FIRST READING
“The Spirit, the water, and the blood.”
A reading from the first Letter of Saint John (1 John 5:5-13)
Beloved: Who is it that overcomes the world but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the witness, because the Spirit is the truth. There are three witnesses, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has borne witness to his Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. He who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne to his Son. And this is the testimony that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life. I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.
The word of the Lord
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 147: 12- 13.14-15.19-20 (R. 12a)
R/. O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
Or: Alleluia.
O Jerusalem, glorify the Lord!
O Sion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you. R/.
He established peace on your borders;
he gives you your fil1 of finest wheat.
He send‘s out his word to the earth,
and swiftly runs his command. R/.
He reveals his word to Jacob;
to Israel, his decrees and judgements.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his judgements. R/.
ALLELUIA Mark 9:6
Alleluia. Alleluia. The heavens opened and the Father’s voice was heard: “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.” Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“You are my beloved Son, with you I am well pleased.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 1:7- 11)
At that time: John preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptised you with water; but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.” In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens opened and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Or the following:
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 3:23-38)
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of Adam, the son of God.
At that time: Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Janna-i, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Nagga-i, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Seine-in, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of She-alti-el, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son ofAddi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elm- adam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Mele-a, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Ami, the son of Hez- ron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, the son of Ca-inan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Maha1ale-e1, the son of Ca-inan, the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
The Gospel of the Lord
TODAY’S REFLECTION
God the Father established the true sonship of Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, and the Word made flesh through the tree witness of water, blood and the Holy Spirit. Jesus turned the water of Baptism into a source of regeneration, reconciliation and forgiveness of sins for all baptized Christians through the power of the Holy Spirit which He sealed with his blood on the cross of Calvary. Thus, He made Jesus the source of salvation for all humanity and all who believe in Him. He is the beloved Son of the Father in whom God is well pleased. Each of us has become God’s beloved child through our baptism in Christ.