Chloe's people have been telling me, my dear brothers, it is clear that there are serious differences among you. What I mean are all these slogans that you have, like: "I am for Paul", "I am for Apollos", "I am for Cephas", "I am for Christ". Has Christ been parcelled out? Was it Paul that was crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptise, but to preach the Good News, and not to preach that in the terms of philosophy in which the crucifixion of Christ cannot be expressed.

Alleluia (Matthew 4:23)
Alleluia, alleluia! Jesus proclaimed the Good News of the kingdom, and cured all kinds of sickness among the people. Alleluia!

Gospel (Matthew 4:12-23)
Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

Hearing that John had been arrested Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went and settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali!
Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan,
Galilee of the nations!
The people that lived in darkness
has seen a great light;
on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death
a light has dawned.
From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the
message, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at
hand."
As he was walking by the Sea of Gailee he saw two brothers, Simon, who was called Peter, and his brother Andrew; they were making a cast in the lake with their net, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fishers of men." And they left their nets at once and followed him.
Going on from there he saw another pair of brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they were in their boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. At once, leaving the boat and their father, they followed him.
He went round the whole of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the kingdom and curing all kinds of diseases and sickness among the people.
]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sun, 27 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may
reach to the ends of the earth.

The Lord said to me, "You are my servant, Israel,
in whom I shall be glorified";
I was honoured in the eyes of the Lord,
my God was my strength.
And now the Lord has spoken,
he who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
to gather Israel to him:
"It is not enough for you to be my servant,
to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back the survivors of
Israel;
I will make you the light of the nations so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 39)

R/ Here I am Lord! I come to do your will.

1.1 waited, I waited for the Lord and he stooped down to me; he heard my cry.
He put a new song into my mouth, praise of our God. R/

2. You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings, but an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim. Instead, here am I. R/

3. In the scroll of the book it stands written that I should do your will.
My God, I delight in your law in the depth of my heart. R/

4. Your justice I have proclaimed in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed; you know it, O Lord. R/


Second Reading (1 Corinthians 1:1-3)
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace.

I, Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle, together with brother Sosthenes, send greetings to the church of God in Corinth, to the holy people of Jesus Christ, who are called to take their place among all the saints everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus Christ; for he is their Lord no less than ours. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send you grace and peace.

Alleluia (Luke 19:38)
Alleluia, alleluia! Blessings on the King who comes, in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heavens! Alleluia!

Alternative Alleluia (John 1:14.12)
Alleluia, alleluia! The Word was made flesh and lived among us; to all who did accept him he gave power to become children to God. Alleluia!



Gospel (John 1:29-34)
Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.

Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, "Look, there is the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising with water." John also declared, "I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to baptise with water had said to me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.' Yes, I have seen and I am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God."]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sun, 20 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Here is my servant in whom my soul delights.

Thus says the Lord:
Here is my servant whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom my soul delights.
I have endowed him with my spirit
that he may bring true justice to the nations.
He does not cry out or shout aloud, or make his voice heard in the streets. He does not break the crushed reed, nor quench the wavering flame.
Faithfully he brings true justice; he will neither waver, nor be crushed until true justice is established on earth, for the islands are awaiting his law.
I, the Lord, have called you to serve the cause of right; I have taken you by the hand and formed you; I have appointed you as covenant of the people and light of nations,
to open the eyes of the blind,
to free captives from prison,
and those who live in darkness from the dungeon.


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 28)

R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.

1. O give the Lord you sons of God, give the Lord glory and power; give the Lord the glory of his name. Adore the Lord in his holy court. R/
2. The Lord's voice resounding on the waters, the Lord on the immensity of waters; the voice of the Lord, full of power,
the voice of the Lord, full of splendour. R/
3. The God of glory thunders. In his temple they all cry: "Glory!" The Lord sat enthroned over the flood; the Lord sits as king for ever. R/


Second Reading (Acts 10:34-38)
God anointed him with the Holy Spirit.

Peter addressed Cornelius and his household: "The truth I have now come to realise," he said "is that God does not have favourites, but that anybody of any nationality who fears God and does what is right is acceptable to him.
"It is true, God sent his word to the people of Israel, and it was to them that the good news of peace was brought by Jesus Christ — but Jesus Christ is Lord of all men. You must have heard about the recent happenings in Judaea; about Jesus of Nazareth and how he began in Galilee, after John had been preaching baptism. God had anointed him with the Holy Spirit and with power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil."

Alleluia (Mark 8:7)
Alleluia, alleluia! The heavens opened and the Father's voice resounded: "This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him." Alleluia!

Gospel (Matthew 3:13-17)
As soon as Jesus was baptised he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him.

Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptised by John. John tried to dissuade him. "It is I who need baptism from you," he said "and yet you come to me!" But Jesus replied, "Leave it like this for the time being; it is fitting that we should, in this way, do all that righteousness demands." At this, John gave in to him. As soon as Jesus was baptised he came up from the water, and suddenly the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him. And a voice spoke from heaven, "This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him."]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sun, 13 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 Above you the glory of the Lord appears.

Arise, shine out, for your light has come, the glory of the Lord is rising on you, though
night still covers the earth and darkness the peoples.
Above you the Lord now rises and above you his glory appears. The nations come to
your light and kings to your dawning brightness.
Lift up your eyes and look round: all are assembling and coming towards you, your
sons from far away and your daughters being tenderly carried.
At this sight you will grow radiant, your heart throbbing and full, since the riches of
the sea will flow to you, the wealth of the nations come to you;
camels in throngs will cover you, and dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; everyone in
Sheba will come, bringing gold and incense and singing the praise of the Lord.


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 71)

R/ All nations shall fall prostrate before you, O Lord.

1. O God, give your judgment to the king,
to a king's son your justice,
that he may judge your people in justice
and your poor in right judgment. R/

2. In his days justice shall flourish
and peace till the moon fails.
he shall rule from sea to sea,
from the Great River to earth's bounds. R/

3. The kings of Tarshish and the sea coasts
shall pay him tribute
The kings of Sheba and Seba
shall bring him gifts.
Before him all kings shall fall prostrate,
all nations shall serve him. R/

4. For he shall save the poor when they cry
and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak
and save the lives of the poor. R/


Second Reading (Ephesians 3:2-3a.5-6)
It has now been revealed that pagens share the same inheritance.

