Sunday 9 November 2025 – Dedication of the Lateran Basilica Feast
Location: Armagh Cathedral
Liturgical Colour: White
Year: C (I)
First Reading
Ezekiel 47: 1-2, 8-9, 12
Wherever the water flows, it will bring life and health
The angel brought me to the entrance of the Temple, where a stream came out from under the Temple threshold and flowed eastwards, since the Temple faced east. The water flowed from under the right side of the Temple, south of the altar.
He took me out by the north gate and led me right round outside as far as the outer east gate where the water flowed out on the right-hand side. He said, “This water flows east down to the Arabah and to the sea; and flowing into the sea it makes its waters wholesome.
Wherever the river flows, all living creatures teeming in it will live. Fish will be very plentiful, for wherever the water goes it brings health, and life teems wherever the river flows.
Along the river, on either bank, will grow every kind of fruit tree with leaves that never wither and fruit that never fails; they will bear new fruit every month, because this water comes from the sanctuary.
And their fruit will be good to eat and the leaves medicinal.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 45(46): 2-3, 5-6, 8-9
The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is for us a refuge and strength,
a helper close at hand in time of distress,
so we shall not fear though the earth should rock,
though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea.
The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within, it cannot be shaken;
God will help it at the dawning of the day.
The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come, consider the works of the Lord,
the redoubtable deeds he has done on the earth.
The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
Second Reading
1 Corinthians 3: 9-11, 16-17
The temple of God is sacred, and you are that temple
You are God’s building. By the grace God gave me, I succeeded as an architect and laid the foundations, on which someone else is doing the building. Everyone doing the building must work carefully.
For the foundation, nobody can lay any other than the one which has already been laid, that is Jesus Christ.
Didn’t you realise that you were God’s temple and that the Spirit of God was living among you?
If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy him, because the temple of God is sacred; and you are that temple.
Gospel Acclamation
2 Chronicles 7:16
Alleluia, alleluia!
I have chosen and consecrated this house,
says the Lord, for my name to be there forever.
Alleluia!
Gospel
John 2: 13-22
Destroy this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up
Just before the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem, and in the Temple he found people selling cattle and sheep and pigeons, and the money changers sitting at their counters there.
Making a whip out of some cord, he drove them all out of the Temple — cattle and sheep as well — scattered the money changers’ coins, knocked their tables over and said to the pigeon-sellers, “Take all this out of here and stop turning my Father’s house into a market.”
Then his disciples remembered the words of scripture: “Zeal for your house will devour me.”
The Jews intervened and said, “What sign can you show us to justify what you have done?”
Jesus answered, “Destroy this sanctuary, and in three days I will raise it up.”
The Jews replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this sanctuary: are you going to raise it up in three days?”
But he was speaking of the sanctuary that was his body, and when Jesus rose from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the words he had said.
Additional Resources
You can also view this page with the New Testament in Greek and English.
Universalis Podcast
This week’s podcast from a year ago:
I am getting over a cold, so have no voice to record with this week. Sorry about that! As a substitute, here is the podcast from this time last year (from 10 to 16 November 2024).
The days of the week will be out of step, so that when the podcast says “Monday”, please hear “Tuesday”. Normal service will be resumed next week!
Saints featured: Martin of Tours, Margaret of Scotland, Elizabeth of Hungary, and Albert the Great. Friar Julian, the lost Hungarians, and the Mongols. More of the gift of death. (15 minutes)
Christian Art
Each day, The Christian Art website offers a picture and reflection on the Gospel of the day.
About the Readings
The readings on this page are from the Jerusalem Bible, which is used at Mass in much of the English-speaking world.
The English Standard Version, used at Mass in Great Britain, will be shown here if you set this page to use a calendar for Great Britain.
The New American Bible readings, used at Mass in the United States, are available in the Universalis apps, programs, and downloads.
You can also view this page with the Gospel in Greek and English.