Daily Readings

Beloved:We have this confidence in himthat if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask,we know that what we have asked him for is ours. If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly,he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin,about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly.We know that anyone begotten by God does not sin;but the one begotten by God he protects,and the Evil One cannot touch him. We know that we belong to God,and the whole world is under the power of the Evil One. We also know that the Son of God has comeand has given us discernment to know the one who is true. And we are in the one who is true,in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Children, be on your guard against idols.

R.        (see 4a)  The Lord takes delight in his people.or:R.        Alleluia.Sing to the LORD a new song            of praise in the assembly of the faithful.Let Israel be glad in their maker,            let the children of Zion rejoice in their king.R.        The Lord takes delight in his people.or:R.        Alleluia.Let them praise his name in the festive dance,            let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.For the LORD loves his people,            and he adorns the lowly with victory.R.        The Lord takes delight in his people.or:R.        Alleluia.Let the faithful exult in glory;            let them sing for joy upon their couches;Let the high praises of God be in their throats.            This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia.R.        The Lord takes delight in his people.or:R.        Alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light,on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by deathlight has arisen.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus and his disciples went into the region of Judea,where he spent some time with them baptizing. John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim,because there was an abundance of water there,and people came to be baptized,for John had not yet been imprisoned. Now a dispute arose between the disciples of John and a Jewabout ceremonial washings. So they came to John and said to him,“Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan,to whom you testified,here he is baptizing and everyone is coming to him.”John answered and said,“No one can receive anything except what has been given from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said that I am not the Christ,but that I was sent before him. The one who has the bride is the bridegroom;the best man, who stands and listens for him,rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made complete. He must increase; I must decrease.”

Beloved:Who indeed is the victor over the worldbut the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,not by water alone, but by water and Blood. The Spirit is the one who testifies,and the Spirit is truth. So there are three who testify,the Spirit, the water, and the Blood, and the three are of one accord. If we accept human testimony,the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this,that he has testified on behalf of his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of Godhas this testimony within himself.Whoever does not believe God has made him a liarby not believing the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony:God gave us eternal life,and this life is in his Son. Whoever possesses the Son has life;whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.I write these things to you so that you may knowthat you have eternal life,you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

R.        (12a)  Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.or:R.        Alleluia.Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;            praise your God, O Zion.For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;            he has blessed your children within you.R.        Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.or:R.        Alleluia.He has granted peace in your borders;            with the best of wheat he fills you.He sends forth his command to the earth;            swiftly runs his word!R.        Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.or:R.        Alleluia.He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,            his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.He has not done thus for any other nation;            his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.R.        Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.or:R.        Alleluia.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdomand cured every disease among the people.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was;and when he saw Jesus,he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said,“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,“I do will it.  Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansingwhat Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The report about him spread all the more,and great crowds assembled to listen to himand to be cured of their ailments,but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

Beloved, we love God becausehe first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,”but hates his brother, he is a liar;for whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. This is the commandment we have from him:Whoever loves God must also love his brother.Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God,and everyone who loves the Fatherloves also the one begotten by him. In this way we know that we love the children of Godwhen we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this,that we keep his commandments.And his commandments are not burdensome,for whoever is begotten by God conquers the world. And the victory that conquers the world is our faith.

R.        (see 11)  Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.O God, with your judgment endow the king,            and with your justice, the king’s son;He shall govern your people with justice            and your afflicted ones with judgment.R.        Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.From fraud and violence he shall redeem them,            and precious shall their blood be in his sight.May they be prayed for continually;            day by day shall they bless him.R.        Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.May his name be blessed forever;            as long as the sun his name shall remain.In him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed;            all the nations shall proclaim his happiness.R.        Lord, every nation on earth will adore you.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.The Lord has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poorand to proclaim liberty to captives.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit,and news of him spread throughout the whole region. He taught in their synagogues and was praised by all.He came to Nazareth, where he had grown up,and went according to his custominto the synagogue on the sabbath day. He stood up to read and was handed a scroll of the prophet Isaiah. He unrolled the scroll and found the passage where it was written:            The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,                        because he has anointed me                                    to bring glad tidings to the poor.            He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives                        and recovery of sight to the blind,                                    to let the oppressed go free,            and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.Rolling up the scroll, he handed it back to the attendant and sat down,and the eyes of all in the synagogue looked intently at him. He said to them,“Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke highly of himand were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.