Office of Readings

INVITATORY

The Invitatory is said when this is the first ‘hour’ of the day.





Lord, + open my lips.
And my mouth will proclaim your praise.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

The antiphon is repeated. In individual recitation, the antiphon may be said only at the beginning of the psalm; it need not be repeated after each strophe.







Psalm 95
A call to praise God


Encourage each other daily while it is still today (Hebrews 3:13).

Come, let us sing to the Lord *
  and shout with joy to the Rock who saves us.
Let us approach him with praise and thanksgiving *
  and sing joyful songs to the Lord.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

The Lord is God, the mighty God, *
  the great king over all the gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth *
  and the highest mountains as well.
He made the sea; it belongs to him, *
  the dry land, too, for it was formed by his hands.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Come, then, let us bow down and worship, *
  bending the knee before the Lord, our maker.
For he is our God and we are his people, *
  the flock he shepherds.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Today, listen to the voice of the Lord:
Do not grow stubborn, as your fathers did
  in the wilderness, *
when at Meriba and Massah
  they challenged me and provoked me, *
Although they had seen all of my works.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Forty years I endured that generation. *
I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray
  and they do not know my ways.”
So I swore in my anger, *
  “They shall not enter into my rest.”

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.If the Invitatory is not said, then the following is used:

God, + come to my assistance.
Lord, make haste to help me.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia.

HYMN

Sweet is the mem’ry of the child Christ Jesus,
his poor and humble life at home in Naz’reth;
we raise our voices and do well to ponder
   his life of silence.

Through hidden seasons Jesus grew to manhood,
learning from Joseph, trained a humble craftsman,
freely embracing, as a willing helper,
   carpenter’s labor.

Mother devoted to her child most loving,
wife good and holy caring for her husband,
happy to lighten burdens for the weary,
   kindly she serves them.

Fam’ly most holy, knowing work and labor,
conscious of evil, comfort the afflicted;
when they are seeking safety and assistance,
   show them your kindness.

Power and glory be to you, Lord Jesus,
holy exemplar of the life you gave us,
one with the Father and the loving Spirit,
   you reign for ever. Amen.

Tune: HERR, DEINEN ZORN 11 11 11 5;
Music: later form of melody from Johann Crüger. 1599-1662
or Mode VIII, melody 94; Liber Hymnarius, Solesmes, 1983*
Text: Dulce fit nobis memorare parvum, Pope Leo XIII, 1810-1903, © 2023 ICEL

PSALMODY

Ant. 1 When his parents brought the Child Jesus into the temple, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God.

When Psalm 24 is used as the Invitatory Psalm, Psalm 95, above, is used as the first psalm of the Office of Readings,

Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple


Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (Saint Iranaeus).

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, *
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; *
on the waters he made it firm.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? *
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart,
who desires not worthless things, *
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.

He shall receive blessings from the Lord *
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him, *
seek the face of the God of Jacob.

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Who is the king of glory?
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Who is he, the king of glory?
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

When your Son was unjustly condemned, Lord God, and surrounded by the impious, he cried to you, and you set him free. Watch over your people as the treasure of your heart and guide their steps along safe paths that they may see your face.

Ant. When his parents brought the Child Jesus into the temple, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God.

Ant. 2 The Magi entered the house and found the child with Mary, his mother.

Psalm 46
God our refuge and strength


He shall be called Emmanuel, which means: God-with-us (Matthew 1:23).

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,
even though its waters rage and foam, *
even though the mountains be shaken by its waves.

The Lord of hosts is with us: *
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

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.
Nations are in tumult, kingdoms are shaken: *
he lifts his voice, the earth shrinks away.

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.
He puts an end to wars over all the earth;
the bow he breaks, the spear he snaps. *
He burns the shields with fire.
“Be still and know that I am God, *
supreme among the nations, supreme on the earth!”

The Lord of hosts is with us: *
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

All-powerful Father, the refuge and strength of your people, you protect in adversity and defend in prosperity those who put their trust in you. May they persevere in seeking your will and find their way to you through obedience.

Ant. The Magi entered the house and found the child with Mary, his mother.

Ant. 3 Joseph rose in the night and took the child and his mother into Egypt.

Psalm 87
Jerusalem is mother of us all


The heavenly Jerusalem is a free woman; she is our mother (Galatians 4:26).

On the holy mountain is his city *
cherished by the Lord.
The Lord prefers the gates of Zion *
to all Jacob’s dwellings.
Of you are told glorious things, *
O city of God!

“Babylon and Egypt I will count *
among those who know me;
Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia, *
these will be her children
and Zion shall be called ‘Mother’ *
for all shall be her children.”

