Tuesday 24 June 2025 (other days)
The Nativity of Saint John the Baptist
Solemnity
Solemnity
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Liturgical Colour: White. Year: C(I).
These readings are for the Vigil Mass on the evening before the feast.
These readings are for the day of the feast itself.
These readings are for the Vigil Mass on the evening before the feast.
| First reading | Jeremiah 1:4-10 |
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‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.’
In the days of King Josiah: The word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’
Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth.’
But the Lord said to me, ‘Do not say, “I am only a youth”; for to all to whom I send you, you shall go, and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you, declares the Lord.’
Then the Lord put out his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, ‘Behold, I have put my words in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.’
| Responsorial Psalm |
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| Ps 71(70):1-2. 3-4a. 5-6b. 15ab, 17. ℟ cf. 15ab |
From my mother’s womb, you have drawn me forth.
In you, O Lord, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your uprightness, rescue me, free me;
incline your ear to me and save me.
From my mother’s womb, you have drawn me forth.
Be my rock, my constant refuge,
a mighty stronghold to save me,
for you are my rock, my stronghold.
My God, free me from the hand of the wicked.
From my mother’s womb, you have drawn me forth.
It is you, O Lord, who are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, from my youth.
On you I have leaned from my birth;
from my mother’s womb, you have drawn me forth.
From my mother’s womb, you have drawn me forth.
My mouth will tell of your justice,
and all the day long of your salvation.
O God, you have taught me from my youth,
and I proclaim your wonders still.
From my mother’s womb, you have drawn me forth.
| Second reading | 1 Peter 1:8-12 |
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‘Concerning this salvation, the prophets searched and enquired carefully.’
Beloved: Though you have not seen Christ Jesus, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours, searched and enquired carefully, enquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving, not themselves, but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
| Gospel Acclamation |
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| Cf. John 1:7; Luke 1:17 |
Alleluia, alleluia.
He came to bear witness about the light;
to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.
Alleluia.
| Gospel | Luke 1:5-17 |
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‘Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.’
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the Temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.’
These readings are for the day of the feast itself.
| First reading | Isaiah 49:1-6 |
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‘I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’
Listen to me, O coastlands,
and give attention, you peoples from afar.
The Lord called me from the womb,
from the body of my mother he named my name.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword;
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow;
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, ‘You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’
But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my right is with the Lord,
and my recompense with my God.’
And now the Lord says,
he who formed me from the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him;
and that Israel might be gathered to him —
for I am honoured in the eyes of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength —
he says:
‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’
| Responsorial Psalm |
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| Ps 139(138):1-3. 13-14. 15. ℟14a |
I thank you who wonderfully made me.
O Lord, you search me and you know me.
You yourself know my resting and my rising;
you discern my thoughts from afar.
You mark when I walk or lie down;
you know all my ways through and through.
I thank you who wonderfully made me.
For it was you who formed my inmost being,
knit me together in my mother’s womb.
I thank you who wonderfully made me;
how wonderful are your works,
which my soul knows well!
I thank you who wonderfully made me.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being fashioned in secret
and moulded in the depths of the earth.
I thank you who wonderfully made me.
| Second reading | Acts 13:22-26 |
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‘Before the coming of Christ, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance.’
In those days: Paul said, ‘God raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, “I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.” Of this man’s offspring God has brought to Israel a Saviour, Jesus, as he promised. Before his coming, John had proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John was finishing his course, he said, “What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. No, but behold, after me one is coming, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to untie.”
‘Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation.’
| Gospel Acclamation | Cf. Luke 1:76 |
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Alleluia, alleluia.
You, little child, will be called the Prophet of the Most High,
for you will go before the Lord to make ready his ways.
Alleluia.
| Gospel |
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| Luke 1:57-66, 80 |
‘His name is John.’
The time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbours and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, ‘No; he shall be called John.’ And they said to her, ‘None of your relatives is called by this name.’ And they made signs to his father, enquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, ‘His name is John.’ And they all wondered. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God. And fear came on all their neighbours. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea, and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, ‘What then will this child be?’ For the hand of the Lord was with him.
And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.
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The readings on this page are from the English Standard Version, which is used at Mass in Great Britain. The Jerusalem Bible (which is used at Mass in much of the English-speaking world) will appear instead if you set this page to use a calendar from outside Great Britain. The New American Bible readings, which are used at Mass in the United States, are available in the Universalis apps, programs and downloads.
You can also view this page with the New Testament in Greek and English.
Dates
Today
(Automatic)Tue 24 June
The Nativity of Saint John the BaptistWed 25 June
Wednesday of week 12 in Ordinary TimeThu 26 June
Thursday of week 12 in Ordinary TimeFri 27 June
The Most Sacred Heart of JesusSun 29 June
Saints Peter and Paul, ApostlesOther Dates
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England
- Portsmouth - Berkshire - Reading
- Portsmouth - Hampshire - Andover
- Portsmouth - Hampshire - Bishop's Waltham
- Portsmouth - Hampshire - Havant
- Portsmouth - Hampshire - Havant Area
- Portsmouth - Hampshire - Portsmouth
- Portsmouth - Hampshire - Portsmouth Area
- Portsmouth - Hampshire - Ringwood
- Portsmouth - Hampshire - Romsey
- Portsmouth - Hampshire - Solent Area
- Portsmouth - Hampshire - Winchester
- Portsmouth - Oxfordshire - Abingdon