You have probably heard how I have been entrusted by God with the grace he meant
for you, and that it was by a revelation that I was given the knowledge of the
mystery.
This mystery that has now been revealed through the Spirit to his holy apostles and
prophets was unknown to any men in past generations; it means that pagans now
share the same inheritance, that they are parts of the same body, and that the same
promise has been made to them, in Christ Jesus, through the gospel.

Alleluia (Matthew 2:2)
Alleluia, alleluia! We saw his star as it rose and have come to do the Lord homage. Alleluia!

Gospel (Matthew 2:1-12)
We came from the east to do the King homage.

After Jesus had been born at Bethlehem in Judaea during the reign of King Herod,
some wise men came to Jerusalem from the east. "Where is the infant king of the
Jews!" they asked. "We saw his star as it rose and have come to do him homage."
When King Herod heard this he was perturbed, and so was the whole of Jerusalem.
He called together all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, and enquired of
them where the Christ was to be born. "At Bethlehem in Judaea," they told him "for
this is what the prophet wrote:
And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means least among the
leaders of Judah, for out of you will come a leader who will shepherd my people
Israel."
Then Herod summoned the wise men to see him privately. He asked them the exact
date on which the star had appeared, and sent them on to Bethlehem. "Go and find
out all about the child," he said "and when you have found him, let me know, so that
I too may go and do him homage." Having listened to what the king had to say, they
set out. And there in front of them was the star they had seen rising; it went forward
and halted over the place where the child was. The sight of the star filled them with
delight, and going into the house they saw the child with his mother Mary, and
falling to their knees they did him homage. Then, opening their treasures, they
offered him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. But they were warned in a
dream not to go back to Herod, and returned to their own country by a different way.
]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sun, 6 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0000 The maiden is with child.

The Lord spoke to Ahaz and said, "Ask the Lord your God for a
sign for yourself coming either from the depths of Sheol or from
the heights above." "No," Ahaz answered "I will not put the Lord
to the test."
Then he said:
"Listen now, House of David:
are you not satisfied with trying the patience of men without trying the patience of my God, too? The Lord himself, therefore, will give you a sign. It is this: the maiden is with child and will soon give birth to a son whom she will call Immanuel, a name which means 'God-is-with-us'."


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 23)

R/ Let the Lord enter! He is the king of glory.

1. The Lord's is the earth and its fullness, the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; on the waters he made it firm. R/

2. Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart, who desires not worthless things. R/

3. He shall receive blessings from the Lord and reward from the God who saves him. Such are the men who seek him,
seek the face of the God of Jacob. R/


Second Reading (Romans 1:1-7)
Jesus Christ, descendant of David, Son of God.

From Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus who has been called to be an apostle, and specially chosen to preach the Good News that God promised long ago through his prophets in the scriptures.
This news is about the Son of God who, according to the human nature he took, was a descendant of David: it is about Jesus Christ our Lord who, in the order of the spirit, the spirit of holiness that was in him, was proclaimed Son of God in all his power through his resurrection from the dead. Through him we received grace and our apostolic mission to preach the obedience of faith to all pagan nations in honour of his name. You are one of these nations, and by his call belong to Jesus Christ. To you all, then, who are God's beloved in Rome, called to be saints, may God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ send grace and peace.


Alleluia (Psalm 84:8)
Alleluia, alleluia! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel, a name which means "God-is-with-us". Alleluia!


Gospel (Matthew 1:18-24)
Jesus is born of Mary who was betrothed to Joseph, son of David.

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins." Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son and they will call him Emmanuel,
a name which means "God-is-with-us". When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 22 Dec 2007 08:09:20 +0000 First Reading (Isaiah 35:1-6.10)
God himself is coming to save you.

Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult, let the wasteland rejoice and bloom, let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil, let it rejoice and sing for joy.
The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it, the splendour of Carmel and Sharon; they shall see the glory of the Lord, the splendour of our God.
Strengthen all weary hands, steady all trembling knees and say to all faint hearts, "Courage! Do not be afraid.
"Look, your God is coming, vengeance is coming, the retribution of God; he is coming to save you."
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
the ears of the deaf unsealed,
then the lame shall leap like a deer
and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy;
for those the Lord has ransomed shall return.
They will come to Zion shouting for joy,
everlasting joy on their faces;
joy and gladness will go with them
and sorrow and lament be ended.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 145)

R/ Come, Lord, and save us.
or R/ Alleluia!

1 It is the Lord who keeps faith for ever, who is just to those who are oppressed.
It is he who gives bread to the hungry, the Lord, who sets prisoners free. R/

2. It is the Lord who gives sight to the blind, who raises up those who are bowed down,
the Lord, who protects the stranger and upholds the widow and orphan. R/

3. It is the Lord who loves the just but thwarts the path of the wicked.
The Lord will reign for ever, Zion's God, from age to age. R/

Second Reading (James 5:7-10)
Do not lose heart, because the Lord's coming will be soon.

Be patient, brothers, until the Lord's coming. Think of a farmer: how patiently he waits for the precious fruit of the ground until it has had the autumn rains and the spring rains! You too have to be patient; do not lose heart, because the Lord's coming will be soon. Do not make complaints against one another, brothers, so as not to be brought to judgement yourselves; the Judge is already to be seen waiting at the gates. For your example, brothers, in submitting with patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Alleluia (Luke 4:18)
Alleluia, alleluia! The spirit of the Lord has been given to me. He has sent me to bring good news to the poor. Alleluia!

Gospel (Matthew 11:2-11)
Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?

John in his prison had heard what Christ was doing and he sent his disciples to ask him, "Are you the one who is to come, or have we got to wait for someone else?" Jesus answered, "Go back and tell John what you hear and see; the blind see again, and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised to life and the Good News is proclaimed to the poor; and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me".
As the messengers were leaving, Jesus began to talk to the people about John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man wearing fine clothes? Oh no, those who wear fine clothes are to be found in palaces. Then what did you go out for? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says:
Look, I am going to send my messenger before you;
he will prepare your way before you.
"I tell you solemnly, of all the children born of women, a greater than John the Baptist has never been seen; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he is."]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Fri, 14 Dec 2007 22:16:12 +0000 First Reading (Isaiah 11:1-10)
He judges the wretched with integrity.

