Reading 1, Colossians 3:1-11
1 Since you have been raised up to be with Christ, you must look for the things that are above, where
Christ is, sitting at God's
right hand.
2 Let your thoughts be on things above, not on the things that are on the earth,
3 because you have died, and now the
life you have is hidden with
Christ in God.
4 But when
Christ is revealed -- and he is your life-you, too,
will be revealed with him in glory.
5 That is why you must kill everything in you that is earthly: sexual vice, impurity, uncontrolled passion,
evil desires and especially greed, which is the same thing as worshipping a false god;
6 it is precisely these things which draw God's retribution upon those who resist.
7 And these things made up your way of
life when you were living among such people,
8 but now you also must give up all these things: human anger, hot temper, malice, abusive language and dirty talk;
9 and do not lie to each other. You have stripped off your old behaviour with your old self,
10 and you have put on a new self which
will progress towards true
knowledge the more it is renewed in the image of its Creator;
11
and in that image there is no room for distinction between Greek and
Jew, between the circumcised and uncircumcised, or between barbarian and
Scythian, slave and free. There is only Christ: he is everything and he
is in everything.
Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 145:2-3, 10-11, 12-13
2 Day after day I shall bless you, I shall praise your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is
Yahweh and worthy of all praise, his greatness beyond all reckoning.
10 All your creatures shall thank you, Yahweh, and your faithful shall bless you.
11 They shall speak of the
glory of your kingship and tell of your might,
12 making known your mighty deeds to the
children of Adam, the
glory and majesty of your kingship.
13 Your kingship is a kingship for ever, your reign lasts from age to age.
Yahweh is trustworthy in all his words, and upright in all his deeds.
Gospel, Luke 6:20-26
20 Then fixing his eyes on his disciples he said: How blessed are you who are poor: the kingdom of
God is yours.
21 Blessed are you who are hungry now: you shall have your fill. Blessed are you who are weeping now: you shall laugh.
22 'Blessed are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of man.
23 Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, look!-your reward
will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets.
24 But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.
25 Alas for you who have plenty to eat now: you shall go hungry. Alas for you who are laughing now: you shall mourn and weep.
26 'Alas for you when everyone speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.