December 20 2020

First Reading

Hebrews 1:1-11

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by

the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath

appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the

brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by

the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right

hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by

inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said

he at any time, thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to

him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the

firstbegotten into the world, he saith, and let all the angels of God worship him. And of

the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. But

unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of

righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated

iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above

thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and

the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and

they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

Second Reading

2 Peter 3:1-9

This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure

minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken

before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord

and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking

after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the

fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old,

and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then

was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are

now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment

and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one

day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is

not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to

us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Gospel

John 1:44-51

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.Philip findeth Nathanael, and

saith unto him, we have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did

write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, can there any

good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw

Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no

guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said

unto him, before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.

Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the

King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee

under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith

unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the

angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.