1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13; Psalm 22(23); Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41

Before our first reading King Saul had disobeyed God’s instructions by allowing animals from his defeated enemy to be sacrificed to the Lord. He put more faith in ceremony and ritual than he did in the Lord. Samuel told Saul obedience is more important than holocausts, and that the Lord has rejected Saul as king of Israel. The Lord sends Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint one of the sons of Jesse as king.
The Psalm celebrates God’s loving care for his people, like a shepherd guarding and guiding his flock, and looking forward to his generous end-time feast.
Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is centred on the Church as Christ’s body, with a mission to make God’s plan of salvation known throughout the world. Christians must “be like children of light, for the effects of the light are seen in goodness, right living and truth”.
John’s dramatic gospel readings continue with the healing of the man born blind, who, at first, appears to take little interest. His parents distance themselves out of fear, echoing the growing separation between Jews and Christians by John’s time. But for John, just seeing is not enough, the light of faith is essential. So Jesus seeks the man out and gradually leads him to full belief, and so to worship him.
(1 Samuel 16:1,6-7,10-13; Psalm 22(23); Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41)

17:3-7; Psalm 94(95); Romans 5:1-2,5-8; John 4:5-42

Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt about 1300 BC, probably under Ramses II. God gave them food and water while they wandered in the wilderness. But they grumbled, losing faith that “God was with them”. “Massah” means “test”, “Meribah” means “quarrelling”. As this was before they made the covenant with God by Sinai, they are not punished yet. But this generation will not enter the promised land.
The Psalm invites us to praise and worship the Lord daily, for he is our king and shepherd. We must not lose faith in God, as did the Israelites on their desert journey.
Paul tells the Romans that God loves and forgives us, just as he continued caring for the ungrateful Israelites. Christ died for us, proving God’s love, gaining pardon for all humanity and access to his grace through faith.
We hear the first 3 gospels over 3 years, but we hear parts of John’s gospel every year during Lent and Easter. Today Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman at the well. John carefully moves the characters on and off stage as the woman gradually comes towards faith in Jesus. Then, while still unsure, she goes and brings the rest of the Samaritans in her town to hear this man, wondering “Could he possibly be the Messiah?”
(Exodus 17:3-7; Psalm 94(95); Romans 5:1-2,5-8; John 4:5-42)
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Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 32(33); 2 Timothy 1:8-10; Matthew 17:1-9
After the Fall, the Flood and the Tower of Babel, Genesis moves to the times of the patriarchs, probably before 1500 BC. God tells Abram to travel from Haran near the Euphrates to “a land that I will show you”. God promises that Abram’s descendants will become a great nation which will be blessed, and will take God’s blessings to all peoples. Abram trusts in God and obeys, following the age-old migration route through Palestine to Egypt.
The Psalm praises the Lord’s power and kindness, confident that he will rescue us from our urgent waiting.
In one of his last letters Paul instructs Timothy to continue proclaiming the true gospel he received from Paul, correcting errors that will arise from false teachers. God’s plan, made before time began, was revealed by the appearing of Jesus Christ, who has saved all humanity, abolishing death. And God freely offers us grace to be holy.
In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus for the first time tells his disciples of his coming passion. They are then given a preview of Jesus’ glory as the Son of God. Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus, who is the correct interpreter of the Law and the Prophets. Then Jesus predicts his resurrection, after which they will understand what they have seen.
(Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 32(33); 2 Timothy 1:8-10; Matthew 17:1-9)

Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Psalm 50(51); Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11

From Genesis we have the second and probably older description of the creation of humanity. This expresses the truth that God made us as “living beings”. By eating the forbidden fruit, man does “become like God”, able to make choices, but without the wisdom needed to choose well. Perhaps like a child’s growing self-awareness. The mischievous serpent later came to be interpreted as Satan.
This penitential Psalm begs pardon for our sins, asking to be restored to grace and purity, and promising to make God’s mercy known to others.
Paul has been arguing to the Romans that righteousness comes only through faith. Human beings are unable to become righteous by following the Law given to Moses, which identifies – but does not help to avoid – sin. God offers righteousness as gift, through Jesus’ obedience to his Father.
In Matthew’s gospel the devil introduces each temptation with the words: “If you are the Son of God”, exploring what can it mean for Jesus to be “Son of God”? Is he a miracle-worker, able to satisfy all desires without effort? Is it about showy displays of power or trying to make God do what we want, in return for belief in him? Jesus dismisses Satan, showing his real power. Jesus will rule over all creation, but only through the Cross.
(Genesis 2:7-9, 3:1-7; Psalm 50(51); Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11)

