READINGS FOR – THANKSGIVING MASS, NEW YEAR’S EVE (IN ENGLISH)

A Reading from the Book for “Ecclesiasticus” (Sirac) 51:1-12

I shall give thanks to you, Lord and King, and praise you, God my Saviour, I give thanks to your name; for you have been my guard and support and redeemed my body from destruction, from the snare of the lying tongue, from lips that fabricate falsehood; in the presence of my assailants, you were on my side; you have been my support, you have redeemed me, true to your abounding kindness — and the greatness of your name — you liberated me from the fangs of those seeking to devour me, from the clutches of those seeking my life, from the many ordeals which I have endured, from the stifling heat which hemmed me in, from the heart of a fire which I had not kindled, from deep in the belly of Sheol, treacherous denunciations to the king. My soul has been close to death, my life had gone down to the brink of Sheol. I was completely surrounded, there was no one to help me; I looked for someone to help me, there was no one.

Then I remembered your mercy, Lord, and your deeds from earliest times, how you deliver those who wait for you patiently, and save them from the clutches of their enemies. And I sent up my plea from the earth, I begged to be delivered from death. I called on the Lord, the father of my Lord, ‘Do not desert me in the days of ordeal, in the days of the proud, when we are helpless. I shall praise your name unceasingly and gratefully sing its praises.’

And my plea was heard, for you saved me from destruction, you delivered me from that time of evil. And therefore I shall thank you and praise you, and bless the name of the Lord.

The word of the Lord

SECOND READING

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians 1:3-6;11-12 Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings

of heaven in Christ. Thus he chose us in Christ before the world was made to be holy and faultless before him in love, marking us out for himself beforehand, to be adopted sons, through Jesus Christ. Such was his

purpose and good pleasure, to the praise of the glory of his grace, his free gift to us in the Beloved,

And it is in him that we have received our heritage, marked out beforehand as we were, under the plan of the One who guides all things as he decides by his own will, chosen to be, for the praise of his glory, the people who would put their hopes in Christ before he came.

The word of the Lord

GOSPEL

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 17:11-19

Jesus Cleanses Ten Lepers

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

The Gospel of the Lord