21 December, (commemoration of Saint Peter Canisius, Priest, Doctor)

First reading

Song of Songs 2:8-14

See how my Beloved comes, leaping on the mountains

I hear my Beloved.
See how he comes
leaping on the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
My Beloved is like a gazelle,
like a young stag.

See where he stands
behind our wall.
He looks in at the window,
he peers through the lattice.

My Beloved lifts up his voice,
he says to me,
‘Come then, my love,
my lovely one, come.
For see, winter is past,
the rains are over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth.
The season of glad songs has come,
the cooing of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
The fig tree is forming its first figs
and the blossoming vines give out their fragrance.
Come then, my love,
my lovely one, come.
My dove, hiding in the clefts of the rock,
in the coverts of the cliff,
show me your face,
let me hear your voice;
for your voice is sweet
and your face is beautiful.’

Psalm or canticle

Psalm 32(33):2-3,11-12,20-21

Give thanks to the Lord upon the harp,
 with a ten-stringed lute sing him songs.
O sing him a song that is new,
 play loudly, with all your skill.

His own designs shall stand for ever,
 the plans of his heart from age to age.
They are happy, whose God is the Lord,
 the people he has chosen as his own.

Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
 The Lord is our help and our shield.
In him do our hearts find joy.
 We trust in his holy name.

Gospel

Luke 1:39-45

Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord?

Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’