Sirach/ Ecclesiasticus 15:15-20; Psalm 118(119); 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Matthew 5:17-37

Writing about 132 BC, Ben Sira was a learned and widely travelled Jerusalem scholar. Today’s reading is one of the clearest statements in the whole Bible on free will. God created human beings and – as an essential part of our nature – gave us the ability to choose between right and wrong, life or death. God notes our actions, but “gives no one permission to sin”.
The Psalm praises God’s law, which should be followed because it is designed to help us become who we are meant to be.
After saying he did not come using clever human oratory, Paul now tells the Corinthians something no human being could work out, namely God’s wisdom – his plan from the beginning for our salvation. Because this knowledge comes to us only by revelation, we must be open and listen to the Spirit who reveals it.
Continuing the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus states clearly that He is not abolishing the Jewish Law. But He then goes on to clarify the Commandments – we must obey them in spirit, not just a literal minimum. Our free will should be exercised with wisdom, so that we help to build the kingdom of God here on earth.
(Matthew 5:32 is usually understood to refer to marrying within forbidden degrees of kindred.)
(Sirach/ Ecclesiasticus 15:15-20; Psalm 118(119); 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Matthew 5:17-37)

(Sirach/ Ecclesiasticus 15:15-20; Psalm 118(119); 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Matthew 5:17-37)
After the exiles returned to rebuild Jerusalem there were many difficulties and they lost heart. Third Isaiah writing after 500BC told them this was because of a lack of social justice: ritual and fasting have value only if they are expressions of a just society. Today’s reading and the verse before it give the essentials of true religion: deal justly with your neighbour, free the oppressed, feed the hungry. Then your good deeds will influence others and give glory to God, without drawing attention to yourselves.
The Psalm praises the virtues of the God-fearing man, who lights the way for others lost in confusion.
Paul says that when he came to the Corinthians, he did not draw attention to himself by relying on the powers of clever oratory to convince people about the ‘mystery’ of God – the salvific events to be revealed in the age to come. No, he believes “Jesus Christ and him crucified”, the message itself, making visible the power of God, is strong enough to convince.
In Matthew’s gospel Jesus began his ministry in Galilee, previously part of the northern kingdom Israel. On a mountain he teaches the beatitudes, before insisting Christians must show the way for all mankind to find the way to God, influencing without seeking to be noticed.
(Isaiah 58:7-10; Psalm 111(112); 1 Corinthians 2:1-5; Matthew 5:13-16)
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(Sirach/ Ecclesiasticus 15:15-20; Psalm 118(119); 1 Corinthians 2:6-10; Matthew 5:17-37)

(Zeph 2:3,3:12-13; Psalm 145(146): 7-10; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 5:1-12)

About 630 BC Zephaniah strongly denounced the idolatry that had developed during the reign of Josiah. He prophesied “A day of wrath, … a day of darkness and gloom” – from which we have our hymn Dies Irae. But God would leave a remnant of humble and lowly people – from whom tradition believes Jesus’ and John the Baptist’s parents came, and also Simeon and Anna.

The Psalm, echoed by Mary in Luke’s Magnificat, confirms that God’s justice will prevail: the hungry will be fed, the blind given sight, but the wicked will lose out.

Continuing his letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds them “the world did not know God through wisdom”. God has made us members of Christ, who has become our wisdom. God’s plan works in ways that seem foolish and weak to us. We have nothing to boast about except the Lord.

