First Reading: 1 John 2:18-21
18 Little children, it is the last hour: and as you have heard that Antichrist cometh, even now there are become many Antichrists: whereby we know that it is the last hour.
19 They went out from us but they were not of us. For if they had been of us, they would no doubt have remained with us: but that they may be manifest, that they are not all of us.
20 But you have the unction from the Holy One and know all things.
21 I have not written to you as to them that know not the truth, but as to them that know it: and that no lie is of the truth.
Psalm: Psalms 96:1-2, 11-12, 13
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
An exhortation to praise God for the coming of Christ and his kingdom.
1 A canticle for David himself, when the house was built after the captivity. Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: sing to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Sing ye to the Lord and bless his name: shew forth his salvation from day to day.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, let the sea be moved, and the fulness thereof:
12 The fields and all things that are in them shall be joyful. Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
13 before the face of the Lord, because he cometh: because he cometh to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with justice, and the people with his truth.
R. Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice!
Gospel: John 1:1-18
The divinity and incarnation of Christ. John bears witness of him. He begins to call his disciples.
1 In the beginning was the Word: and the Word was with God: and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him: and without him was made nothing that was made.
4 In him was life: and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness: and the darkness did not comprehend it.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 This man came for a witness, to give testimony of the light, that all men might believe through him.
8 He was not the light, but was to give testimony of the light.
9 That was the true light, which enlighteneth every man that cometh into this world.
10 He was in the world: and the world was made by him: and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own: and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, he gave them power to be made the sons of God, to them that believe in his name.
13 Who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us (and we saw his glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth.
15 John beareth witness of him and crieth out, saying: This was he of whom I spoke: He that shall come after me is preferred before me: because he was before me.
16 And of his fulness we all have received: and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses: grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time: the only begotten Son who is in the Bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