It is he, the Lord Most High, *
who gives each his place.
In his register of peoples he writes: *
“These are her children,”
and while they dance they will sing: *
“In you all find their home.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Psalm Prayer

Lord God, your only Son wept over ancient Jerusalem, soon to be destroyed for its lack of faith. He established the new Jerusalem firmly upon rock and made it the mother of the faithful. Make us rejoice in your Church, and grant that all people may be reborn into the freedom of your Spirit.

Ant. Joseph rose in the night and took the child and his mother into Egypt.

Your children will be taught by the Lord himself.
He will bless them with fullness of peace.

READINGS

FIRST READING

From the letter of the apostle Paul to the Ephesians
5:21—6:4

Christian life in the family and in society


Defer to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Wives should be submissive to their husbands as if to the Lord because the husband is head of his wife just as Christ is head of his body the church, as well as its savior. As the church submits to Christ, so wives should submit to their husbands in everything.

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church. He gave himself up for her to make her holy, purifying her in the bath of water by the power of the word, to present to himself a glorious church, holy and immaculate, without stain or wrinkle or anything of that sort. Husbands should love their wives as they do their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Observe that no one ever hates his own flesh; no, he nourishes it and takes care of it as Christ cares for the church—for we are members of his body.

   “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother,
   and shall cling to his wife,
   and the two shall be made into one.”

This is a great foreshadowing; I mean that it refers to Christ and the church. In any case, each one should love his wife as he loves himself, the wife for her part showing respect for her husband.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for that is what is expected of you. “Honor your father and mother” is the first commandment to carry a promise with it—“that it may go well with you, and that you may have long life on the earth.”

Fathers, do not anger your children. Bring them up with the training and instruction befitting the Lord.

RESPONSORY
Ephesians 6:1-2; Luke 2:51


Children, obey your parents in the Lord,
for that is your duty;
honor your father and your mother.

Jesus returned with Mary and Joseph to Nazareth;
there he lived and was obedient to them.
Honor your father and your mother.

SECOND READING

From an address by Saint Paul VI, pope
(Nazareth, January 5, 1964)

Nazareth, a model


Nazareth is a kind of school where we may begin to discover what Christ’s life was like and even to understand his Gospel. Here we can observe and ponder the simple appeal of the way God’s Son came to be known, profound yet full of hidden meaning. And gradually we may even learn to imitate him.

Here we can learn to realize who Christ really is. And here we can sense and take account of the conditions and circumstances that surrounded and affected his life on earth: the places, the tenor of the times, the culture, the language, religious customs, in brief, everything which Jesus used to make himself known to the world. Here everything speaks to us, everything has meaning. Here we can learn the importance of spiritual discipline for all who wish to follow Christ and to live by the teachings of his Gospel.

How I would like to return to my childhood and attend the simple yet profound school that is Nazareth! How wonderful to be close to Mary, learning again the lesson of the true meaning of life, learning again God’s truths. But here we are only on pilgrimage. Time presses and I must set aside my desire to stay and carry on my education in the Gospel, for that education is never finished. But I cannot leave without recalling, briefly and in passing; some thoughts I take with me from Nazareth.

First, we learn from its silence. If only we could once again appreciate its great value. We need this wonderful state of mind, beset as we are by the cacophony of strident protests and conflicting claims so characteristic of these turbulent times. The silence of Nazareth should teach us how to meditate in peace and quiet, to reflect on the deeply spiritual, and to be open to the voice of God’s inner wisdom and the counsel of his true teachers. Nazareth can teach us the value of study and preparation, of meditation, of a well-ordered personal spiritual life, and of silent prayer that is known only to God.

Second, we learn about family life. May Nazareth serve as a model of what the family should be. May it show us the family’s holy and enduring character and exemplify its basic function in society: a community of love and sharing, beautiful for the problems it poses and the rewards it brings, in sum, the perfect setting for rearing children—and for this there is no substitute.

Finally, in Nazareth, the home of a craftsman’s son, we learn about work and the discipline it entails. I would especially like to recognize its value—demanding yet redeeming—and to give it proper respect. I would remind everyone that work has its own dignity. On the other hand, it is not an end in itself. Its value and free character, however, derive not only from its place in the economic system, as they say, but rather from the purpose it serves.

In closing, may I express my deep regard for people everywhere who work for a living. To them I would point out their great model, Christ their brother, our Lord and God, who is their prophet in every cause that promotes their well-being.

RESPONSORY
2 Corinthians 13:11; Ephesians 5:9; Colossians 3:23


Have a rejoicing heart, try to grow holy,
help one another, keep united, live in peace.
Sing and make music to the Lord in your hearts.

