Traditional Latin Mass Gospel Readings

1 And it came to pass, that on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, with the ancients, met together,
Et factum est in una dierum, docente illo populum in templo, et evangelizante, convenerunt principes sacerdotum, et scribae cum senioribus,
 2 And spoke to him, saying: Tell us, by what authority dost thou these things? or, Who is he that hath given thee this authority?
et aiunt dicentes ad illum : Dic nobis in qua potestate haec facis? aut quis est qui dedit tibi hanc potestatem?
 3 And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one thing. Answer me:
Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ad illos : Interrogabo vos et ego unum verbum. Respondete mihi :
 4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?
baptismus Joannis de caelo erat, an ex hominibus?
 5 But they thought within themselves, saying: If we shall say, From heaven: he will say: Why then did you not believe him?
At illi cogitabant intra se, dicentes : Quia si dixerimus : De caelo, dicet : Quare ergo non credidistis illi?
 6 But if we say, Of men, the whole people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.
Si autem dixerimus : Ex hominibus, plebs universa lapidabit nos : certi sunt enim Joannem prophetam esse.
 7 And they answered, that they knew not whence it was.
Et responderunt se nescire unde esset.
 8 And Jesus said to them: Neither do I tell thee by what authority I do these things.
Et Jesus ait illis : Neque ego dico vobis in qua potestate haec facio.
 9 And he began to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen: and he was abroad for a long time.
Coepit autem dicere ad plebem parabolam hanc : Homo plantavit vineam, et locavit eam colonis : et ipse peregre fuit multis temporibus.
 10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard. Who, beating him, sent him away empty.
Et in tempore misit ad cultores servum, ut de fructu vineae darent illi. Qui caesum dimiserunt eum inanem.
 11 And again he sent another servant. But they beat him also, and treating him reproachfully, sent him away empty.
Et addidit alterum servum mittere. Illi autem hunc quoque caedentes, et afficientes contumelia, dimiserunt inanem.
 12 And again he sent the third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
Et addidit tertium mittere : qui et illum vulnerantes ejecerunt.
 13 Then the lord of the vineyard said: What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be, when they see him, they will reverence him.
Dixit autem dominus vineae : Quid faciam? Mittam filium meum dilectum : forsitan, cum hunc viderint, verebuntur.
 14 Whom when the husbandmen saw, they thought within themselves, saying: This is the heir, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
Quem cum vidissent coloni, cogitaverunt intra se, dicentes : Hic est haeres, occidamus illum, ut nostra fiat haereditas.
 15 So casting him out of the vineyard, they killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?
Et ejectum illum extra vineam, occiderunt. Quid ergo faciet illis dominus vineae?
 16 He will come, and will destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. Which they hearing, said to him: God forbid.
veniet, et perdet colonos istos, et dabit vineam aliis. Quo audito, dixerunt illi : Absit.
St Blaise, bishop of Sebaste, was beheaded after terrible torments, under Licinius, A.D. 317.

22 And after the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses, were accomplished, they carried him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord:
Et postquam impleti sunt dies purgationis ejus secundum legem Moysi, tulerunt illum in Jerusalem, ut sisterent eum Domino,
 23 As it is written in the law of the Lord: Every male opening the womb shall be called holy to the Lord:
sicut scriptum est in lege Domini : Quia omne masculinum adaperiens vulvam, sanctum Domino vocabitur :
 24 And to offer a sacrifice, according as it is written in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons:
et ut darent hostiam secundum quod dictum est in lege Domini, par turturum, aut duos pullos columbarum.
 25 And behold there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Ghost was in him.
Et ecce homo erat in Jerusalem, cui nomen Simeon, et homo iste justus, et timoratus, exspectans consolationem Israel : et Spiritus Sanctus erat in eo.
 26 And he had received an answer from the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
Et responsum acceperat a Spiritu Sancto, non visurum se mortem, nisi prius videret Christum Domini.
 27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when his parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the law,
Et venit in spiritu in templum. Et cum inducerent puerum Jesum parentes ejus, ut facerent secundum consuetudinem legis pro eo,
 28 He also took him into his arms, and blessed God, and said:
et ipse accepit eum in ulnas suas : et benedixit Deum, et dixit :
 29 Now thou dost dismiss thy servant, O Lord, according to thy word in peace;
Nunc dimittis servum tuum Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace :
 30 Because my eyes have seen thy salvation,
quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum,
 31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples:
quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum :
 32 A light to the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.

The Feast of Candlemas, which derives it's origin from the local observance of Jerusalem, marks the end of the Feasts included in the Christmas cycle of the Liturgy. It is perhaps the most ancient festival of Our Lady. It commemorates not only the obedience of the Blessed Virgin to the Mosaic Lay in going to Jerusalem forty days after the birth of her child and making the accustomed offerings, but also the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple, and the meeting of the infant Jesus with the old man Simeon--the Occursus Domini, as the Feast was anciently termed. This is the pricipal them of the liturgy on this day: Jesus is taken to the Temple "to present Him to the Lord." So the Lord comes to His Temple, and is met by the aged Simeon with joy and recognition.

The procession on this day is one of the most picturesque features of the Western Liturgy. The blessing and distribution of candles, to be carried lighted in procession, precedes the Mass today--a symbolic presentation of the truth proclaimed in the Canticle of Simeon; Our Lord is the "Light for the revelation of the Gentiles." The anthems sung during the procession, eastern in origin, will express the joy and gladness of this happy festival, and the honor and praise we give to Our Blessed Lady and her Divine Son by its devout observance.

1 The kingdom of heaven is like to an householder, who went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.  2 And having agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard.  3 And going out about the third hour, he saw others standing in the market place idle.  4 And he said to them: Go you also into my vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just.  5 And they went their way. And again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did in like manner.
 6 But about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing, and he saith to them: Why stand you here all the day idle?  7 They say to him: Because no man hath hired us. He saith to them: Go you also into my vineyard.  8 And when evening was come, the lord of the vineyard saith to his steward: Call the labourers and pay them their hire, beginning from the last even to the first.  9 When therefore they were come, that came about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny.  10 But when the first also came, they thought that they should receive more: and they also received every man a penny.
 11 And receiving it they murmured against the master of the house,  12 Saying: These last have worked but one hour, and thou hast made them equal to us, that have borne the burden of the day and the heats.  13 But he answering said to one of them: Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst thou not agree with me for a penny?  14 Take what is thine, and go thy way: I will also give to this last even as to thee.  15 Or, is it not lawful for me to do what I will? is thy eye evil, because I am good?
[15] "What I will": Viz., with my own, and in matters that depend on my own bounty.
 16 So shall the last be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen. 
The parable of the vineyard shows us that we must all work to obtain the reward of eternal life.

1 At that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who thinkest thou is the greater in the kingdom of heaven?
In illa hora accesserunt discipuli ad Jesum, dicentes : