Sunday
Matthew 2:9

Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20   saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” 21   Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22   But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. 23   And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” uJesus Speaks with the Teachers / Luke 2: 41-52 / ca. AD 6/ 8 41   His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42   And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43   When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother* did not know it; 44   but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45   So when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him. 46   Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47   And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers. 48   So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” 49   And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” 50   But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. 51   Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother   kept all these things in her heart. 52   And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Prayer:  We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God; despise not our petitions in our necessities, but deliver us always from all dangers, O glorious and blessed Virgin. Amen.
*Sub Tuum Praesidium

Monday
**Starting today most sections have repeat passages overlapping in the 4 Gospels.  One has been chosen with the most information (very often Luke)  for our reading as we continue to go through the Life of Jesus chronologically.

Luke 3:1

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2   while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests,* the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. 3   And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, 4   as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying:   “ The voice of one crying in the wilderness:      ‘ Prepare the way of the LORD;       Make His paths straight.     5 Every valley shall be filled       And every mountain and hill brought low;       The crooked places shall be made straight       And the rough ways smooth;     6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’  ”* 7   Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8   Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9   And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” 10   So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” 11   He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” 12   Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13   And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” 14   Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.” 15   Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not, 16   John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the  Holy Spirit and fire. 17   His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.” 18   And with many other exhortations he preached to the people.

Prayer:  O Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, Who art everywhere present and fillest all things, Treasury of good things and Giver of life: Come and dwell in us, and cleanse us of all impurity, and save our souls, O Good One.

Tuesday
Matthew 3:13

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14   And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15   But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. 16   When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He* saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17   And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Prayer:  Holy angel of the Lord by guardian, pray to God for me.

Wednesday
Matthew 4:1

1   Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2   And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3   Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4   But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ”* 5   Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6   and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written:      ‘ He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and,      ‘ In their hands they shall bear you up,       Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ ”  7   Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the LORD your God.’ ”* 8   Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9   And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10   Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you,* Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”* 11   Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.

 

Prayer:  Our Father, Who art in  Heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Thursday
John 1:19   Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20   He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21   And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22   Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23   He said: “I am  ‘ The voice of one crying in the wilderness:      “ Make straight the way of the LORD,”  ’* as the prophet Isaiah said.” 24   Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25   And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26   John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water, but there stands One among you whom you do not know. 27   It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” 28   These things were done in Bethabara* beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

 

Prayer:  O Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. O Lord, blot out our sins. O Master, pardon our iniquities. O Holy One, visit and heal our infirmities for Thy name’s sake.

Friday
John 1:29  The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30   This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ 31   I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” 32   And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. 33   I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34   And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” uThe First Disciples / John 1: 35-51 35   Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. 36   And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” 37   The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38   Then Jesus turned, and seeing  them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?” 39   He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where He was staying, and remained with Him that day (now it was about the tenth hour). 40   One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41   He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which is translated, the Christ). 42   And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said,

Prayer:  Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal, have mercy on us. (3X)

Saturday
John 1 cont…

The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” 44   Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45   Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote— Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46   And Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47   Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” 48   Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49   Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” 50   Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51   And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to  you, hereafter* you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

 

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, both now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.  Amen.