Readings for
Sunday, December 27, 1998
Feast of the Holy Family

First Reading

Sirach 3:2-6, 12-14 (17)

2

For the Lord honored the father above the children, and he confirmed the right of the mother over her sons.

3

Whoever honors his father atones for sins,

4

and whoever glorifies his mother is like one who lays up treasure.

5

Whoever honors his father will be gladdened by his own children, and when he prays he will be heard.

6

Whoever glorifies his father will have long life, and whoever obeys the Lord will refresh his mother;

12

O son, help your father in his old age, and do not grieve him as long as he lives;

13

even if he is lacking in understanding, show forbearance; in all your strength do not despise him.

14

For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, and against your sins it will be credited to you;

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 128:1-5

A Song of Ascents.

1

Blessed is every one who fears the LORD, who walks in his ways!

2

You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.

3

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.

4

Lo, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the LORD.

5

The LORD bless you from Zion! May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life!

Second Reading

Colossians 3:12-21

12

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, and patience,

13

forbearing one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

14

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

15

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

16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

17

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.

18

Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

19

Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.

20

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.

21

Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

Gospel

Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23

13

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."

14

And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt,

15

and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son."

19

But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

20

"Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead."

21

And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.

22

But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.

23

And he went and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, "He shall be called a Nazarene."