February 4th : Second readingI should be punished if I did not preach the GospelA reading from the first letter of St.Paul to the Corinthians 9:16-19,22-23

February 4th :  Second reading

I should be punished if I did not preach the Gospel

A reading from the first letter of St.Paul to the Corinthians 9:16-19,22-23 

I do not boast of preaching the gospel, since it is a duty which has been laid on me; I should be punished if I did not preach it! If I had chosen this work myself, I might have been paid for it, but as I have not, it is a responsibility which has been put into my hands. Do you know what my reward is? It is this: in my preaching, to be able to offer the Good News free, and not insist on the rights which the gospel gives me.

  So though I am not a slave of any man I have made myself the slave of everyone so as to win as many as I could. For the weak I made myself weak: I made myself all things to all men in order to save some at any cost; and I still do this, for the sake of the gospel, to have a share in its blessings.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation Jn8:12

Alleluia, alleluia!

I am the light of the world, says the Lord;

anyone who follows me will have the light of life.

Alleluia!