A shoot springs from the stock of Jesse,
a scion thrusts from his roots:
on him the spirit of the Lord rests,
a spirit of wisdom and insight,
a spirit of counsel and power,
a spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.
(The fear of the Lord is his breath.)
He does not judge by appearances,
he gives no verdict on hearsay,
but judges the wretched with integrity,
and with equity gives a verdict for the poor of the land.
His word is a rod that strikes the ruthless,
his sentences bring death to the wicked.
Integrity is the loincloth round his waist,
faithfulness the belt about his hips.
The wolf lives with the lamb,
the panther lies down with the kid,
calf and lion cub feed together
with a little boy to lead them.
The cow and the bear make friends,
their young lie down together.
The lion eats straw like the ox.
The infant plays over the cobras hole;
into the viper's lair
the young child puts his hand.
They do no hurt, no harm,
on all my holy mountain,
for the country is filled with the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters swell the sea.
That day, the root of Jesse
shall stand as a signal to the peoples.
It will be sought out by the nations
and its home will be glorious.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 71)

R/ In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails.

1. O God, give your judgement to the king, to a king's son your justice,
that he may judge your people injustice and your poor in right judgement. R/

2. In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails. He shall rule from sea to sea, from the Great River to earth's bounds. R/

3. For he shall save the poor when they cry and the needy who are helpless.
He will have pity on the weak and save the lives of the poor. R/

4. May his name be blessed for ever and endure like the sun.
Every tribe shall be blessed in him, all nations bless his name. R/

Second Reading (Romans 15:4-9)
Christ is the saviour of all men.

Everything that was written long ago in the scriptures was meant to teach us something about hope from the examples scripture gives of how people who did not give up were helped by God. And may he who helps us when we refuse to give up, help you all to be tolerant with each other, following the example of Christ Jesus, so that united in mind and voice you may give glory to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It can only be to God's glory, then, for you to treat each other in the same friendly way as Christ treated you. The reason Christ became the servant of circumcised Jews was not only so that God could faithfully carry out the promises made to the patriarchs, it was also to get the pagans to give glory to God for his mercy, as scripture says in one place: For this I shall praise you among the pagans and sing to your name.

Alleluia (Luke 3:4-6)
Alleluia, alleluia! Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight. And all mankind shall see the salvation of God. Alleluia!

Gospel (Matthew 3:1-12)
Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand.

In due course John the Baptist appeared; he preached in the wilderness of Judaea and this was his message: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand." This was the man the prophet Isaiah spoke of when he said: A voice cries in the wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.
This man John wore a garment made of camel-hair with a leather belt round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judaea and the whole Jordan district made their way to him, and as they were baptised by him in the river Jordan they confessed their sins. But when he saw a number of Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism he said to them, "Brood of vipers, who warned you to fly from the retribution that is coming? But if you are repentant, produce the appropriate fruit, and do not presume to tell yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' because, I tell you, God can raise children for Abraham from these stones. Even now the axe is laid to the roots of the trees, so that any tree which fails to produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown on the fire. I baptise you in water for repentance, but the one who follows me is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to carry his sandals; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand; he will clear his threshing-floor and gather his wheat into the barn; but the chaff he will burn in a fire that will never go out."]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 8 Dec 2007 13:25:55 +0000 First Reading (Isaiah 2:1-5)
The Lord gathers all nations together into the eternal peace of God's kingdom.

The vision of Isiah son of Amoz, concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
In the days to come
the mountain of the Temple of the Lord
shall tower above the mountains
and be lifted higher than the hills.
All the nations will stream to it,
peoples without number will come to it; and they will say:
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the Temple of the God of Jacob
that he may teach us his ways
so that we may walk in his paths;
since the Law will go out from Zion,
and the oracle of the Lord from Jerusalem."
He will wield authority over the nations
and adjudicate between many peoples;
these will hammer their swords into ploughshares,
their spears into sickles.
Nation will not lift sword against nation,
there will be no more training for war.
O House of Jacob, come,
let us walk in the light of the Lord.


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 121)

R/ I rejoiced when I heard them say: "Let us go to God's house."

1 I rejoiced when I heard them say: "Let us go to God's house."
And now our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. R/

2. It is there that the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord.
For Israel's law it is, there to praise the Lord's name.
There were set the thrones of judgement of the house of David. R/

3. For the peace of Jerusalem pray: "Peace be to your homes!"
May peace reign in your walls, in your palaces, peace!" R/

4. For love of my brethren and friends I say: "Peace upon you!"
For love of the house of the Lord I will ask for your good. R/


Second Reading (Romans 13:11-14)
Our salvation is near.

You know "the time" has come: you must wake up now: our salvation is even nearer than it was when we were converted. The night is almost over, it will be daylight soon — let us give up all the things we prefer to do under cover of dark; let us arm ourselves and appear in the light. Let us live decently as people do in the daytime: no drunken orgies, no promiscuity or licentiousness, and no wrangling or jealousy. Let your armour be the Lord Jesus Christ.


Alleluia (Psalm 84:8)
Alleluia, alleluia! Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and give us your saving help. Alleluia!


Gospel (Matthew 24:37-44)
Stay awake so that you may be ready.

Jesus said to his disciples: "As it was in Noah's day, so will it be when the Son of Man comes. For in those days before the Flood people were eating, drinking, taking wives, taking husbands, right up to the day Noah went into the ark, and they suspected nothing till the Flood came and swept all away. It will be like this when the Son of Man comes. Then of two men in the fields one is taken, one left; of two women at the millstone grinding, one is taken, one left. So stay awake, because you do not know the day when your master is coming. You may be quite sure of this that if the householder had known at what time of the night the burglar would come, he would have stayed awake and would not have allowed anyone to break through the wall of his house. There-fore, you too must stand ready because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 1 Dec 2007 10:25:40 +0000 They anointed David king of Israel.

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron. "Look" they said "we are your
own flesh and blood. In days past when Saul was our king, it was you who led
Israel in all their exploits; and the Lord said to you, 'You are the man who shall
be shepherd of my people Israel, you shall be the leader of Israel.'" So all the
elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a pact with
them at Hebron in the presence of the Lord, and they anointed David King of
Israel.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 121)

R/ I rejoiced when I heard them say: "Let us go to God's house."

1. I rejoiced when I heard them say:
"Let us go to God's house."
And now our feet are standing
within your gates, O Jerusalem. R/

2. Jerusalem is built as a city
strongly compact.
It is there that the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord. R/

3. For Israel's law it is,
there to praise the Lord's name.
There were set the thrones of judgement
of the house of David. R/

Second Reading (Colossians 1:11-20)
He has created a place for us in the Kingdom of the Son that he loves.

