The 23rd of December, 2020 is Wednesday in the Fourth Week of Advent. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the 2021 Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: MAL 3:1-4; 4:5-6
The first reading from the Book of Malachi.
“Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me! The Lord, whom you seek, will suddenly come to his temple. Behold, the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, is coming!” says Yahweh of Armies.
“But who can endure the day of his coming? And who will stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderers’ soap; and he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer to Yahweh offerings in righteousness.
Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasant to Yahweh as in the days of old and as in ancient years.
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Yahweh comes.
He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
Responsorial Psalm: PS 25:4-5AB, 8-9, 10 and 14
Response: “Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”
Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths.
Guide me in your truth, and teach me, For you are the God of my salvation.
R: “Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”
Good and upright is Yahweh, therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
He will guide the humble in justice. He will teach the humble his way.
R: “Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”
All the paths of Yahweh are loving kindness and truth to such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.
The friendship of Yahweh is with those who fear him. He will show them his covenant.
R: “Look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”
Gospel of the Day: LK 1:57-66
From the gospel verse according to Luke.
Now the time that Elizabeth should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son.
Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had magnified his mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.
On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.
His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John.”
They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives
who is called by this name.”
They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” They all marveled.
His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea.
All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of the Lord was with him.
Other Celebration
An optional celebration on this day is the Commemoration of Saint John of Kanty, Priest.
