December 28, 2004, Feast of the Holy Innocence, Martyrs. A reading from the first letter of

St. John, Beloved, this is the message that we have heard from Jesus Christ and proclaimed to you.

God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.

If we say we have fellowship with him while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth.

But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship with one another,

and the blood of His Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin.

If we say we are without sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins

and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar,

and his word is not in us. My children, I am writing this to you so that you may not commit sin.

But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ, the righteous one.

He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only, but for those of the whole world.

The Word of the Lord.

The response oral psalm.

The response is, our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare. Had not the Lord been with us when men rose up against us,

then would they have swallowed us alive when their fury was inflamed against us?

Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.

Then would the waters have overwhelmed us.

The torrent would have swept over us. Over us then would

have swept the raging waters. Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.

Broken was the snare and we were freed. Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth.

Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler's snare.

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