Thursday, 23rd June 2021


The Solemnity for the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Readings and Antiphons on p 1659 of the Daily Missal

Entrance Antiphon


A man was sent from God, whose name was John. He came to testify to the light, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.

First Reading: Isaiah 49:1-6
A reading from the Book of Isaiah

Listen to me, O islands, 
and pay attention, you peoples from afar. 
The Lord called me from the womb, 
from the body of my mother he named my name. 
He made my mouth like a sharp sword, 
in the shadow of his hand he hid me; 
he made me a polished arrow, 
in his quiver he hid me away. 
And he said to me, 
“You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” 
But I said, 
“I have laboured in vain; 
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
 yet surely my right is with the Lord, 
and my recompense with my God.” 
And now the Lord says, 
who formed me from the womb to be his servant, 
to bring Jacob back to him, 
and that Israel might be gathered to him, 
for I am honoured in the eyes of the Lord, 
and my God has become my strength—he says: 
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant 
to raise up the tribes of Jacob 
and to restore the preserved of Israel;
 I will give you as a light to the nations,
 that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
The Word of the Lord

Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 139:1-3.13-14.15 (R. 14a)
Let us now pray the Responsorial Psalm:

R/. I thank you who wonderfully made me.
O Lord, you search me and you know me.
You yourself know my resting and my rising;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down;
you know all my ways through and through.
For it was you who formed my inmost being,
knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you who wonderfully made me;
how wonderful are your works,
which my soul knows well!
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being fashioned in secret
and moulded in the depths of the earth.
R/. I thank you who wonderfully made me.

Second Reading: Acts 13:22-26
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles
In those days: Paul said: 
“God raised up David to be their king;
of whom he testified and said, 
‘I have found in David the son of Jesse 
a man after my heart, 
who will do all my will.’
 Of this man’s posterity 
God has brought to Israel a Saviour, Jesus, 
as he promised. 
Before his coming 
John had preached a baptism of repentance 
to all the people of Israel. 
And as John was finishing his course, he said, 
‘What do you suppose that I am? 
I am not he. 
No, but after me one is coming,
 the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.’ 
“Brothers and sisters, children of the family of Abraham, 
and those among you that fear God, 
to us has been sent the message of this salvation.”
The Word of the Lord

Please stand for the Gospel
Alleluia. 
You, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways.
Alleluia.

Gospel: Luke 1:57-66.80
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, 
and she gave birth to a son. 
And her neighbours and kinsfolk heard 
that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, 
and they rejoiced with her. 
And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; 
and they would have named him Zechariah after his father, 
but his mother said, 
“Not so; he shall be called John.” 
And they said to her, 
“None of your kindred is called by this name.” 
And they made signs to his father, 
inquiring what he would have him called. 
And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, 
“His name is John.” 
And they all marvelled. 
And immediately his mouth was opened, 
and his tongue loosed, 
and he spoke, blessing God. 
And fear came on all their neighbours. 
And all these things were talked about 
through all the hill country of Judea; 
and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, 
“What then will this child be?” 
For the hand of the Lord was with him. 
And the child grew and became strong in spirit, 
and he was in the wilderness 
till the day of his manifestation to Israel.
The Gospel of the Lord

Communion Antiphon


Through the tender mercy of our God, the Dawn from on high will visit us.