Second Reading

 
   
 

 

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This page was last edited on: Thursday, July 31, 2008 04:00:18 PM


 

 

Please choose one reading from this section

 for the  Second Reading of the Liturgy

Selection # 1

Second Reading: Read by ____________ Acts 10:34-36, 42-43

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

Then Peter proceeded to speak and said, "In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him. You know the word he sent to the Israelites as he proclaimed peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all,

He Commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness, that everyone who believes in him will receive forgiveness of sins through his name."

 

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 2

Second Reading: Reading by ____________  Romans 5: 5-11

Having been justified by his blood, we will be saved from God's anger through him.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom God has given us.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for someone good one might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates God's own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by Jesus' blood how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through Jesus' life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 3

 

 

Second Reading: Read by _____________   Romans 5: 17-21

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

 

For if, by the trespass of one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.

 

Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. death just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.

 

The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin is increased, grace increased all the more so that, just as sin reined in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 5

Second Reading: Read by _______________ Romans 8: 14-23

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

 

Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by the spirit we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his gory.

 

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons and daughters of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

 

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons and daughters, the redemption of our bodies.

 

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 6

Second Reading: Read by _________  Romans 8:31b-35,37-39

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

 

If God is for us, who can be against us? God who did not spare a Son but handed him over for us all, how will God not also give us everything else along with the Son? Who will bring a charge against God’s chosen ones? It is God who acquits us. Who will condemn? It is Christ Jesus who died, rather, was raised, who also is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.

 

What will separate us from the love of Christ? Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword? No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly through the One who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 7

 

 

Second Reading: Read by __________ Romans 14:7-9, 10b-12

 

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

For none of us lives to self alone and none of us dies to self alone. If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.

 

For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and living. Why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you look down on your brother or sister? For we will all stand before God’s judgement seat. It is written:

"As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.’"

 

So then, each of us will give an account of self to God.

 

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 8

Second Reading: Read by ____ 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, 24b-28

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians

Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a person, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a person. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in their own turn; Christ, the first fruits; then, when Christ comes, those who belong to Christ. When Christ hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God, who puts everything under Christ. When God has done this, then the son will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

 

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 9

Second Reading: Read by ____________ 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians

Set your hearts on the greater gifts. Now I will show you the way which surpasses all others. If I speak with human tongues and angelic as well but do not have love, I am a noisy gong, a clanging symbol. If I have the gift of prophecy and, with full knowledge, comprehend all mysteries, if I have faith great enough to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give everything I have to feed the poor and hand over my body to be burned but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient; love is kind. Love is not jealous it does not put on airs, it is not snobbish. Love is never rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not prone to anger; neither does it brood over injuries. Love does not rejoice in what is wrong but rejoices in the truth. There is no limit to love's forbearance, to its trust, its hope, its power to endure.

Love never fails. Prophecies will cease, tongues will be silent, knowledge will pass away. Our knowledge is imperfect and our prophesying is imperfect. When the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child I used to talk like a child, think like a child,, reason like a child. When I became a man I put childish ways aside. Now we see indistinctly, as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. My knowledge is imperfect now; then I shall know even as I am known. There are in the end three things that last: faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love.

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 9a

Second Reading: Read by ____________ 1 Corinthians 12:8-13

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians

Love is eternal. There are inspired messages, but they are temporary;

There are gifts of speaking in unknown languages, but they will cease.

There is the gift of knowledge, but it will pass.

For our gifts of knowledge and of inspired messages are only partial; but when what is perfect comes, then what is partial will disappear.

When I was a child my speech, my feelings and thinking were all those of a child.

Now that I am an adult, I have no more use for childish ways.

What we see now is like the dim image in a mirror;

Then we shall see face to face.

What I know now is only partial;  then it will be complete,

 As complete as God’s knowledge of me.

Meanwhile, there remain these three; FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE;

And the greatest of these is LOVE

 The Word of the Lord

Selection # 10

Second Reading: Read by _______  2 Corinthians 4:13&14, 16&18 5:1, 4,6&7

A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians

 

It is written:"I believed; therefore I have spoken..." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.

 

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. So fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

 

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.

 

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight.

 

The Word of the Lord.

 

Selection # 11

Second Reading: Read by _______  2 Corinthians 4:14- 5:1

A reading from the second letter of Paul to the Corinthians

We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and place us with you in his presence.  Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God.