Whatever you do, put your whole self into it,
as if for the Lord and not for men.
Sing and make music to the Lord in your hearts.


Those who wish to extend the celebration of the vigil of Sunday, according to tradition, first celebrate the Office of Readings. After both readings and before the Te Deum, they may add canticles and a gospel reading. Afterward the Te Deum is sung, the prayer is said, and the hour is concluded as in the Ordinary.


TE DEUM

You are God: we praise you;
You are the Lord: we acclaim you;
You are the eternal Father:
All creation worships you.

To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
   Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
   heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.

Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you:
   Father, of majesty unbounded,
   your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
   and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the Father.

When you became man to set us free
you did not spurn the Virgin’s womb.

You overcame the sting of death,
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.

You are seated at God’s right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come, and be our judge.

Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.

℣. Save your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
℟. Govern and uphold them now and always.
℣. Day by day we bless you.
℟. We praise your name for ever.
℣. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
℟. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
℣. Lord, show us your love and mercy;
℟. for we put our trust in you.
℣. In you, Lord, is our hope:
℟. and we shall never hope in vain.

The concluding part of the hymn may be omitted.

CONCLUDING PRAYER

Let us pray.

Father,
help us to live as the holy family,
united in respect and love.
Bring us to the joy and peace of your eternal home.
Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

Or:

O God, who were pleased to give us
the shining example of the Holy Family,
graciously grant that we may imitate them
in practicing the virtues of family life and in the bonds of charity,
and so, in the joy of your house,
delight one day in eternal rewards.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.
Amen.

ACCLAMATION

Let us praise the Lord.
And give him thanks.

******

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Psalm 24
The Lord’s entry into his temple


Christ opened heaven for us in the manhood he assumed (Saint Irenaeus).

The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness, *
the world and all its peoples.
It is he who set it on the seas; *
on the waters he made it firm.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Who shall climb the mountain of the Lord? *
Who shall stand in his holy place?
The man with clean hands and pure heart,
who desires not worthless things, *
who has not sworn so as to deceive his neighbor.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

He shall receive blessings from the Lord *
and reward from the God who saves him.
Such are the men who seek him, *
seek the face of the God of Jacob.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Who is the king of glory?
The Lord, the mighty, the valiant, *
the Lord, the valiant in war.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

O gates, lift high your heads;
grow higher, ancient doors. *
Let him enter, the king of glory!

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Who is he, the king of glory?
He, the Lord of armies, *
he is the king of glory.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Psalm 67
People of all nations will worship the Lord


You must know that God is offering his salvation to all the world (Acts 28:28).

O God, be gracious and bless us *
and let your face shed its light upon us.
So will your ways be known upon earth *
and all nations learn your saving help.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Let the nations be glad and exult *
for you rule the world with justice.
With fairness you rule the peoples, *
you guide the nations on earth.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
let all the peoples praise you.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

The earth has yielded its fruit *
for God, our God, has blessed us.
May God still give us his blessing *
till the ends of the earth revere him.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Psalm 100
The joyful song of those entering God’s temple


The Lord calls his ransomed people to sing songs of victory (Saint Athanasius).

Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness. *
Come before him, singing for joy.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Know that he, the Lord, is God.
He made us, we belong to him, *
we are his people, the sheep of his flock.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Go within his gates, giving thanks.
Enter his courts with songs of praise. *
Give thanks to him and bless his name.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Indeed, how good is the Lord,
eternal his merciful love. *
He is faithful from age to age.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Come, let us worship Christ, the Son of God, who was obedient to Mary and Joseph.


OPTIONAL VIGIL

CANTICLES

Ant. Truly you are a hidden God, the God of Israel, the Savior.

Canticle I: Isaiah 26:1b-4, 7-9, 12
Hymn after the defeat of the enemy


Jerusalem the Holy City has a great, high wall and twelve gates
(see Revelation 21:12).

A strong city have we;
he sets up walls and ramparts to protect us. *
Open up the gates
to let in a nation that is just, *
one that keeps faith.

A nation of firm purpose you keep in peace; *
in peace, for its trust in you.
Trust in the Lord forever! *
For the Lord is an eternal Rock.

The way of the just is smooth; *
the path of the just you make level.
Yes, for your way and your judgments, O Lord, *
we look to you;
your name and your title *
are the desire of our souls.

My soul yearns for you in the night, *
yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you;
When your judgment dawns upon the earth, *
the world’s inhabitants learn justice.

O Lord, you mete out peace to us, *
for it is you who have accomplished all we have done.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Canticle II: Isaiah 40:1-8
The coming of the Lord.


The word of the Lord endures forever. This word has indeed been proclaimed to you. (1 Peter 1:25).

