Reading 1 Jer 20:10-13 I hear the whisperings of many:“Terror on every side!Denounce! let us denounce him!”All those who were my friendsare on the watch for any misstep of mine.“Perhaps he will be trapped; then we can prevail,and take our vengeance on him.”But the LORD is with me, like a mighty champion:my persecutors will stumble, they will not triumph.In their failure they will be put to utter shame,to lasting, unforgettable confusion.O LORD of hosts, you who test the just,who probe mind and heart,Let me witness the vengeance you take on them,for to you I have entrusted my cause.Sing to the LORD,praise the LORD,For he has rescued the life of the poorfrom the power of the wicked! Responsorial Psalm 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 5-6, 7 R.    (see 7)  In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.I love you, O LORD, my strength,O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.R.    In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.My God, my rock of refuge,my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,and I am safe from my enemies.R.    In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.The breakers of death surged round about me,the destroying floods overwhelmed me;The cords of the nether world enmeshed me,the snares of death overtook me.R.    In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice.In my distress I called upon the LORDand cried out to my God;From his temple he heard my voice,and my cry to him reached his ears.R.    In my distress I called upon the Lord, and he heard my voice. Alleluia Jn 6:63c, 68c Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life;you have the words of everlasting life. Gospel Jn 10:31-42 The Jews picked up rocks to stone Jesus.Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from my Father.For which of these are you trying to stone me?”The Jews answered him,“We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy.You, a man, are making yourself God.”Jesus answered them,“Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, ‘You are gods”‘?If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came,and Scripture cannot be set aside,can you say that the onewhom the Father has consecrated and sent into the worldblasphemes because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?If I do not perform my Father’s works, do not believe me;but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me,believe the works, so that you may realize and understandthat the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”Then they tried again to arrest him;but he escaped from their power.He went back across the Jordanto the place where John first baptized, and there he remained.Many came to him and said,“John performed no sign,but everything John said about this man was true.”And many there began to believe in him. - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Gn 17:3-9 When Abram prostrated himself, God spoke to him:“My covenant with you is this:you are to become the father of a host of nations.No longer shall you be called Abram;your name shall be Abraham,for I am making you the father of a host of nations.I will render you exceedingly fertile;I will make nations of you;kings shall stem from you.I will maintain my covenant with youand your descendants after youthroughout the ages as an everlasting pact,to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.I will give to youand to your descendants after youthe land in which you are now staying,the whole land of Canaan, as a permanent possession;and I will be their God.”God also said to Abraham:“On your part, you and your descendants after youmust keep my covenant throughout the ages.” Responsorial Psalm 105:4-5, 6-7, 8-9 R.    (8a)  The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.Look to the LORD in his strength;seek to serve him constantly.Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.R.    The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.You descendants of Abraham, his servants,sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!He, the LORD, is our God;throughout the earth his judgments prevail.R.    The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.He remembers forever his covenantwhich he made binding for a thousand generations –Which he entered into with Abrahamand by his oath to Isaac.R.    The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. Verse Before the Gospel Ps 95:8 If today you hear his voice,harden not your hearts. Gospel Jn 8:51-59 Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. - - - Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 Dn 3:14-20, 91-92, 95 King Nebuchadnezzar said:"Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,that you will not serve my god,or worship the golden statue that I set up?Be ready now to fall down and worship the statue I had made,whenever you hear the sound of the trumpet,flute, lyre, harp, psaltery, bagpipe,and all the other musical instruments;otherwise, you shall be instantly cast into the white-hot furnace;and who is the God who can deliver you out of my hands?"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar,"There is no need for us to defend ourselves before youin this matter.If our God, whom we serve,can save us from the white-hot furnaceand from your hands, O king, may he save us!But even if he will not, know, O king,that we will not serve your godor worship the golden statue that you set up."King Nebuchadnezzar's face became livid with utter rageagainst Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.He ordered the furnace to be heated seven times more than usualand had some of the strongest men in his armybind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednegoand cast them into the white-hot furnace.Nebuchadnezzar rose in haste and asked his nobles,"Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?""Assuredly, O king," they answered."But," he replied, "I see four men unfettered and unhurt,walking in the fire, and the fourth looks like a son of God." Nebuchadnezzar exclaimed,"Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,who sent his angel to deliver the servants who trusted in him;they disobeyed the royal command and yielded their bodiesrather than serve or worship any godexcept their own God." Responsorial Psalm Dn 3:52, 53, 54, 55, 56 R. (52b) Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers,praiseworthy and exalted above all forever;And blessed is your holy and glorious name,praiseworthy and exalted above all for all ages."R. Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,praiseworthy and exalted above all forever.R. Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,praiseworthy and exalted above all forever."R. Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you who look into the depthsfrom your throne upon the cherubim;praiseworthy and exalted above all forever."R. Glory and praise for ever!"Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,praiseworthy and glorious forever."R. Glory and praise for ever! Verse Before the Gospel See Lk 8:15 Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heartand yield a harvest through perseverance. Gospel Jn 8:31-42 Jesus said to those Jews who believed in him,"If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."They answered him, "We are descendants of Abrahamand have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, 'You will become free'?"Jesus answered them, "Amen, amen, I say to you,everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.A slave does not remain in a household forever,but a son always remains. So if the Son frees you, then you will truly be free.I know that you are descendants of Abraham.But you are trying to kill me,because my word has no room among you. I tell you what I have seen in the Father's presence;then do what you have heard from the Father."They answered and said to him, "Our father is Abraham." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children,you would be doing the works of Abraham. But now you are trying to kill me,a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God;Abraham did not do this.You are doing the works of your father!"So they said to him, "We were not born of fornication. We have one Father, God." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me,for I came from God and am here;I did not come on my own, but he sent me." - - -Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Reading 1 2 Sm 7:4-5a, 12-14a, 16 The LORD spoke to Nathan and said:“Go, tell my servant David,‘When your time comes and you rest with your ancestors,I will raise up your heir after you, sprung from your loins,and I will make his kingdom firm.It is he who shall build a house for my name.And I will make his royal throne firm forever.I will be a father to him,and he shall be a son to me.Your house and your kingdom shall endure forever before me;your throne shall stand firm forever.’” Responsorial Psalm 89:2-3, 4-5, 27 and 29 R.    (37)  The son of David will live for ever.The promises of the LORD I will sing forever;through all generations my mouth shall proclaim your faithfulness,For you have said, “My kindness is established forever”;in heaven you have confirmed your faithfulness.R.    The son of David will live for ever.“I have made a covenant with my chosen one,I have sworn to David my servant:Forever will I confirm your posterityand establish your throne for all generations.”R.    The son of David will live for ever.“He shall say of me, ‘You are my father,my God, the Rock, my savior.’Forever I will maintain my kindness toward him,and my covenant with him stands firm.”R.    The son of David will live for ever. Reading 2 Rom 4:13, 16-18, 22 Brothers and sisters:It was not through the lawthat the promise was made to Abraham and his descendantsthat he would inherit the world,but through the righteousness that comes from faith.For this reason, it depends on faith,so that it may be a gift,and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants,not to those who only adhere to the lawbut to those who follow the faith of Abraham,who is the father of all of us, as it is written,I have made you father of many nations.He is our father in the sight of God,in whom he believed, who gives life to the deadand calls into being what does not exist.He believed, hoping against hope,that he would become the father of many nations,according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be.That is why it was credited to him as righteousness. Verse Before the Gospel Ps 84:5 Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord;they never cease to praise you. Gospel Mt 1:16, 18-21, 24a Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.Of her was born Jesus who is called the Christ.Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about.When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,but before they lived together,she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,yet unwilling to expose her to shame,decided to divorce her quietly.Such was his intention when, behold,the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,“Joseph, son of David,do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.For it is through the Holy Spiritthat this child has been conceived in her.She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,because he will save his people from their sins.”When Joseph awoke,he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded himand took his wife into his home.orLk 2:41-51aEach year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,and when he was twelve years old,they went up according to festival custom.After they had completed its days, as they were returning,the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,but his parents did not know it.Thinking that he was in the caravan,they journeyed for a dayand looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,but not finding him,they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.After three days they found him in the temple,sitting in the midst of the teachers,listening to them and asking them questions,and all who heard him were astoundedat his understanding and his answers.When his parents saw him,they were astonished,and his mother said to him,“Son, why have you done this to us?Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”And he said to them,“Why were you looking for me?Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?”But they did not understand what he said to them.He went down with them and came to Nazareth,and was obedient to them. - - - Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.