Therefore we are not discouraged; rather, although our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.

For we know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven.

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 12

Second Reading: Read by ___________ 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-9

 

A reading from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians

 

We know that if our earthly dwelling, a tent, should be destroyed, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal in heaven. So we are always courageous, although we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yet we are courageous, and we would rather leave the body and go home to the Lord. Therefore, we aspire to please the Lord, whether we are at home or away.

 

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 13

Second Reading: Read by __________ 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Thessalonians

Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Christ. According to the Lord’s own word, we will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other Wwith these words.

The word of the Lord.

Selection # 14

Second Reading: Read by _____________ 2 Timothy 1:2-7

 

A reading from the second letter of Paul to Timothy

 

To Timothy, my dear son:

 

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

I thank God whom I serve, as my forebearers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I have been reminded of your sincere faith which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

 

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 15

Second Reading: Read by _____________ 2 Tim 2: 8-13

A reading from the second letter of Paul to Timothy

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

Here is a trustworthy saying:If we died with him,we will also live With Christ;if we endure,we will also reign with Christ.

If we disown Christ,he will disown us;if we are faithless,God will remain faithful,for God cannot disown self.

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 16

Second Reading: Read by _____________  2 Tim 4:1-2,7-8

A reading from the letter of Paul to Timothy

 

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.

For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for the Lord's appearing.

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 16A

 Second Reading: Read by _____________ 2 Timothy 4:6-8

 A reading from the letter of Paul to Timothy:
 
 
 Now the time has come for me to die.

 My life is like a drink offering being poured out on
 the altar. I have fought well. I have finished the
 race, and I have been faithful. So a crown will be
 given to me for pleasing the Lord. He judges fairly,
 and on the day of judgment he will give a crown to
 me and to everyone else who wants him to appear with power.

 The word of the Lord

Selection # 16B

 Second Reading: Read by _____________
2 Timothy 4:7-8

A reading from the letter of Paul to Timothy:    

     For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for the Lord’s appearing.

   The Word of the Lord.

 Selection # 17

Second Reading: Read by _____________  Revelation 14:13

A reading from the book of Revelations

 

I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," said the Spirit, "Let them find rest from their labors, for their works accompany them."

 

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 18

Second Reading: Read by ________  Revelations 21:1-5a; 6b-7

A reading from the book of Revelations

I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. God will dwell with them and they will be God's people and God himself will always be with them as their God. The Lord will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.

The one who sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give a gift from the spring of life-giving water. The victor will inherit these gifts, and I shall be their God, and they will be my sons and daughters.

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 18a
 
Second Reading: Read by ________  Revelations 21:1a, 3-5a

A reading from the book of Revelation

I saw a new heaven and a new earth. I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,” Behold, God’s dwelling is with the human race. God will dwell with them and they will be God’s people and God will always be with them as their God. God will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away.”

The one who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

The Word of the Lord.
 

Selection # 19

Second Reading: Read by ______________ 1 John 3:1-2

A reading from the first letter to John

See what love God has bestowed on us that we may be called the children of God. Yet so we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know God. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we shall be has not yet been revealed. We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like God, for we shall see God as God is.

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 20

Second Reading: Read by ________  1 Corinthians 15:35-38; 42-44

 

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians

But someone may say,"How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come back?"

 

You Fool!

What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies.

And what you sow is not the body that is to be

but a bare kernel of wheat, perhaps, or of some other kind;

but God gives it a body as God chooses,

and to each of the seeds its own body.

 

So also is the resurrection of the dead.

It is sown corruptible;

it is raised incorruptible.

It is sown dishonorable;

it is raised glorious.

It is sown weak;

it is raised powerful.

 

The Word of the Lord.

Selection # 21

Second Reading: Read by ________  Romans 14:13-19


A reading from the Letter of Paul to the Romans

The life and death of each of us has its influence on others. No one lives or dies to themselves alone. Whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord, and it is to God therefore, that each of us must give an account of ourself

Far from passing judgment on each other, we should make up our mind never to be the cause of another tripping or falling. So, let us adopt any custom that will lead to peace and to our mutual improvement. If you serve Christ in this way, you will please God and be respected by your fellow men and women.


The Word of the Lord
 



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