Sirach 3:2-6.12-14; Colossians 3

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph-Year A
Readings and Antiphons on p. 124 of the Daily Missal.

Entrance Antiphon.

The Shepherds went in haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the Infant lying in a manger.

First Reading: Sirach 3:2-6.12-14

A reading from the Book of Sirach.

The Lord honoured the father above the children,
and he confirmed the right of the mother over her sons.
Whoever honours their father atones for sins,
and preserves themselves from them.
When they pray they are heard.
and whoever glorifies their mother is like on who lays up treasure.
Whoever honours their father will be gladdened by their own children,
and when they pray they will be heard.
Whoever glorifies their father will have long life,
and whoever obeys the Lord will refresh their mother;
O child, help your father in his old age,
and do not grieve him as long as he lives;
even if he is lacking in understanding, show forbearance;
and do not despise him all the days of his life.
For kindness to a father will not be forgotten,
and against your sins, it will be credited to you;
– a house raised in justice to you.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 128:1-2.3.4-5 (R. cf. 1)

Let us now pray the Responsorial Psalm:

R/. Blessed are all who fear the Lord, and walk in his ways.

Blessed are all who fear the Lord,
and walk in his ways!
By the labour of your hands, you shall eat.
You will be blessed and prosper.

Your wife like a fruitful vine
in the heart of your house;
your children like shoots of the olive
around your table.

Indeed thus shall be blessed
the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Sion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper
all the days of your life!

R/. Blessed are all who fear the Lord, and walk in his ways.

Second Reading: Colossians 3:12-21

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians.

Brothers and sisters:
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience,
forbearing one another and,
if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
And above all these put on love,
which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
to which indeed you were called in the one body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom,
and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
Children, obey your parents in everything,
for this pleases the Lord.
Fathers, do not provoke your children,
lest they become discouraged.

The Word of the Lord.

Please stand for the Gospel.

Alleluia, Alleluia.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts; let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

Alleluia.

Gospel: Matthew 2:13-5.19-23

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

When the Wise Men had departed,
behold, an angel of the Lord
appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt,
and remain there till I tell you;
for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
And he rose and took the child and his mother by night,
and departed to Egypt,
and remained there until the death of Herod.
This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet,
“Out of Egypt have I called my son.”

But when Herod died,
behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,
“Rise, take the child and his mother,
and go to the land of Israel,
for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
And he rose and took the child and his mother,
and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea
in place of his father Herod,
he was afraid to go there,
and being warned in a dream
he withdrew to the district of Galilee.
And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth,
that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled,
“He shall be called a Nazarene.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Communion Antiphon.

Our God has appeared on the earth, and lived among us.