First Readings

A Reading from the book of Genesis                               2:18-24

The Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.” So out of the ground the Lord God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the man there was not found a helper as his partner. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of the ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said:

                “This at last is bone of my bones

                and flesh of my flesh;

                this one shall be called Woman,

                for out of Man, this one was taken,”

Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh.

The word of the Lord.

Response: Let all praise the name of the Lord

Praise the Lord from the heavens,

praise him in the heights.

Praise him, all his angels,

praise him, all his host. R.

Praise him sun and moon,

praise him, shining stars.

Praise him, highest heavens

and the waters above heavens. R.

All mountains and hills,

all fruit trees and cedars,

beasts, wild and tame,

reptiles and birds on the wing. R.

All earth’s kings and peoples,

earth’s princes and rulers:

young men and maidens,

old men together with children. R.

Let them praise the name of the Lord

for he alone is exalted.

The splendour of his name

reaches beyond heaven and earth.  R.

A Reading from the Song of Songs

I hear my beloved.

See how he comes

leaping on the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

My beloved lifts up his voice,

he says to me,

‘Come then, my love,

my lovely one, come.

My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock.

In the coverts of the cliff,

show me your face,

let me hear your voice;

for your voice is sweet a

and your face is beautiful.’

My beloved is mine and I am his.

Set me like a seal on your heart,

like a seal on your arm.

For love is strong as death,

jealously as relentless as sheol.

The flash of it is a flash of fire,

a flame of the Lord himself.

Love no flood can quench,

no torrents drown.

The word of the Lord.

Response: Happy are those who fear the Lord.

O blessed are those who fear the Lord

and walk in his ways!

By the labour of your hands you shall eat.

You will be happy and prosper. R.

Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

in the heart of your house;

Your children like shoots of the olive,

around your table. R.

Indeed thus shall be blessed those who fear the Lord.

May the Lord bless you from Zion

all the days of your life. R.

A Reading from the book of Sirach (26:1-4. 13-16)

Happy the husband of a really good wife;

the number of his days will be doubled.

A perfect wife is the joy of her husband,

he will live out the years of his life in peace.

A good wife is the best of portions,

reserved for those who fear the Lord;

rich or poor, they will be glad of heart;

cheerful of face, whatever the season.

The grace of a wife will charm her husband,

her accomplishments will make him stronger.

A silent wife is a gift from the Lord,

no price can be put on a well-trained character.

A modest wife is a boon twice over,

a chaste character cannot be weighed on scales.

Like the sun rising over the mountains of the Lord is the beauty

of a good wife in a well-kept house.

The word of the Lord.

Response: I will bless the Lord at all times.

I will bless the Lord at all times,

his praise always on my lips;

in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.

The humble shall hear and be glad. R.

Glorify the Lord with me.

Together let us praise his name.

I sought the Lord and he answered me;

from all my terrors he set me free. R.

Look towards him and be radiant;

let your faces not be abashed.

The poor called; the Lord heard them

and rescued them from all their distress. R.

The angel of the Lord is encamped

around those who revere him, to rescue them.

Taste and see that the Lord is good.

He is happy who seeks refuge in him. R.

Second Reading

A Reading from St Paul to the Romans (8:31-35. 37-39)

With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his own Son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No! He not only died for us - he rose from the dead, and there at God’s right hand he stands and pleads for us.

Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.

For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The word of the Lord.

A Reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians (12:31-13:8)

Be ambitious for the higher gifts. And I am going to show you a way that is better than any of them.

If I have all the eloquence of mortals or of angels, but speak without love, I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing. If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are, and knowing everything, and if I have faith in all its fullness, to move mountains, but without love, then I am nothing at all. If I give away all that I possess, piece by piece, and if I even let them take my body to burn it, but am without love, it will do me no good whatever.

Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.

Love does not come to an end.

The word of the Lord.

A Reading from St Paul to the Colossians (3:12-17)

You are God’s chosen race, his saints; he loves you, and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with one another; forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins. The Lord has forgiven you; now you must do the same. Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as parts of one body. Always be thankful.

Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom. With gratitude in your hearts sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God and never do or say anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The word of the Lord.

A Reading from the first letter of John (4:7-12)

My dear people,

let us love one another

since love comes from God

and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

Anyone who fails to love can never have known God,

because God is love.

God’s love for us was revealed

when God sent into the world his only Son

so that we might have life through him;

this is the love I mean:

not our love for God

but God’s love for us when he sent his Son

to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.

My dear people,

since God has loved us so much,

we too should love one another.

No one has ever seen God;

but as long as we love one another

God will live in us

and his love will be complete in us.

The word of the Lord.

Gospel Reading

A Reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (5:1-12)

Seeing the crowds, Jesus went up the hill. There he sat down and was joined by his disciples. Then he began to speak. This is what he taught them:

‘How happy are the poor in spirit;

theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy the gentle:

They shall have the earth for their heritage.

Happy those who mourn:

They shall be comforted.

Happy those who hunger and thirst for what is right;

They shall be satisfied.

Happy the merciful:

They shall have mercy shown them.

Happy the pure in heart:

They shall see God.

Happy the peacemakers:

They shall be called children of God.

Happy those who are persecuted in the cause of right:

Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Happy are you when people abuse you and persecute you and speak all kinds of calumny against you on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord

A Reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (22:35-40)

A lawyer, to disconcert Jesus, put a question, ‘Master, which is the greatest commandment of the Law?’ Jesus said, ‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second resembles it: You must love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments hang the whole Law, and the prophets also.

The Gospel of the Lord.

F

A Reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (10:6-9)

Jesus said, ‘From the beginning of creation God made them male and female. This is why a man must leave father and mother, and the two become on body. They are no longer two, therefore, but one body. So then, what God has united, no one must divide.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

A Reading from the holy Gospel according to John (2:1-11)

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the wedding was all finished, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.’ Jesus said, ‘Woman why turn to me? My hour has not come yet.’ His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ There were six water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water,’ and they filled them to the brim. ‘Draw some out now,’ he told them, ‘ and take it to the steward.’ They did this; the steward tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it come from – only the stewards who had drawn the water knew – the steward called the bridegroom and said, ‘People generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had plenty to drink, but you have kept the best wine till now.’

This was the first of the signs given by Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be seen, and his disciples believed in him.

The gospel of the Lord.

A Reading from the holy Gospel according to John (15:12-16)

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘This is my commandment:

love one another,

as I have loved you.

No one has greater love than this,

to lay down ones life for ones friends.

You are my friends,

if you do what I command you.

I shall not call you servants any more,

because a servant does not know

the master’s business;

I call you friends,

because I have made known to you

everything I have learnt from my Father.

You did not choose me,

no, I chose you;

and I commissioned you

to go out and bear fruit,

fruit that will last;

and then the Father will give you

anything you ask him in my name.’

The Gospel of the Lord.