You will have in you the strength, based on his own glorious power, never to
give in, but to bear anything joyfully, thanking the Father who has made it
possible for you to join the saints and with them to inherit the light.
Because that is what he has done: he has taken us out of the power of darkness
and created a place for us in the kingdom of the Son that he loves, and in him,
we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.
He is the image of the unseen God and the first-born of all creation for in him
were created all things in heaven and on earth: everything visible and
everything invisible, Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers – all things
were created through him and for him. Before anything was created, he existed,
and he holds all things in unity. Now the Church is his body, he is its head.
As he is the Beginning, he was first to be born from the dead, so that he should
be first in every way; because God wanted all perfection to be found in him and
all things to be reconciled through him and for him, everything in heaven and
everything on earth, when he made peace by his death on the cross.

Alleluia (Mark 11:10)
Alleluia, alleluia! Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessing on the coming kingdom of our father David! Alleluia!

Gospel (Luke 23:35-43)
Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

The people stayed there watching Jesus. As for the leaders, they jeered
at him. "He saved others," they said "let him save himself if he is the
Christ of God, the Chosen One." The soldiers mocked him too, and
when they approached to offer him vinegar they said, "If you are the
king of the Jews, save yourself." Above him there was an inscription:
"This is the King of the Jews."
One of the criminals hanging there abused him. "Are you not the
Christ?" he said. "Save yourself and us as well." But the other spoke up
and rebuked him. "Have you no fear of God at all?" he said. "You got
the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are
paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus,"
he said "remember me when you come into your kingdom." "Indeed, I
promise you," he replied "today you will be with me in paradise."



]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 24 Nov 2007 11:29:45 +0000 <b>Apology!</b><br /> <br /> We apologies for the limited updates to the RSS feeds. This problem has now been rectified and the feeds will be updated regularly. <br /> <br /> Thank you for your patience. <br /> <br /> WebMaster - Nov 07 http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 24 Nov 2007 11:28:22 +0000 Naaman returned to Elisha and acknowledged the Lord.

Naaman the leper went down and immersed himself seven times in the
Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once
more like the flesh of a little child.
Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and stood before him.
"Now I know" he said "that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel.
Now, please, accept a present from your servant." But Elisha replied, "As
the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing." Naaman pressed him to
accept, but he refused. Then Naaman said, "Since your answer is 'No',
allow your servant to be given as much earth as two mules may carry,
because your servant will no longer offer holocaust or sacrifice to any god
except the Lord."

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 97)

R/ The Lord has shown his salvation to the nations.

1. Sing a new song to the Lord
for he has worked wonders.
His right hand and his holy arm
have bought salvation. R/

2. The Lord has made known his salvation;
has shown his justice to the nations.
He has remembered his truth and love
for the house of Israel. R/

3. All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation of our God.
Shout to the Lord all the earth,
ring out your joy. R/


Second Reading (2 Timothy 2:8-13)
If we hold firm, then we shall reign with Christ.

Remember the Good News that I carry, "Jesus Christ risen from the dead,
sprung from the race of David"; it is on account of this that I have my own
hardships to bear, even to being chained like a criminal – but they cannot
chain up God's news. So I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that in the end they may have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and
the eternal glory that comes with it.
Here is a saying that you can rely on: If we have died with him, then we
shall live with him. If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him. If we
disown him, then he will disown us. We may be unfaithful, but he is always
faithful, for he cannot disown his own self.

Alleluia (John 6:63.68)
Alleluia, alleluia! Your words are spirit, Lord, and they are life; you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!

Gospel (Luke 17:11-19)
No-one has come back to give praise to God, except this foreigner.

Remember the Good News that I carry, "Jesus Christ risen from the dead,
sprung from the race of David"; it is on account of this that I have my own
hardships to bear, even to being chained like a criminal – but they cannot
chain up God's news. So I bear it all for the sake of those who are chosen,
so that in the end they may have the salvation that is in Christ Jesus and
the eternal glory that comes with it.
Here is a saying that you can rely on: If we have died with him, then we
shall live with him. If we hold firm, then we shall reign with him. If we
disown him, then he will disown us. We may be unfaithful, but he is always
faithful, for he cannot disown his own self.]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 13 Oct 2007 16:43:56 +0100 First Reading (Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4)
The upright man will live by his faithfulness.

How long, Lord, am I to cry for help while you will not listen; to cry
"Oppression!" in your ear and you will not save? Why do you set
injustice before me, why do you look on where there is tyranny?
Outrage and violence, this is all I see, all is contention, and discord
flourishes. Then the Lord answered and said, "Write the vision down,
inscribe it on tablets to be easily read, since this vision is for its own
time only: eager for its own fulfilment, it does not deceive; if it comes
slowly, wait, for come it will, without fail. See how he flags, he whose
soul is not at rights, but the upright man will live by his faithfulness."

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 94)
R/ O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts.
1. Come, ring out our joy to the Lord;
hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come before him, giving thanks,
with songs let us hail the Lord. R/

2. Come in; let us bow and bend low;
let us kneel before the God who made us
for he is our God and we
the people who belong to his pasture,
the flock that is led by his hand. R/

3. O that today you would listen to his voice!
"Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
as on that day at Massah in the desert
when your fathers put me to the test;
when they tried me, thought they saw my work." R/

Second Reading (2 Timothy 1:6-8.13-14)
Never be ashamed of witnessing the Lord.

I am reminding you to fan into a flame the gift that God gave you
when I laid my hands on you. God's gift was not a spirit of timidity,
but the Spirit of power, and love, and self-control. So you are never to
be ashamed of witnessing to the Lord, or ashamed of me for being his
prisoner; but with me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good
News, relying on the power of God.
Keep as your pattern the sound teaching you have heard from me, in
the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. You have been trusted to
look after something precious; guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit
who lives in us.

Alleluia (1 Samuel 3:9; John 6:68)
Alleluia, alleluia! Speak, Lord, your servant is listening; you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!

Gospel (Luke 17:5-10)
If only you had faith.

The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." The Lord replied,
"Were your faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this
mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea', and it would obey
you.
Which of you, with a servant ploughing or minding sheep, would say
to him when he returned from the fields, 'Come and have your meal
immediately'? Would he not be more likely to say, 'Get my supper laid;
make yourself tidy and wait on me while I eat and drink. You can eat
and drink yourself afterwards'? Must he be grateful to the servant for
doing what he was told? So with you: when you have done all you
have been told to do, say, 'We are merely servants: we have done no
more than our duty.'"]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 6 Oct 2007 10:55:21 +0100 Against those who "buy up the poor for money" .

