First Reading

First reading

Reading from the book of Sirach

Sirach 3:3-7, 14-17a

The Lord honors the father in his children
and upholds the mother’s authority over the offspring.
He who honors his father is cleansed of sin;
and he who respects his mother accumulates treasures.

He who honors his father
will find joy in his children
and his prayer will be heard;
he who exalts his father will have a long life
and he who obeys the Lord is a comfort to his mother.

Son, take care of your father in his old age
and do not cause him sorrow during his life;
even if his mind fails, be patient with him
and do not despise him because you are in full vigor.
The good done to the father will not be forgotten
and it will be credited to your sins.

Second reading

Reading from the letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Colossians

Colossians 3:12-21

Brothers and sisters: Since God chose you, consecrated you to himself, and gave you his love, be compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, and patient. Bear with one another and forgive one another if anyone has a complaint against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also forgive. And over all these virtues, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom; and with gratitude in your hearts sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and never treat them harshly. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this is your acceptable duty in the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, or they may lose heart.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew

Mt 2:13-15, 19-23

After the wise men had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, «Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is going to search for the child to destroy him.»

Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, «Out of Egypt I have called my son.»

But when Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, «Get up, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.»

Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And after being warned in a dream, he went away to the district of Galilee. There he made his home in a town called Nazareth, so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled, «He will be called a Nazorean.»