January 24th, 2025, Memorial of St. Francis Ducales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews.

Brothers and sisters, now our high priest, has obtained so much more excellent a ministry,

as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises.

For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second one.

But he finds fault with them and says,

Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will conclude a new covenant with the House of Israel

and the House of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers, the day I took

them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt. For they did not stand by my covenant,

and I ignored them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant I will establish with the House of Israel

after those days, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them upon their hearts.

I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kin, saying, know the Lord.

For all shall know me from least to greatest.

For I will forgive their evil doing, and remember their sins no more.

When he speaks of a new covenant, he declares the first one obsolete,

and what has become obsolete

and has grown old is close to disappearing.

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm.

The response is, kindness and truth shall meet.

Show us, O Lord, your mercy, and grant us your salvation.

Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him glory dwelling in our land kindness and truth shall meet kindness and truth shall meet justice and peace shall kiss truth shall spring out of the earth and justice shall look down from heaven.

...