"Listen to this, you who trample on the needy and try to suppress the poor people of the
country, you who say, "When will New Moon be over so that we can sell our corn, and
sabbath, so that we can market our wheat? Then by lowering the bushel, raising the
shekel, by swindling and tampering with the scales, we can buy up the poor for money,
and the needy for a pair of sandals, and get a price even for the sweepings of the
wheat." The Lord swears it by the pride of Jacob, "Never will I forget a single thing you
have done."

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 112)

R/ Praise the Lord, who raises the poor.

1. Prasie, O servants of the Lord,
praise the name of the Lord!
May the name of the Lord be blessed
both now and for evermore. R/

2. High above all nations is the Lord,
above the heavens his glory.
Who is like the Lord, our God,
who has risen on high to his throne
yet stoops from the heights to look down,
to look down upon heaven and earth? R/

3. From the dust he lifts up the lowly,
from the dungheap he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes,
yes, with the princes of his people. R/


Second Reading (1 Timothy 2:1-8)
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners .

My advice is that, first of all, there should be prayers offered for everyone – petitions,
intercessions and thanksgiving – and especially for kings and others in authority, so
that we may be able to live religious and reverent lives in peace and quiet. To do this is
right, and will please God our saviour: he wants everyone to be saved and reach full
knowledge of the truth. For there is only one God, and there is only one mediator
between God and mankind, himself a man, Christ Jesus, who sacrificed himself as a
ransom for them all. He is the evidence of this, sent at the appointed time, and I have
been named a herald and apostle of it and – I am telling the truth and no lie – a
teacher of the faith and the truth to the pagans.
In every place, then, I want the men to lift their hands up reverently in prayer, with no
anger or argument.

Alleluia (Acts 16:14)
Alleluia, alleluia! Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your son. Alleluia!

Gospel (Luke 16:1-13)
You cannot be the slave both of God and of money.

Jesus said to his disciples, "There was a rich man and he had a steward who was
denounced to him for being wasteful with his property. He called for the man and said,
'What is this I hear about you? Draw me up an account of your stewardship because
you are not to be my steward any longer.' Then the steward said to himself, 'Now that
my master is taking the stewardship from me, what am I to do? Dig? I am not strong
enough. Go begging? I should be too ashamed. Ah, I know what I will do to make sure
that when I am dismissed from office there will be some to welcome me into their
homes.'
Then he called his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, 'How much do you
owe my master?' 'One hundred measures of oil' was the reply. The steward said, 'Here,
take your bond; sit down straight away and write fifty.' To another he said, 'And you, sir,
how much do you owe?' 'One hundred measures of wheat' was the reply. The steward
said, 'Here, take your bond and write eighty.'
The master praised the dishonest steward for his astuteness. For the children of this
world are more astute in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light.
And so I tell you this: use money, tainted as it is, to win you friends, and does make sure
that when it fails you, they will welcome you into the tents of eternity. The man who
can be trusted in little things can be trusted in great; the man who is dishonest in little
things will be dishonest in great. If then you cannot be trusted with money, that tainted
thing, who will trust you with genuine riches? And if you cannot be trusted with what is
not yours, who will give you what is your very own?
No servant can be the slave of two masters: he will either hate the first and love the
second, or treat the first with respect and the second with scorn. You cannot be the
slave both of God and of money."



]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 22 Sep 2007 18:50:08 +0100 First Reading (Ecclesiasticus 3:17-20.28-29)
Behave humbly, and then you will find favour with the Lord.

My child, be gentle in carrying out your business, and you will be
better loved than a lavish giver. The greater you are, the more you
should behave humbly, and then you will find favour with the Lord; for
great though the power of the Lord is, he accepts the homage of the
humble. There is no cure for the proud man's malady, since an evil
growth has taken root in him. The heart of a sensible man will reflect
on parables, an attentive ear is the sage's dream.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 67)

R/ In your goodness, O God, you prepared a home for the poor.

1. The just shall rejoice at the presence of God,
they shall exult and dance for joy.
O sing to the Lord, make music to his name;
rejoice in the Lord, exult at his presence. R/

2. Father of the orphan, defender of the widow,
such is God in his holy place.
God gives the lonely a home to live in;
he leads the prisoners forth into freedom. R/

3. You poured down, O God, a generous rain;
when your people were starved you gave them new life.
It was there that you people found a home,
prepared in your goodness, O God, for the poor. R/


Second Reading (Hebrews 12:18-19.22-24)
You have to come to Mount Zion and the city of the living God.

What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: not a blazing
fire, or a gloom turning to total darkness, or a storm; or trumpeting
thunder or the great voice speaking which made everyone that heard
it beg that no more should be said to them. But what you have come
to is Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem
where the millions of angels have gathered for the festival, with the
whole Church in which everyone is a "first-born son" and a citizen of
heaven. You have come to God himself, the supreme Judge, and been
placed with spirits of the saints who have been made perfect; and to
Jesus, the mediator who brings a new covenant.

Alleluia (John 14:23)
Alleluia, alleluia! If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him. Alleluia!

Gospel (Luke 14:1.7-14)
Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.

On a sabbath day Jesus had gone for a meal to the house of one of
the leading Pharisees; and they watched him closely. He then told the
guests a parable, because he had noticed how they picked the places
of honour. He said this, "When someone invites you to a wedding
feast, do not take your seat in the place of honour. A more
distinguished person than you may have been invited, and the person
who invited you both may come and say, 'Give up your place to this
man.' And then, to your embarrassment, you would have to go and
take the lowest place. No; when you are a guest, make your way to the
lowest place and sit there, so that, when your host comes, he may say,
'My friend, move up higher.' In that way, everyone with you at the
table will see you honoured. For everyone who exalts himself will be
humbled, and the man who humbles himself will be exalted."
Then he said to his host, "When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not
ask your friends, brothers, relations or rich neighbours, for fear they
repay your courtesy by inviting you in return. No; when you have a
party, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; that they
cannot pay you back means that you are fortunate, because
repayment will be made to you when the virtuous rise again."]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 1 Sep 2007 10:07:07 +0100 First Reading (Genesis 18:20-32)
I trust my Lord will not be angry, but give me leave to speak.