About forty years after Jesus died, Matthew followed Mark in writing a gospel, which he arranged as five collections of sayings by Jesus, alternating with five collections describing what Jesus did. The first collection of sayings, the Sermon on the Mount, starts with the Beatitudes, which we hear today. Over the remaining Sundays before Lent we hear the rest of this Sermon, in which Jesus develops the Commandments given to Moses into positive ways of living. Although much of the promised happiness of the kingdom of God is in the future, it does extend to the present time in anticipation.

(Zeph 2:3,3:12-13; Psalm 145(146): 7-10; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 5:1-12)

Baptism of the Lord, Year A
Sunday after Epiphany
In this “servant song” second Isaiah rejoices when, in 539 BC, King Cyrus released Israel from their exile in Babylon. But he asked how had this come about? It was not any human agency. It was Israel’s God who freed his servant, Israel, whom he had formed and chosen for a purpose, and given his spirit.
After calling all to praise the Lord, the Psalm describes a magnificent theophany: God’s majesty revealed in a tremendous thunderstorm.
In Acts, Peter applies this message to Jesus, whom “God anointed with the Holy Spirit”. Peter had just had a vision showing that nothing we eat can make us unclean. Therefore he felt willing to enter the house of Cornelius, against the Jewish Law. Then the Holy Spirit came upon this Gentile household. So Peter had to baptise them: he now understands how the Gospel must be taken to Gentiles, in spite of Jewish purity laws.
After a big build-up by the Baptist about the coming of the powerful messiah, the adult Jesus appears for the first time in this Gospel, and quietly insists on being baptised by John. Jesus has to be identified with sinners to fulfill God’s plan. God then confirms Jesus as his Son. Thus fortified, Jesus will then be led into the wilderness to be tested by the devil.
(Isaiah 42:1-4,6-7; Psalm 28(29); Acts 10:34-38; Matthew 3:13-17)
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Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 23(24); Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24

First Isaiah was writing before 700 BC, when Judah was under attack. Isaiah promises that a time of peace will come when Israel returns to living simply, with no riches to make others envious. But only if they keep their faith in God. Without being asked, God gives King Ahaz a sign of his support: a young woman will bear a son, to be named Emmanuel, “God with us”. Israel will still suffer. But a remnant of David’s house will survive, like the stump of a fallen tree.

After praising God’s universal dominion the Psalm gives moral requirements for assisting at divine worship.

Paul begins his letter to the Jewish Christian community in Rome very carefully. They did not know him, so he assures them that he shares their beliefs, especially that Jesus, a descendant of David, is the Christ, proclaimed Son of God through his resurrection.

Before Matthew describes Jesus’ birth, he lists 42 ancestors linking Jesus firmly with Abraham, David and Israel’s kings. The list includes four women, Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and the wife of Uriah. Through their unconventional behaviour, a remnant of David’s line survived, reminding us of the important roles women have always played in God’s plan.

(Isaiah 7:10-14; Psalm 23(24); Romans 1:1-7; Matthew 1:18-24)

Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 71(72); Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12

The readings for Advent from Isaiah continue with this description of the ideal king, who will come from the remnant of Israel – the stump of Jesse, of David’s dynasty. This was applied by Christians to Jesus. But Isaiah was seeking to comfort his people, under attack by Assyria, as he foresees an idyllic future when the whole of creation will live in complete harmony. Only the “fear of the Lord” and the “knowledge of the Lord” could bring this about.
The Psalm looks forward to the coming of a perfect king, the Messiah, whose rule will be just and his reign glorious.
Paul’s letter to the Romans exhorts the two groups of Christians in Rome to work patiently together, ignoring varying degrees of conformity to the Jewish Law. We must learn about God from the Jewish Scriptures, the Old Testament, so that we may worship him in unity of mind and mouth. The Messiah’s sufferings show that God keeps His promises, and will lead all nations, both Jews and Gentiles, to praise God.
In the Gospel John the Baptist, the last prophet of the Old Testament, prepares the way of the Lord by urging people to repent, to turn towards God from their sins. But he condemns those who say they have no need of God.
(Isaiah 11:1-10; Psalm 71(72); Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12)