Monday, December 23, 2013. 

Today's Liturgical Reading by Daily Flash, Goa. 

Feast of Saint John of Kanty. 

First Reading : Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24; Second Reading : Psalm 24[25]:4-5, 8-10, 14; Gospel : Luke 1:57-66. [Please share today's Gospel.]

First Reading : Malachi 3:1-4, 23-24; 

The Purifier

3 “Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts. 2 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. 3 He will sit as a smelter and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, so that they may present to the Lord offerings in righteousness. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years.

23 “But before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes, I will send you the prophet Elijah.24 He will bring fathers and children together again; otherwise I would have to come and destroy your country.”

Psalm 25:4-5, 8-10, 14

4 Teach me your ways, O Lord;
    make them known to me.
5 Teach me to live according to your truth,
    for you are my God, who saves me.
    I always trust in you.

8 Because the Lord is righteous and good,
    he teaches sinners the path they should follow.
9 He leads the humble in the right way
    and teaches them his will.
10 With faithfulness and love he leads
    all who keep his covenant and obey his commands.

14 The Lord is the friend of those who obey him
    and he affirms his covenant with them.

Second Reading : Also read Psalm 24; 


Gospel : Luke 1:57-66

The Birth of John the Baptist

57 The time came for Elizabeth to have her baby, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard how wonderfully good the Lord had been to her, and they all rejoiced with her. 59 When the baby was a week old, they came to circumcise him, and they were going to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60 But his mother said, “No! His name is to be John.” 61 They said to her, “But you don't have any relative with that name!” 62 Then they made signs to his father, asking him what name he would like the boy to have. 63 Zechariah asked for a writing pad and wrote, “His name is John.” How surprised they all were! 64 At that moment Zechariah was able to speak again, and he started praising God.65 The neighbors were all filled with fear, and the news about these things spread through all the hill country of Judea. 66 Everyone who heard of it thought about it and asked, “What is this child going to be?” For it was plain that the Lord's power was upon him.

 

Focus: "But his mother said, “No! His name is to be John.” (Luke 1:60)

Fruit: We can emulate both Johns by proclaiming the gospel through service to others.