The Lord said, "How great an outcry there is against Sodom and Gomorrah! How grievous is
their sin! I propose to go down and see whether or not they have done all that is alleged in
the outcry against them that has come up to me, I am determined to know."
The men left there and went to Sodom while Abraham remained standing before the Lord.
Approaching him he said, "Are you really going to destroy the just man with the sinner?
Perhaps there are fifty just men in the town. Will you really overwhelm them, will you not
spare the place for the fifty just men in it? Do not think of doing such a thing: to kill the just
man with the sinner, treating just and sinner alike! Do not think of it! Will the judge of the
whole earth not administer justice?" The Lord replied, "If at Sodom I find fifty just men in the
town, I will spare the whole place because of them."
Abraham replied, "I am bold indeed to speak like this to my Lord, I who am dust and ashes.
But perhaps the fifty just men lack five: will you destroy the whole city for five?" "No," he
replied. "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five just men there." Again Abraham said to him,
"Perhaps there will only be forty there." "I will not do it," he replied, "for the sake of the forty."
Abraham said, "I trust my Lord will not be angry, but give me leave to speak: perhaps there
will only be thirty there." "I will not do it," he replied, "if I find thirty there." He said, "I am bold
indeed to speak like this, but perhaps there will only be twenty there." "I will not destroy it," he
replied, "for the sake of the twenty." He said, "I trust my Lord will not be angry if I speak once
more: perhaps there will only be ten." "I will not destroy it," he replied, "for the sake of the
ten."


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 137)

R/ On the day I called, you answered me, O Lord.

1. I thank you, Lord, with all my heart,
you have heard the words of my mouth.
Before the angels I will bless you.
I will adore before your holy temple. R/

2. I thank you for your faithfulness and love
which excel all we ever knew of you.
On the day I called, you answered;
you increased the strength of my soul. R/

3. The Lord is high yet he looks on the lowly
and the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of affliction
you give me life and frustrate my foes. R/

4. You stretch out your hand and save me,
your hand will do all things fro me.
Your love, O Lord, is eternal,
discard not the work of your hands. R/


Second Reading (Colossians 2:12-14)
He has brought you to life with him, he has forgiven us all our sins.

You have been buried with Christ, when you were baptised; and by baptism, too, you have
been raised up with him through your belief in the power of God who raised him from the
dead. You were dead, because you were sinners and had not been circumcised: he has brought
you to life with him, he has forgiven us all our sins.
He has overridden the Law, and cancelled every record of the debt that we had to pay; he has
done away with it by nailing it to the cross.


Alleluia (John 1:12,14)
Alleluia, alleluia! The Word was made flesh and lived among us: to all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God. Alleluia!


Gospel (Luke 11:1-13)
Ask, and it will be given to you

Once Jesus was in a certain place praying, and when he had finished, one of his
disciples said, "Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples." He said
to them, "Say this when you pray: 'Father, may your name be held holy, your
kingdom come; give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we
ourselves forgive each one who is in debt to us. And do not put us to the test.'"
He also said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend and goes to him in the
middle of the night to say, 'My friend, lend me three loaves, because a friend of
mine on his travels has just arrived at my house and I have nothing to offer
him'; and the man answers from inside the house, 'Do not bother me. The door
is bolted now, and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up to give it to
you.' I tell you, if the man does not get up and give it him for friendship's sake,
persistence will be enough to make him get up and give his friend all he wants.
So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock,
and the door will be opened to you. For the one who asks always receives; the
one who searches always finds; the one who knocks will always have the door
opened to him. What father among you would hand his son a stone when he
asked for bread? Or hand him a snake instead of a fish? Or hand him a scorpion
if he asked for an egg? If you then, who are evil, know how to give your
children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy
Spirit to those who ask him!"]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 28 Jul 2007 17:39:15 +0100 First Reading (Genesis 18:1-10)
Lord, do not pass your servant by.

The Lord appeared to Abraham at the Oak of Mamre while he was sitting by
the entrance of the tent during the hottest part of the day. He looked up,
and there he saw three men standing near him. As soon as he saw them he
ran from the entrance of the tent to meet them, and bowed to the ground.
"My lord," he said "I beg you, if I find favour with you, kindly do not pass your
servant by. A little water shall be brought; you shall wash your feet and lie
down under the tree. Let me fetch a little bread and you shall refresh
yourselves before going further. That is why you have come in your servant's
direction." They replied, "Do as you say."
Abraham hastened to the tent to find Sarah. "Hurry," he said "knead three
bushels of flour and make loaves." Then running to the cattle Abraham took
a fine and tender calf and gave it to the servant, who hurried to prepare it.
Then taking cream, milk and the calf he had prepared, he laid all before
them, and they ate while he remained standing near them under the tree.
"Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "She is in the tent" he replied.
Then his guest said, "I shall visit you again next year without fail, and your
wife will then have a son."


Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 14)

R/ The just will live in the presence of the Lord.

1. Lord, who shall dwell on your holy mountain?
He who walks without fault;
he who acts with justice
and speaks the truth from his heart;
he who does not slander with his tounge. R/

2. He who does no wrong to his brother
who casts no slur on his neighbour
who holds the godless in disdain,
but honours those who fears the Lord. R/

3. He who keeps his pledge, come what may;
who takes no interest on a loan
and accepts no bribes against the innocent.
Such a man will stand firm for ever. R/


Second Reading (Colossians 1:24-28)
A mystery hidden for centuries has now been revealed to God's saints .

It makes me happy to suffer for you, as I am suffering now, and in my own
body to do what I can to make up all that has still to be undergone by Christ
for the sake of his body, the Church. I became the servant of the Church
when God made me responsible for delivering God's message to you, the
message which was a mystery hidden for generations and centuries and has
now been revealed to his saints. It was God's purpose to reveal it to them
and to show all the rich glory of this mystery to pagans. The mystery is Christ
among you, your hope of glory: this is the Christ we proclaim, this is the
wisdom in which we thoroughly train everyone and instruct everyone, to
make them all perfect in Christ.


Alleluia (Acts 16:14)
Alleluia, alleluia! Open our heart, O Lord, to accept the words of your Son. Alleluia!


Gospel (Luke 10:38-42)
Martha welcomed Jesus into her house. Mary has chosen the better part.

Jesus came to a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her
house. She had a sister called Mary, who sat down at the Lord's feet and
listened to him speaking. Now Martha who was distracted with all the
serving said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving me to do the
serving all by myself? Please tell her to help me." But the Lord answered:
"Martha, Martha," he said "you worry and fret about so many things, and yet
few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; it
is not to be taken from her."]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 21 Jul 2007 08:00:00 +0100 First Reading (Deuteronomy 30:10-14)
The Word is very near to you for your observance.

