First Reading
First reading
Reading from the book of Isaiah
Isaiah 8:23b–9:3
In times past the Lord humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the future he will fill with glory the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, in the district of the Gentiles.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom
a light has shone.
You have brought them abundant joy
and great rejoicing;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as they exult when they divide the spoils.
For you have shattered their yoke of burdens,
the rod that struck their shoulders,
the scepter of their oppressor,
as on the day of Midian.
Second reading
Reading from the first letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17
Brothers: I urge you, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, that there be no divisions among you, and that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.
For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers, by Chloe’s people, that there are rivalries among you. I mean that each of you is saying, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning.
Gospel
Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew
Matthew 4:12-23
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled:
Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen.
From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along a little farther and saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people.