- Reading 1 Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 The LORD said to me: You are my servant,Israel, through whom I show my glory.Now the LORD has spokenwho formed me as his servant from the womb,that Jacob may be brought back to himand Israel gathered to him;and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD,and my God is now my strength!It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant,to raise up the tribes of Jacob,and restore the survivors of Israel;I will make you a light to the nations,that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. […]
- Readings for the Memorial of Saint Anthony, abbot Reading I 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1 There was a stalwart man from Benjamin named Kish,who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror,son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite.He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man.There was no other child of Israel more handsome than Saul;he stood head and shoulders above the people.Now the asses of Saul’s father, Kish, had wandered off.Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with youand go out and hunt for the asses.”Accordingly they went through the hill […]
- Reading I 1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22a All the elders of Israel came in a body to Samuel at Ramahand said to him, “Now that you are old,and your sons do not follow your example,appoint a king over us, as other nations have, to judge us.”Samuel was displeased when they asked for a king to judge them.He prayed to the LORD, however, who said in answer:“Grant the people’s every request.It is not you they reject, they are rejecting me as their king.”Samuel delivered the message of the LORD in fullto those who were asking him for a king.He told them:“The rights […]
- Reading I 1 Samuel 4:1-11 The Philistines gathered for an attack on Israel.Israel went out to engage them in battle and camped at Ebenezer,while the Philistines camped at Aphek.The Philistines then drew up in battle formation against Israel.After a fierce struggle Israel was defeated by the Philistines,who slew about four thousand men on the battlefield.When the troops retired to the camp, the elders of Israel said“Why has the LORD permitted us to be defeated todayby the Philistines?Let us fetch the ark of the Lord from Shilohthat it may go into battle among usand save us from the grasp of our […]
- Reading I 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20 During the time young Samuel was minister to the LORD under Eli,a revelation of the LORD was uncommon and vision infrequent.One day Eli was asleep in his usual place.His eyes had lately grown so weak that he could not see.The lamp of God was not yet extinguished,and Samuel was sleeping in the temple of the LORDwhere the ark of God was.The LORD called to Samuel, who answered, “Here I am.”Samuel ran to Eli and said, “Here I am. You called me.”“I did not call you,” Eli said. “Go back to sleep.” So he went back to sleep.Again […]
- Reading I 1 Samuel 1:9-20 Hannah rose after a meal at Shiloh,and presented herself before the LORD;at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chairnear the doorpost of the LORD’s temple.In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,and she made a vow, promising: “O LORD of hosts,if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid,if you remember me and do not forget me,if you give your handmaid a male child,I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives;neither wine nor liquor shall he drink,and no razor shall ever touch his […]
- Reading I 1 Samuel 1:1-8 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, Elkanah by name,a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim.He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu,son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah;Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his cityto worship the LORD of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh,where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,were ministering as priests of the LORD.When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice,he used to give a portion each […]
- Reading I Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Thus says the LORD:Here is my servant whom I uphold,my chosen one with whom I am pleased,upon whom I have put my spirit;he shall bring forth justice to the nations,not crying out, not shouting,not making his voice heard in the street.a bruised reed he shall not break,and a smoldering wick he shall not quench,until he establishes justice on the earth;the coastlands will wait for his teaching.I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice,I have grasped you by the hand;I formed you, and set youas a covenant of the people,a light for the […]