Moses said to the people: "Obey the voice of the Lord your God, keeping
those commandments and laws of his that are written in the Book of this
Law, and you shall return to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul.
For this Law that I enjoin on you today is not beyond your strength or beyond
your reach. It is not in heaven, so that you need to wonder, 'Who will go up
to heaven for us and bring it down to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?'
Nor is it beyond the seas, so that you need to wonder, 'Who will cross the
seas for us and bring it back to us, so that we may hear it and keep it?' No,
the Word is very near to you, it is in your mouth and in your heart for your
observance."

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 68)

R/ Seek the Lord, you who are poor, and your hearts will revive.

1. This is my prayer to you,
my prayer for your favour.
In your great love, answer me, O God,
with your help that never fails:
Lord, asnwer, for your love is kind;
in your compassion, turn towards me. R/

2. As for me in my poverty and pain
let your help, O God, lift me up.
I will praise God's name with a song;
I will glorify him with thanksgiving. R/

3. The poor when they see it will be glad
and God-seeking hearts will revive:
for the Lord listens to the needy
and does not surn his servants in their chains. R/

4. For God will bring help to Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
The sons of his servants shall inherit it;
those who love his name shall dwell there. R/


Second Reading (Colossians 1:15-20)
Al things were created through Christ and for him .

Christ Jesus is the image of the unseen God and the first-born of all creation,
for in him were created all things in heaven and on earth: everything visible
and everything invisible, Thrones, Dominations, Sovereignties, Powers –
Before anything was created, he existed, and he holds all things in unity.
Now the Church is his body, he is its head. As he is the Beginning, he was
first to be born from the dead, so that he should be first in every way;
because God wanted all perfection to be found in him and all things to be
reconciled through him and for him, everything in heaven and everything on
earth, when he made peace by his death on the cross.


Alleluia (John 15:15)
Alleluia, alleluia! The sheep that belong to me listen to my voice, says the Lord. I know them and they follow me. Alleluia!

Gospel (Luke 10:25-37)
Who is my neighbour?

There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus, stood up and said to him, "Master what
must I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the Law? What
do you read there?" He replied, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbour
as yourself." "You have answered right," said Jesus. "Do this and life is yours."
But the man was anxious to justify himself and said to Jesus, "And who is my
neighbour?" Jesus replied, "A man was once on his way down from Jerusalem to
Jericho and fell into the hands of brigands; they took all he had, beat him and then
made off, leaving him half dead. Now a priest happened to be travelling down the
same road, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. In the same
way a Levite who came to the place saw him, and passed by on the other side. But a
Samaritan traveller who came upon him was moved with compassion when he saw
him. He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He then
lifted him on to his own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him. Next
day, he took out two denarii and handed them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he
said, 'and on my way back I will make good any extra expense you have.' Which of
these three, do you think, proved himself a neighbour to the man who fell into the
brigands' hands?" "The one who took pity on him," he replied. Jesus said to him, "Go,
and do the same yourself."
]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 14 Jul 2007 20:36:43 +0100 First Reading (Isaiah 66:10-14)
Towards her I send flowing peace, like a river.

Rejoice, Jerusalem, be glad for her, all you who love her! Rejoice, rejoice
for her, all you who mourned her!
That you may be suckled, filled, from her consoling breast, that you may
savour with delight her glorious breasts.
For thus says the Lord: Now towards her I send flowing peace, like a
river, and like a stream in spate the glory of the nations.
At her breast will her nurslings be carried and fondled in her lap. Like a
son comforted by his mother will I comfort you. And by Jerusalem you
will be comforted.
At the sight your heart will rejoice, and your bones flourish like the grass.
To his servants the Lord will reveal his hand.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 15)

R/ Cry out with joy to God all the earth.

1. Cry out with joy to God all the earth,
O sing to the glory of his name.
O render him glorious praise.
Say to God: "How tremendous your deeds! R/

2. "Before you all the earth shall bow;
shall sing to see you, sing to your name!"
Come and see the works of God,
tremendous his deeds among men. R/

3. He turned the sea into dry land,
they passed through the river dry-shod.
Let our joy then be in him;
he rules for ever by his might. R/

4. Come and hear, all who fear God.
I will tell what he did for my soul.
Blessed be God who did not reject my prayer
nor withhold his love from me. R/


Second Reading (Galatians 6:14-18)
The marks on my body are those of the Lord Jesus.

The only thing I can boast about is the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world. It does
not matter if a person is circumcised or not; what matters is for him to
become an altogether new creature. Peace and mercy to all who follow
this rule, who form the Israel of God.
I want no more trouble from anybody after this; the marks on my body
are those of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit,
my brothers and sisters. Amen.


Alleluia (John John 15:15)
Alleluia, alleluia! I call you friends, says the Lord, because I have made known to you everything I have learnt from my Father. Alleluia!

Gospel (Luke 10:1-9)
Your peace will rest on that man.

The Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of
him, in pairs, to all the towns and places he himself was to visit. He
said to them, "The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the
Lord of the harvest to send labourers to his harvest. Start off now, but
remember, I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Carry no
purse, no haversack, no sandals. Salute no one on the road. Whatever
house you go into, let your first words be, 'Peace to this house!' And if
a man of peace lives there, your peace will go and rest on him; if not,
it will come back to you. Stay in the same house, taking what food and
drink they have to offer, for the labourer deserves his wages; do not
move from house to house. Whenever you go into a town where they
make you welcome, eat what is set before you. Cure those in it who
are sick, and say, 'The kingdom of God is very near you.'"
But whenever you enter a town and they do not make you
welcome, go out into its streets and say, 'We wipe off the very dust
of your town that clings to our feet, and leave it with you. Yet be
sure of this: the kingdom of God is very near. I tell you, on that day
it will not go as hard with Sodom as with that town."
The seventy-two came back rejoicing. "Lord",
they said "even the devils submit to us when we use your name."
He said to them, "I watched Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Yes, I have given you power to tread underfoot serpents and scorpions
and the whole strength of the enemy; nothing shall ever hurt you.
Yet do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you;
rejoice rather that your names are written in heaven."]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 7 Jul 2007 08:00:00 +0100 First Reading (1 Kings 19:16.19-21)
Elisha rose and followed Elijah.

