First Reading
A reading from the prophet Isaiah 49:3.5-6
The Lord said to me, "You are my servant (Israel) in whom I shall be glorified"; I was
honoured in the eyes of the Lord, my God was my strength. And now the Lord has
spoken, he who formed me in the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him,
to gather Israel to him: "It is not enough for you to be my servant, to restore the tribes
of Jacob and bring back the survivors of Israel; I will make you the light of the nations
so that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."
Responsorial Psalm
Here I am Lord! I come to do your will.
I waited, I waited for the Lord
and he stooped down to me;
he heard my cry.
He put a new song into my mouth,
praise of our God.
You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings,
but an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim.
Instead, here am I.
In the scroll of the book it stands written
that I should do your will.
My God, I delight in your law
in the depth of my heart.
Your justice I have proclaimed
in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed;
you know it, O Lord.
Second Reading
A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1:1-3
I, Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle, together with brother Sosthenes, send
greetings to the church of God in Corinth, to the holy people of Jesus Christ, who are
called to take their place among all the saints everywhere who pray to our Lord Jesus
Christ; for he is their Lord no less than ours. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus
Christ send you grace and peace.
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 1:29-34
Glory to you, Lord. Seeing Jesus coming towards him, John said, "Look, there is the
lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. This is the one I spoke of when I
said: A man is coming after me who ranks before me because he existed before me. I
did not know him myself, and yet it was to reveal him to Israel that I came baptising
with water." John also declared, "I saw the Spirit coming down on him from heaven
like a dove and resting on him. I did not know him myself, but he who sent me to
baptise with water had said to me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down
and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit.' Yes, I have seen and I
am the witness that he is the Chosen One of God."
