New Year's Day — Open Word

FIRST READING

Ecclesiastes 3:1-13

Verse 1. To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: Verse 2. a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, Verse 3. a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to break down and a time to build, Verse 4. a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, Verse 5. a time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, Verse 6. a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard, Verse 7. a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, Verse 8. a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. Verse 9. What does the worker gain from his toil? Verse 10. I have seen the burden that God has laid upon the sons of men to occupy them. Verse 11. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom the work that God has done from beginning to end. Verse 12. I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live, Verse 13. and also that every man should eat and drink and find satisfaction in all his labor — this is the gift of God.

PSALM

Psalm 8

For the choirmaster. According to Gittith. A Psalm of David. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens.

From the mouths of children and infants You have ordained praise on account of Your adversaries, to silence the enemy and avenger.

When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place —

what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him?

You made him a little lower than the angels; You crowned him with glory and honor.

You made him ruler of the works of Your hands; You have placed everything under his feet:

all sheep and oxen, and even the beasts of the field,

the birds of the air and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

SECOND READING

Revelation 21:1-6a

Verse 1. Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. Verse 2. I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Verse 3. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. Verse 4. ‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” Verse 5. And the One seated on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are faithful and true.” Verse 6. And He told me, “It is done!

GOSPEL

Matthew 25:31-46

Verse 31. When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. Verse 32. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Verse 33. He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. Verse 34. Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Verse 35. For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, Verse 36. I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’ Verse 37. Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? Verse 38. When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Verse 39. When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’ Verse 40. And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’ Verse 41. Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Verse 42. For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, Verse 43. I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after Me.’ Verse 44. And they too will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Verse 45. Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’ Verse 46. And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”