读经一 Reading I
(你亲生的儿子要作你的继承人)
恭读创世纪恭读撒慕尔纪下 Gn 15:1-6; 21:1-3
有一天，上主在神视中对亚巴郎说：「亚巴郎，你不要怕，我是你的盾牌；我要给你丰厚的报酬。」
亚巴郎说：「我主上主，祢能给我什么？我一直没有儿子；继承我家业的是大马士革人厄里厄则尔。」 亚巴郎又说：「祢没有赐给我后裔，因此，只有一个家僕来作我的继承人。」有上主的话答覆他说：「这人决不会是你的继承人，而是你亲生的儿子要作你的继承人。」于是上主领他到外面说：「你仰观天空，数一数星星，你能够数清吗？」
随后对他说：「你的后代也要这样多。」 亚巴郎相信了上主，上主就以此算为他的正义。 上主照所许的，眷顾了撒辣；上主对撒辣实践了祂的诺言。撒辣怀了孕，在天主所许的时期，给年老的亚巴郎生了一个儿子。亚巴郎为撒辣给他所生的儿子、起名叫依撒格。
—-上主的圣言
The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, saying:
“Fear not, Abram!
I am your shield;
I will make your reward very great.”
But Abram said,
“O Lord GOD, what good will your gifts be,
if I keep on being childless
and have as my heir the steward of my house, Eliezer?”
Abram continued,
“See, you have given me no offspring,
and so one of my servants will be my heir.”
Then the word of the LORD came to him:
“No, that one shall not be your heir;
your own issue shall be your heir.”
The Lord took Abram outside and said,
“Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.
Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.”
Abram put his faith in the LORD,
who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
The LORD took note of Sarah as he had said he would;
he did for her as he had promised.
Sarah became pregnant and bore Abraham a son in his old age,
at the set time that God had stated.
Abraham gave the name Isaac to this son of his
whom Sarah bore him.
答唱咏 Responsorial Psalm
【答】：祂是上主我们的天主，永远信守祂的盟约。
- 请众称谢上主，宣扬祂的圣名，在万民中宣传祂的工程。你们要讴歌赞颂祂，传述祂的奇工妙化。【答】
- 你们要以祂的圣名而自豪，愿寻求上主的人满心喜悦。你们要寻求大能的上主，时常想望瞻仰祂的慈颜【答】
- 天主的僕人亚巴郎的后裔，上主所选雅格的子孙！你们要记念祂的奇事，祂的神蹟和祂的判词。【答】
- 祂永远信守祂的盟约，万世不忘祂的承诺：与亚巴郎所订的盟约，向依撒格所作的承诺。【答】
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
- Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
- Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! Look to the LORD in his strength; constantly seek his face.
- You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
- He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac.
读经二 Reading II
(亚巴郎、撒辣及依撒格的信德)
恭读致希伯来人书 Heb 11:8, 11-12, 17-19
弟兄们：亚巴郎因为有信德，蒙天主召选时，就听命往他将要承受为产业的地方去了：他出发时，还不知道要到哪里去。撒辣因为有信德，她虽然过了生育的年龄，竟然得到了怀孕生子的能力，因为她相信那应许者是信实的。因此从一个人，而且从一个已经失去生育能力的人，竟然生了子孙，如同天上的星星那么多，又像海岸的沙子，不可胜数。
亚巴郎因为有信德，在受试探的时候，献上了依撒格；亚巴郎原是那承受了恩许的人，竟然献上了自己的独生子：因为天主向他说过:「只有从依撒格生的，才可以称为你的后裔。」
亚巴郎深信天主有使人从死者中復活的能力，因此，天主又把依撤格还给了他：这是一种预像。
—-上主的圣言
Brothers and sisters:
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place
that he was to receive as an inheritance;
he went out, not knowing where he was to go.
By faith he received power to generate,
even though he was past the normal age
–and Sarah herself was sterile–
for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.
So it was that there came forth from one man,
himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
and as countless as the sands on the seashore.
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises was ready to offer
his only son,
of whom it was said,
“Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.”
He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,
and he received Isaac back as a symbol.
福音前欢唿 Alleluia, alleluia.
众：阿肋路亚。Alleluia, alleluia.
领：天主在古时，曾多次并以多种方式，藉着先知对我们的祖先说过话：但在这末期内，祂藉着自己的儿子对我们说了话。天主立了祂为万有的继承者，并藉着祂造成了宇宙。
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he has spoken to us through the Son.
众：阿肋路亚。Alleluia, alleluia.
福音 Gospel
(孩子渐渐长大，充满智慧)
恭读圣路加福音 LK 2:22-40
【长 式】
若瑟和玛利亚按照梅瑟的法律，到了取洁的日期，便带着孩子耶稣上耶路撒冷去，把祂献给上主， 就如上主的法律上记载的：「凡是头胎的男孩，都应奉献给上主。」他们也依照上主法律的规定，献上祭物：就是一对斑鸠或两只雏鸽。 那时，在耶路撒冷有一个人，名叫西默盎。这人是虔诚的义人，一向期待着以色列的安慰者来到，而且圣神也在他身上。 他曾蒙圣神启示：知道自己在去世以前必将看见上主的受傅者–基督。
他在圣神的感动之下进了圣殿；那时耶稣的父母抱着孩子正走进来，要按着法律的惯例为祂行礼。 西默盎就双手接过祂来，赞美天主说：「上主，现在可照祢的话，放祢的僕人平安去吧！因为我已目睹祢为万民准备好的救主，就是启示列邦的光明，以色列子民的光荣。」
孩子的父母听到关于耶稣所说的这些话，非常惊异。西默盎祝福了他们，并对耶稣的母亲玛利亚说:「听着，这孩子已经被选定， 祂要使以色列中许多人跌倒并兴起，并将成为人反对的目标–你自己的心也将被一把利剑刺透—这样使许多人心中的意念被揭露出来。」 又有一位女先知安纳，是阿协尔支派法努耳的女儿，已经上了年纪。结婚后，和丈夫住了七年，就寡居了，直到八十四岁。 她守斋祈祷，昼夜侍奉天主，没有离开过圣殿。就在那时候，她也前来称谢天主，并向所有期待耶路撒冷得救赎的人，讲论这孩子的事。
耶稣的父母按着上主的法律办完了一切，便返回加里肋亚，到了他们的本镇纳匝肋。孩子渐渐长大，强壮起来，充满智慧，天主的恩宠常在祂身上。
—-基督的福音
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
They took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
He took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:
“Now, Master, you may let your servant go
in peace, according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you prepared in sight of all the peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and glory for your people Israel.”
The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
—and you yourself a sword will pierce—
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”
There was also a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.
【短 式 Lk 2:22, 39-40】
若瑟和玛利亚按照梅瑟的法律，到了取洁的日期，便带着孩子耶稣上耶路撒冷去，把祂献给上主。
他们按着上主的法律办完了一切，便返回加里肋亚，到了他们的本镇纳匝肋。孩子渐渐长大，强壮起来，充满智慧，天主的恩宠常在祂身上。
—-基督的福音
When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
they took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord.
When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.
