Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

GOOD NEWS BIBLE VERSION

Lectionary No 622

FIRST READING (Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab)

"I saw a woman clothed with the sun and with the moon under her feet."

A reading from the Book of Revelation

God's temple in heaven was opened, and the Covenant Box was seen there.

Then a great and mysterious sight appeared in the sky. There was a woman, whose dress was the sun and who had the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was soon to give birth, and the pains and suffering of childbirth made her cry out. Another mysterious sight appeared in the sky. There was a huge red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and a crown on each of his heads. With his tail, he dragged a third of the stars out of the sky and threw them down to the earth. He stood in front of the woman, in order to eat her child as soon as it was born. Then she gave birth to a son, who will rule over all nations with an iron rod. But the child was snatched away and taken to God and his throne. The woman fled to the desert, to a place God had prepared for her, where she will be taken care of for 1,260 days. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “Now God’s salvation has come! Now God has shown his power as King! Now his Messiah has shown his authority!”

The Word of the Lord.

SECOND READING: (1 Corinthians 15:20-27 )

"Christ the first-fruits; then those who belong to Christ."

A reading from the first letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians

Brethren: Christ has been raised from death, as the guarantee that those who sleep in death will also be raised. For just as death came by means of a man, in the same way the resurrection from death comes by means of a man. For just as all people die because they are all related to Adam, so all will be brought to life because they are related to Christ. But they are brought to life in the proper order: Christ, first of all; then, at the time of his coming, those who belong to him. Then the end will come. Christ will overcome all spiritual rulers, authorities, and powers, and will hand over the Kingdom to God the Father. For Christ must rule until God defeats all enemies and puts them all under his feet. The last enemy to be defeated will be death. For the scripture says, “God put all things under his feet.” It is clear, of course, that when the scripture says that everything has been put under Christ, it does not include God himself, who puts everything under Christ.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation (John 6:51)

℣. Alleluia. ℟. Alleluia.

℣. Mary has been taken up into heaven; 

the host of angels rejoices. 

℟. Alleluia.

GOSPEL (Luke 1:39-56)

"He who is mighty has done great things for me; he has exalted those of low degree."

✠ A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

Soon afterward Mary got ready and hurried off to a town in the hill country of Judea. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby moved within her. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and said in a loud voice, “You are the most blessed of all women, and blessed is the child you will bear! Why should this great thing happen to me, that my Lord’s mother comes to visit me? For as soon as I heard your greeting, the baby within me jumped with gladness. How happy you are to believe that the Lord’s message to you will come true!”

Mary said, “My heart praises the Lord; my soul is glad because of God my Saviour, for he has remembered me, his lowly servant! From now on all people will call me happy, because of the great things the Mighty God has done for me. His name is holy; from one generation to another he shows mercy to those who honour him. He has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans. He has brought down mighty kings from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away with empty hands. He has kept the promise he made to our ancestors, and has come to the help of his servant Israel. He has remembered to show mercy to Abraham and to all his descendants forever!”

Mary stayed about three months with Elizabeth and then went back home.

The Gospel of the Lord.