Reading I 1 Sm 4:1-11 The Philistines gathered for an attack on Israel. Israel went out to engage them in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek. The Philistines then drew up in battle formation against Israel. After a fierce struggle Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who slew about four thousand men on the battlefield. When the troops retired to the camp, the elders of Israel said “Why has the LORD permitted us to be defeated today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the Lord from Shiloh that it may go into battle among us and save us from the grasp of our enemies.” So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of God. When the ark of the LORD arrived in the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth resounded. The Philistines, hearing the noise of shouting, asked, “What can this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” On learning that the ark of the LORD had come into the camp, the Philistines were frightened. They said, “Gods have come to their camp.” They said also, “Woe to us! This has never happened before. Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods that struck the Egyptians with various plagues and with pestilence. Take courage and be manly, Philistines; otherwise you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they were your slaves. So fight manfully!”  The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; every man fled to his own tent. It was a disastrous defeat, .in which Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were among the dead.   Responsorial Psalm 44:10-11, 14-15, 24-25 R.        (27b)  Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy. Yet now you have cast us off and put us in disgrace,             and you go not forth with our armies. You have let us be driven back by our foes;             those who hated us plundered us at will. R.        Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy. You made us the reproach of our neighbors,             the mockery and the scorn of those around us. You made us a byword among the nations,             a laughingstock among the peoples. R.        Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy. Why do you hide your face,             forgetting our woe and our oppression? For our souls are bowed down to the dust,             our bodies are pressed to the earth. R.        Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy. Alleluia See Mt 4:23 R. Alleluia, alleluia. Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 1:40-45 A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him,  “I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere. - - -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 I 1 Sm 3:1-10, 19-20 During the time young Samuel was minister to the LORD under Eli, a revelation of the LORD was uncommon and vision infrequent. One day Eli was asleep in his usual place. His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see. The lamp of God was not yet extinguished, and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORD where the ark of God was. The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.” Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am.  You called me.” “I did not call you,” Eli said.  “Go back to sleep.”  So he went back to sleep. Again the LORD called Samuel, who rose and went to Eli. “Here I am,” he said. “You called me.” But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.” At that time Samuel was not familiar with the LORD, because the LORD had not revealed anything to him as yet. The LORD called Samuel again, for the third time. Getting up and going to Eli, he said, “Here I am.  You called me.” Then Eli understood that the LORD was calling the youth. So Eli said to Samuel, “Go to sleep, and if you are called, reply, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’”  When Samuel went to sleep in his place, the LORD came and revealed his presence, calling out as before, “Samuel, Samuel!” Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” Samuel grew up, and the LORD was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect. Thus all Israel from Dan to Beersheba came to know that Samuel was an accredited prophet of the LORD. Responsorial Psalm 40:2 and 5, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10 R.        (8a and 9a)  Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. I have waited, waited for the LORD,             and he stooped toward me and heard my cry. Blessed the man who makes the LORD his trust;             who turns not to idolatry             or to those who stray after falsehood. R.        Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Sacrifice or oblation you wished not,             but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not;             then said I, “Behold I come.” R.        Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. “In the written scroll it is prescribed for me. To do your will, O my God, is my delight,             and your law is within my heart!” R.        Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. I announced your justice in the vast assembly;             I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. R.        Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Alleluia Jn 10:27 R. Alleluia, alleluia. My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord. I know them, and they follow me. R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 1:29-39 On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn,  he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons  throughout the whole of Galilee. - - -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 I 1 Sm 1:9-20 Hannah rose after a meal at Shiloh, and presented herself before the LORD; at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair near the doorpost of the LORD’s temple. In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously, and she made a vow, promising: “O LORD of hosts, if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid, if you remember me and do not forget me, if you give your handmaid a male child, I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives; neither wine nor liquor shall he drink, and no razor shall ever touch his head.” As she remained long at prayer before the LORD, Eli watched her mouth, for Hannah was praying silently; though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard. Eli, thinking her drunk, said to her, “How long will you make a drunken show of yourself? Sober up from your wine!” “It isn’t that, my lord,” Hannah answered. “I am an unhappy woman. I have had neither wine nor liquor; I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD. Do not think your handmaid a ne’er-do-well; my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery.” Eli said, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” She replied, “Think kindly of your maidservant,” and left. She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband, and no longer appeared downcast. Early the next morning they worshiped before the LORD, and then returned to their home in Ramah. When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah, the LORD remembered her.  