1st READING
After Adam and Eve fell into sin, God promised them that the woman’s offspring will strike the head of the serpent Satan. This was fulfilled with the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary when, by a special grace of God, she was preserved from any stains and effects of the sin of our first parents. By this unique grace, God broke the hold that Satan held over humanity and made it possible for the eternal Son to be born of the Virgin Mary and become man.
Genesis 3:9-15, 20
9 After the man, Adam, had eaten of the tree, the LORD God called to the man and asked him, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden; but I was afraid, because I was naked, so I hid myself.” 11 Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? You have eaten, then, from the tree of which I had forbidden you to eat!” 12 The man replied, “The woman whom you put here with me- she gave me fruit from the tree, and so I ate it.” 13 The LORD God then asked the woman, “Why did you do such a thing?” The woman answered, “The serpent tricked me into it, so I ate it.” 14 Then the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from all the wild creatures; on your belly shall you crawl, and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life. 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will strike at your head, while you strike at his heel.” 20 The man called his wife Eve, because she became the mother of all the living.
P S A L M
Psalms 98:1, 2-3, 3-4
R: Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous deeds.
1 Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; his right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 The LORD has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R)
2nd READING
In a wonderful way, God has chosen each of us in His Son, Jesus Christ, to make up the mystical body of Christ, His Church. If we remain in Him through faith and grace, God will bring to completion in us what He has purposed. Let us confidently abandon all our cares to our loving God, knowing that He is working in us for His purpose and glory.
Ephesians 1:3-6, 11-12
3 Brothers and sisters: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, 4 as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love 5 he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favour of his will, 6 for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. 11 In him we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the one who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, 12 so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ.
G O S P E L
The angel Gabriel greets Mary with an unusual greeting. He addresses her as one who is full of grace. That is, the fullness of grace dwells in the heart of the Virgin Mary since she is without sin. As such, she lives in a deep and abiding union with God in the depths of her heart that has never known the ravages of sin and death. Mary is also full of humility and is amazed at the angel’s greeting, yet her heart is one of total receptivity and surrender to the will of God.
ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women.
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Luke 1:26-38
26 The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” 29 But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 30 Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. 31 Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, 33 and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” 34 But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” 35 And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. 36 And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; 37 for nothing will be impossible for God.” 38 Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.
my reflections
t h i n k : Let us confidently abandon all our cares to our loving God, knowing that He is working in us for His purpose and glory.
God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
_________________________________________________________
T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
_______________________________________________________
READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Galatians 1-3
No comments:
Post a Comment