Kilmacow Parish

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans 8;31-35.37-39

With God on our side who can be against us? Since God did not spare his only son, but gave him up to benefit us all, we may be certain, after such a gift, that he will not refuse anything he can give. Could anyone accuse those that God has chosen? When God acquits, could anyone condemn? Could Christ Jesus? No!! He not only died for us - he rose from the dead, and there at God's right hand he stands and pleads for us. 

Nothing therefore can come between us and the love of Christ.Even if we are troubled or worried or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.

For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any creature, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Romans 12:1-2 9-18

Think of God's mercy, my brothers, and worship him, I beg you, in a way that is worthy of thinking beings, by offering your living bodies as a holy sacrifice pleasing to God. Do not model yourselves on the behaviour of the world around you, but let your behaviour change, modelled by your new mind.This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good,what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.

Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come, and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Collossians 3:12-17

You are God's chosen race, his saints, he loves you and you should be clothed in sincere compassion, in kindness and humility, gentleness and patience.Bear with one another, forgive each other as soon as a quarrel begins.The Lord has forgiven you, now you must do the same.

Over all these clothes, to keep them together and complete them, put on love. And may the peace of Christ reign in your hearts, because it is for this that you were called together as part of one body.

Always be thankful. Let the message of Christ, in all its richness, find a home with you. Teach each other, and advise each other, in all wisdom.With gratitude in your heart sing psalms and hymns and inspired songs to God; and never say or do anything except in the name of the Lord Jesus,giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians 5;2.25-32

Follow Christ by loving as he loved you, giving himself up in our place. Husbands should love their wives just as Christ loved the Church and sacrificed himself for her to make her holy.

He made her clean by washing her in water with a form of words,so that when he took her to himself she would be glorious with no speck or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and faultless.

In the same way, husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies, for a man to love his wife is for him to love himself.

A man never hates his own body, but feeds it and looks after it; and that is the way Christ treats the Church, because it is his body - and we are its living parts. For this reason, a man must leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one body.

This mystery has many implications; but I am saying it applies to Christ and the Church.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Second Reading

A reading from the first letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 12:31 - 13-8

Be ambitious for the higher gifts. I am going to show you a way that is better than any. If I have all the eloquence of men or of angels, but speak without love,I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal clashing. If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there are, and knowing everything, and if I have faith in all its fullness, to move mountains, but without love, then I am nothing at all.

If I give away all that I possess, piece by piece, and if I even let them take my body to burn it, but am without love, it will do me no good whatever.Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited, it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offence, and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins but delights in the truth; it is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.Love does not come to an end.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

A reading from the first letter of St. John 4;7-12

My dear people,

Let us love one another

Since love comes from God

And everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.

Anyone who fails to love can never have known God,

because God is love.

God's love for us was revealed

When God sent into the world his only son

So that we could have life through him;

This is the love I mean,

Not our love for God,

But God's love for us when he sent his son

To be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.

My dear people,

Since God has loved us so much,

We too should love one another.

No one has ever seen God;

But as long as we love one another

God will live in us

And his love will be complete in us.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.