She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him. Responsorial Psalm 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd R.        (see 1) My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior. “My heart exults in the LORD,             my horn is exalted in my God. I have swallowed up my enemies;             I rejoice in my victory.” R.        My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior. “The bows of the mighty are broken,             while the tottering gird on strength. The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,             while the hungry batten on spoil. The barren wife bears seven sons,             while the mother of many languishes.” R.        My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior. “The LORD puts to death and gives life;             he casts down to the nether world;             he raises up again. The LORD makes poor and makes rich;             he humbles, he also exalts.” R.        My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior. “He raises the needy from the dust;             from the dung heap he lifts up the poor, To seat them with nobles             and make a glorious throne their heritage.” R.        My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior. Alleluia See 1 Thes 2:13 R. Alleluia, alleluia. Receive the word of God, not as the word of men, but as it truly is, the word of God. R. Alleluia, alleluia.   Gospel Mk 1:21-28 Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers,  and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”  Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet!  Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another,  “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee. - - -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 I Is 42:1-4, 6-7 Thus says the LORD: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. a bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching. I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness. OR: Is 55:1-11 Thus says the LORD: All you who are thirsty, come to the water! You who have no money, come, receive grain and eat; come, without paying and without cost, drink wine and milk! Why spend your money for what is not bread, your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare. Come to me heedfully, listen, that you may have life. I will renew with you the everlasting covenant, the benefits assured to David. As I made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of nations, so shall you summon a nation you knew not, and nations that knew you not shall run to you, because of the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, who has glorified you. Seek the LORD while he may be found, call him while he is near. Let the scoundrel forsake his way, and the wicked man his thoughts; let him turn to the LORD for mercy; to our God, who is generous in forgiving. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD. As high as the heavens are above the earth  so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts. For just as from the heavens the rain and snow come down and do not return there till they have watered the earth, making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; my word shall not return to me void, but shall do my will, achieving the end for which I sent it. OR: Acts 10:34-38 Peter proceeded to speak to those gathered in the house of Cornelius, saying:  “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him. You know the word that he sent to the Israelites  as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,  what has happened all over Judea,  beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached,  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power. He went about doing good  and healing all those oppressed by the devil,  for God was with him.” OR: 1 Jn 5:1-9 Beloved: Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is begotten by God, and everyone who loves the Father loves also the one begotten by him. In this way we know that we love the children of God when 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. Who indeed is the victor over the world but 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 that 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. Responsorial Psalm Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 R. (11b)  The Lord will bless his people with peace. Give to the LORD, you sons of God,     give to the LORD glory and praise, Give to the LORD the glory due his name;     adore the LORD in holy attire.R. The Lord will bless his people with peace. The voice of the LORD is over the waters,     the LORD, over vast waters. The voice of the LORD is mighty;     the voice of the LORD is majestic. R. The Lord will bless his people with peace. The God of glory thunders,     and in his temple all say, “Glory!” The LORD is enthroned above the flood;     the LORD is enthroned as king forever.R. The Lord will bless his people with peace. OR: Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 R. (3)  You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation. God indeed is my savior;     I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the LORD,     and he has been my savior. With joy you will draw water     at the fountain of salvation.R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation. Give thanks to the LORD, acclaim his name;     among the nations make known his deeds,       proclaim how exalted is his name.R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation. Sing praise to the LORD for his glorious achievement;     let this be known throughout all the earth. Shout with exultation, O city of Zion,     for great in your midst     is the Holy One of Israel!R. You will draw water joyfully from the springs of salvation. Alleluia Cf. Jn 1:29 R. Alleluia, alleluia. John saw Jesus approaching him, and said: Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mk 1:7-11 This is what John the Baptist proclaimed:  “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water;  he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee  and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open  and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens,  “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” - - -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.