Comfort, give comfort to my people, *
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, *
and proclaim to her that her service is at an end,
her guilt is expiated;
indeed, she has received from the hand of the Lord *
double for all her sins.

A voice cries out: *
In the desert prepare the way of the Lord!
Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! *
Every valley shall be filled in,
every mountain and hill shall be made low; *
the rugged land shall be made a plain,
the rough country, a broad valley. *
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all mankind shall see it together; *
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

A voice says, “Cry out!” *
I answer, “What shall I cry out?”
“All mankind is grass, *
and all their glory like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower wilts,
when the breath of the Lord blows upon it. *
(So then, the people is the grass.)
Though the grass withers and the flower wilts, *
the word of our God stands forever.”

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Canticle III: Isaiah 66:10-14a
Joys of heaven


The heavenly Jerusalem is a free woman and our mother (Galatians 4:26).

Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, *
all you who love her;
Exult, exult with her, *
all you who were mourning over her!

Oh, that you may suck fully *
of the milk of her comfort,
That you may nurse with delight *
at her abundant breasts!

For thus says the Lord:
Lo, I will spread prosperity over her like a river, *
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent.

As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, *
and fondled in her lap;
As a mother comforts her son,
so will I comfort you; *
in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.

When you see this, your heart shall rejoice, *
and your bodies flourish like the grass.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, *
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning, is now, *
and will be for ever. Amen.

Ant. Truly you are a hidden God, the God of Israel, the Savior.

THE HOLY GOSPEL

+ A reading from the Holy Gospel according to John
20:19-31

The appearance of Jesus after eight days


On the evening of that first day of the week, even though the disciples had locked the doors of the place where they were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood before them. “Peace be with you,” he said. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. At the sight of the Lord the disciples rejoiced. “Peace be with you,” he said again.

   “As the Father has sent me,
   so I send you.”

   Then he breathed on them and said:

   “Receive the Holy Spirit.
   If you forgive men’s sins,
   they are forgiven them;
   if you hold them bound,
   they are held bound.”

It happened that one of the Twelve, Thomas (the name means “Twin”), was absent when Jesus came. The other disciples kept telling him: “We have seen the Lord!” His answer was, “I’ll never believe it without probing the nail-prints in his hands, without putting my finger in the nail-marks and my hand into his side.”

A week later, the disciples were once more in the room, and this time Thomas was with them. Despite the locked doors, Jesus came and stood before them. “Peace be with you,” he said; then, to Thomas: “Take your finger and examine my hands. Put your hand into my side. Do not persist in your unbelief, but believe!” Thomas said in response, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus then said to him:

   “You became a believer because you saw me.
   Blest are they who have not seen and have believed.”

Jesus performed many other signs as well—signs not recorded here—in the presence of his disciples. But these have been recorded to help you believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, so that through this faith you may have life in his name.

Or:

+
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew
2:13-15, 19-23

Take the child and is mother and flee into Egypt


When the magi had departed, behold,
   the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
   “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt,
   and stay there until I tell you.
Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night
   and departed for Egypt.
He stayed there until the death of Herod,
   that what the Lord had said through the prophet might be fulfilled,
   Out of Egypt I called my son.

When Herod had died, behold,
   the angel of the Lord appeared in a dream
   to Joseph in Egypt and said,
   “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel,
   for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
He rose, took the child and his mother,
   and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling over Judea
   in place of his father Herod,
   he was afraid to go back there.
And because he had been warned in a dream,
   he departed for the region of Galilee.
He went and dwelt in a town called Nazareth,
   so that what had been spoken through the prophets might be fulfilled,
   He shall be called a Nazorean.

Or:

+
A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Luke
2:41-52

His parents found Jesus sitting in the midst of the teachers


Each year his parents went to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover,
   and when he was twelve years old,
   they went up according to festival custom.
After they had completed its days, as they were returning,
   the boy Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem,
   but his parents did not know it.
Thinking that he was in the caravan,
   they journeyed for a day
   and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,
   but not finding him,
   they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.
After three days they found him in the temple,
   sitting in the midst of the teachers,
   listening to them and asking them questions,
   and all who heard him were astounded
   at his understanding and his answers. 
When his parents saw him,
   they were astonished,
   and his mother said to him,
   “Son, why have you done this to us?
Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety.”
And he said to them,
   “Why were you looking for me?
Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” 
But they did not understand what he said to them.
He went down with them and came to Nazareth,
   and was obedient to them;
   and his mother kept all these things in her heart.
And Jesus advanced in wisdom and age and favor before God and man.

A homily on the Gospel may be given.

Te Deum