Wednesday, March 25
Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord
First Reading – Isaiah 7:10-14; 8:10
Again the Lord spoke to A′haz, “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But A′haz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Imman′uel. Take counsel together, but it will come to nought; speak a word, but it will not stand, for God is with us.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 11
℟ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Then I said, “Behold, I come; in the roll of the book it is written of me;
I delight to do your will, O my God.”
℟ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Your law is within my heart.
I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O Lord.
℟ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
I have not hidden your saving help within my heart, I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your mercy and your faithfulness from the great congregation.
℟ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Do not, O Lord, withhold your compassion from me, let your mercy and your faithfulness ever preserve me!
℟ Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Second Reading – Hebrews 10:4-10
For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Consequently, when Christ v came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,’ as it is written of me in the roll of the book.” When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He abolishes the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Verse Before the Gospel – John 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten Son from the Father.
Gospel – Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, * since I do not know man?” And the angel said to her,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition, Ignatius Press, Copyright ⓒ 2006.
