For the Priest Himself on the Anniversary of Ordination

Lectionary: 843, 844, 845, 846, 847

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Reading 1

Jeremiah 1:4-9

The words of Jeremiah, son of Hilkiah, of a priestly family in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin.

The word of the Lord came to me thus:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
before you were born I dedicated you,
a prophet to the nations I appointed you.

“Ah, Lord God!” I said,
“I know not how to speak; I am too young.”

But the Lord answered me,

Say not, “I am too young.”
To whomever I send you, you shall go;
whatever I command you, you shall speak.
Have no fear before them,
because I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord.

Then the Lord extended his hand and touched my mouth, saying,

See, I place my words in your mouth!

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 9-10

R.  Console my people, console them says your God.

Give to the Lord, you sons of God,
give to the Lord glory and praise,
give to the Lord the glory due his name;
adore the Lord in holy attire.

R.  Console my people, console them says your God.

The voice of the Lord is over the waters
the Lord, over vast waters.
The voice of the Lord is mighty;
the voice of the Lord is majestic.

R.  Console my people, console them says your God.

The God of glory thunders,
and in his temple, all say, “Glory!”
The Lord is enthroned above the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as king forever.

R.  Console my people, console them says your God.

Reading 2

2 Corinthians 5:14-20

Brothers and sisters:

The love of Christ impels us, once we have come to the conviction that one died for all; therefore, all have died. He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Consequently, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh; even if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come.

And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So we are ambassadors for Christ, as if God were appealing through us.

The word of the Lord.

Verse Before the Gospel

Cf. John 15:16

R.  Alleluia, alleluia.

I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will remain, says the Lord.

R.  Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

John 15:9-17

Jesus said to his disciples:

“As the Father loves me,
so I also love you.
Remain in my love.
If you keep my commandments,
you will remain in my love,
just as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and remain in his love.

“I have told you this
so that my joy may be in you
and your joy may be complete.
This is my commandment:
love one another as I love you.
No one has greater love than this,
to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

“You are my friends
if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you slaves,
because a slave does not know what his master is doing.
I have called you friends,
because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father.

“It was not you who chose me,
but I who chose you and appointed you
to go and bear fruit that will remain,
so that whatever you ask the Father in my name
he may give you.
This I command you:
love one another.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.