FIRST READING
The kingdom of David shall be made sure for ever before the Lord.
A reading from the second Book of Samuel (2 Samuel 7: 1-5. 8b-12. 14a. 16)
Now when King David dwelt in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies round about, the king said to Nathan the prophet, “See now, I dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.” And Nathan said to the king, “Go, do all that is in your heart; for the LORD is with you.” But that same night the word of the Lord came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord; would you build me a house to dwell in? “‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel; and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. And I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. “‘I will be his Father and he shall be my son. “‘And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me; your throne shall be established for ever.”’
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 89:2-3.4-5.27 and 29 (R. 2a)
R/. I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.
I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord;
Through all ages my mouth will proclaim your fidelity.
I have declared your mercy is established forever;
Your fidelity stands firm as the heavens. R/.
with my chosen one I have made a covenant;
I have sworn to David my servant;
I will establish your descendants forever,
And set up your throne through all ages.” R/.
R/. I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.
“He will call out to me, ‘You are my father,
My God, the rock of my salvation.’
I will keep my faithful love for him always;
With him my covenant shall last.” R/.
ALLELUIA
O Daystar, splendour of the eternal light and son of justice! Come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“The day shall dawn upon us from on high.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 1:67-79)
At that time: Zechariah, the father of John, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, when the day shall dawn upon us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
The Gospel of the Lord.