The 30th of December, 2022 is this year’s celebration day for the Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. The Bible scriptures for the holy mass readings for this day came from the 2023 Liturgical Calendar.
Reading 1: SIR 3:2-6, 12-14 or COL 3:12-21 or COL 3:12-17
The first reading from The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach or Ecclesiasticus.
For the Lord honors the father over the children, and has confirmed the judgment of the mother over her sons.
He who honors his father will make atonement for sins.
He who gives glory to his mother is as one who lays up treasure.
Whoever honors his father will have joy in his own children. He will be heard in the day of his prayer.
He who gives glory to his father will have length of days. He who listens to the Lord will bring rest to his mother.
My son, help your father in his old age, and don’t grieve him as long as he lives.
If he fails in understanding, have patience with him. Don’t dishonor him in your full strength.
For the kindness to your father will not be forgotten. Instead of sins it will be added to build you up.
or second reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Colossians.
Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do.
Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body, and be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.
Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, be in subjection to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Husbands, love your wives, and don’t be bitter against them.
Children, obey your parents in all things, for this pleases the Lord.
Fathers, don’t provoke your children, so that they won’t be discouraged.
Responsorial Psalm: PS 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
Response: Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.
Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.
For you will eat the labor of your hands. You will be happy, and it will be well with you.
R: Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.
Your wife will be as a fruitful vine in the innermost parts of your house, your children like olive shoots around your table.
R: Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.
Behold, this is how the man who fears Yahweh is blessed.
May Yahweh bless you out of Zion, and may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
R: Blessed is everyone who fears Yahweh, who walks in his ways.
Gospel of the Day: MT 2:13-15, 19-23
From the gospel verse according to Matthew.
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and stay there until I tell you, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.”
He arose and took the young child and his mother by night and departed into Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel, for those who sought the young child’s life are dead.”
He arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in the place of his father, Herod, he was afraid to go there. Being warned in a dream, he withdrew into the region of Galilee, and came and lived in a city called Nazareth; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophets that he will be called a Nazarene.