The Lord said to Elijah: "Go, you are to anoint Elisha son of Shaphat, of Abel
Meholah, as prophet to succeed you."
Leaving there, Elijah came on Elisha son of Shaphat as he was ploughing
behind twelve yoke of oxen, he himself being with the twelfth. Elijah passed
near to him and threw his cloak over him. Elisha left his oxen and ran after
Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother, then I will follow you" he said.
Elijah answered, "Go, go back; for have I done anything to you?" Elisha
turned away, took the pair of oxen and slaughtered them. He used the
plough for cooking the oxen, then gave to his men, who ate. He then rose,
and followed Elijah and became his servant.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 15)

R/ O Lord, it is you who are my portion.

1. Preserve me, God, I take refuge in you.
I say tot he Lord: "You are my God."
O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
it is you yourself who are my prize. R/

2. I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel,
who even at night directs my heart.
I will keep the Lord ever in my sight:
since he is at my right hand, I shall stand firm. R/

4. And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
even my body shall rest in safety.
For you will not leave my soul among the dead,
nor let your beloved know decay. R/

4. You will show me the path of life,
the fullness of joy in your presence,
at your right hand happiness for ever. R/


Second Reading (Galatians 5:1.13-18)
You were called to liberty.

When Christ freed us, he meant us to remain free. Stand firm, therefore, and
do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.
My brothers and sisters, you were called, as you know, to liberty; but be
careful, or this liberty will provide an opening for self-indulgence. Serve one
another, rather, in works of love, since the whole of the Law is summarised in
a single command: Love your neighbour as yourself. If you go snapping at
each other and tearing each other to pieces, you had better watch or you will
destroy the whole community.
Let me put it like this: if you are guided by the Spirit you will be in no danger
of yielding to self-indulgence, since self-indulgence is the opposite of the
Spirit, the Spirit is totally against such a thing, and it is precisely because the
two are so opposed that you do not always carry out your good intentions. If
you are led by the Spirit, no law can touch you.


Alleluia (John 14:5)
Alleluia, alleluia! Speak, Lord, your servant is listening: you have the message of eternal life. Alleluia!

Gospel (Luke 9:51-62)
Jesus resolutely took the road for Jerusalem. I will follow you wherever you go.

As the time drew near for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely took
the road for Jerusalem and sent messengers ahead of him. These set out, and
they went into a Samaritan village to make preparations for him, but the
people would not receive him because he was making for Jerusalem. Seeing
this, the disciples James and John said, "Lord, do you want us to call down
fire from heaven to burn them up?" But he turned and rebuked them, and
they went off to another village.
As they travelled along they met a man on the road who said to him, "I will
follow you wherever you go." Jesus answered, "Foxes have holes and the birds
of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."
Another to whom he said, "Follow me," replied, "Let me go and bury my
father first." But he answered, "Leave the dead to bury their dead; your duty
is to go and spread the news of the kingdom of God."
Another said, "I will follow you, sir, but first let me go and say good-bye to
my people at home." Jesus said to him, "Once the hand is laid on the plough,
no one who looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 30 Jun 2007 08:00:00 +0100 First Reading (Isaiah 49:1-6)
I will make you the light of the nations.

Islands, listen to me, pay attention, remotest peoples. The Lord called me before I
was born, from my mother's womb he pronounced my name.
He made my mouth a sharp sword, and hid me in the shadow of his hand. He made
me into a sharpened arrow, and concealed me in his quiver.
He said to me, "You are my servant (Israel) in whom I shall be glorified"; while I was
thinking, "I have toiled in vain, I have exhausted myself for nothing"; and all the
while my cause was with the Lord, my reward with my God. I was honoured in the
eyes of the Lord, my God was my strength.
And now the Lord has spoken, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to
bring Jacob back to him, to gather Israel to him:
"It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring
back the survivors of Israel; I will make you the light of the nations so that my
salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 138)

R/ I thank you for the wonder of my being.

1. O Lord, you search me and you know me,
you know my resting and my rising,
you discern my purpose from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down,
all my ways lie open to you. R/

2. For it was you who created my being,
knit me together in my mother's womb.
I thank you for the wonder of my being,
for the wonders of all your creation. R/

3. Already you knew my soul,
my body held no secret from you
when I was being fashioned in secret
and moulded in the depths of the earth. R/


Second Reading (Acts 13,22-26)
Jesus, whose coming was heralded by John.

Paul said: "God made David, the king of our ancestors, of whom he approved in
these words, 'I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will
carry out my whole purpose.' To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of
David's descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he
proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel. Before John
ended his career he said, 'I am not the one of you imagine me to be; that one is
coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.'
My brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of Abraham's race, and all you who fear
God, this message of salvation is meant for you."


Alleluia (Luke 1:76)
Alleluia, alleluia! As for you, little child, you shall be called a prophet of God, the Most High. You shall go ahead of the Lord to prepare his ways before him. Alleluia!

Gospel (Luke 1:57-66.80)
His name is John.

The time came for Elizabeth to have her child, and she gave birth to a son; and when
her neighbours and relations heard that the Lord had shown her so great a kindness,
they shared her joy.
Now on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; they were going to call
him Zechariah after his father, but his mother spoke up. "No," she said "he is to be
called John." They said to her, "But no one in your family has that name", and made
signs to his father to find out what he wanted him called. The father asked for a
writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they were all astonished. At that
instant his power of speech returned and he spoke and praised God. All their
neighbours were filled with awe and the whole affair was talked about throughout
the hill country of Judaea. All those who heard it treasured it in their hearts. "What
will this child turn out to be?" they wondered. And indeed the hand of the Lord was
with him. The child grew up and his spirit matured. And he lived out in the
wilderness until the day he appeared openly to Israel.]]> http://www.stjohncathedral.co.uk/readings/ Sat, 23 Jun 2007 17:48:07 +0100 First Reading (2 Samuel 12:7-10.13)
The Lord forgives your sin: you are not to die.

Nathan said to David, "The Lord the God of Israel says this, 'I anointed you king
over Israel; I delivered you from the hands of Saul; I gave your master's house to
you, his wives into your arms; I gave you the House of Israel and of Judah; and
if this were not enough, I would add as much again for you. Why have you
shown contempt for the Lord, doing what displeases him? You have struck
down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, taken his wife for your own, and killed
him with the sword of the Ammonites. So now the sword will never be far from
your House, since you have shown contempt for me and taken the wife of Uriah
the Hittite to be your wife.'"
David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." Then Nathan said to
David, "The Lord, for his part, forgives your sin; you are not to die."

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 31)

R/ Forgive, Lord, the guilt of my sin.

1. Happy the man whose offence is forgiven,
whose sin is remitted.
O happy the man to whom the Lord
imputes no guilt,
in whose spirit is no guile. R/