Sons Novena Closure Mass Readings

21 DAYS NOVENA FOR OUR SONS
CLOSURE MASS.
Theme: A son after the heart of God.

Mass Readings:
1st Reading: 1st Samuel 16:1-13
Responsorial Psalms: Zab 103: 1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
2nd Reading: Ephesians 6:1-4
Gospel: John 6:1-12

First Reading

1st Samuel 16: 1-13
The LORD said to Samuel: How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have
rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am
sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for from among his sons I have decided on
a king. But Samuel replied: “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and kill me.” To
this the LORD answered: Take a heifer along and say, “I have come to sacrifice
to the LORD.” Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I myself will tell you what to do;
you are to anoint for me the one I point out to you. Samuel did as the
LORD had commanded him. When he entered Bethlehem, the elders of the
city came trembling to meet him and asked, “Is your visit peaceful, O seer?”
He replied: “Yes! I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. So, purify yourselves
and celebrate with me today.” He also had Jesse and his sons purify
themselves and invited them to the sacrifice. As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the anointed is here before the LORD.” But the LORD said to Samuel: Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. God does not see as a mortal, who sees the appearance. The LORD looks into the heart. Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel, who said, “The LORD has not chosen him.” Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but
Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen any one of these.” Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, but he is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not sit down to eat until he arrives here.” Jesse had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth with beautiful eyes, and good looking. The LORD said: There—anoint him, for this is the one! Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers, and from that day on, the spirit of the LORD rushed upon David. Then Samuel set out for Ramah.

Wimbo wa Katikati

Zaburi 103, 1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
(K) Bwana ni mwenye huruma na neema, ni mwingi wa Fadhili

1. Umsifu Bwana, ee nafsi yangu;
   Na yote yaliyo ndani yangu, yalisifu jina lake takatifu,
   Umsifu Bwana, ee nafsi yangu;
   Wala usizisahau Fadhili zake zote.
2. Yeye anasamehe dhambi zako zote,
   Anaponya magonjwa yako yote,
   Yeye anaukomboa uhai wako na kaburi,
   Anakuvika taji la Fadhili na rehema.
3. Mungu haendelei daima kukaripia.
   Wala hadumishi hasira yake milele,
   Hatutendi kadiri ya dhambi zetu,
   Wala hatulipi kadiri ya makosa yetu.
4. Maana kama vile mbingu zinavyoinuka juu ya nchi,
   Ndivyo wema wake ulivyo mkuu kwa wamchao.
   Kama mashariki ilivyo mbali na magharibi,
   Ndivyo alivyoweka dhambi zetu mbali nasi

Second Reading

Ephesians 6: 1-4
Children, obey your parents [in the Lord], for
this is right.
“Honor your father and mother.” This is the first
commandment with a promise,
“That it may go well with you and that you may
have a long life on earth.”
Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger,
but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord.

Gospel

John 6: 1-12
After this, Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee [of Tiberias].
A large crowd followed him, because they saw the signs
he was performing on the sick. Jesus went up on the
mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. The
Jewish feast of Passover was near. When Jesus raised his
eyes and saw that a large crowd was coming to him, he
said to Philip, “Where can we buy enough food for them to
eat?” He said this to test him, because he himself knew
what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “Two
hundred days’ wages* worth of food would not be enough
for each of them to have a little [bit].” One of his disciples,
Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, said to him, there is a
boy here who has five barley loaves* and two fish; but what
good are these for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people
recline.” Now there was a great deal of grass* in that
place. So, the men reclined, about five thousand in
number. Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and
distributed them to those who were reclining, and also as
much of the fish as they wanted. When they had had their
fill, he said to his disciples, “Gather the fragments left over, so that nothing will be wasted.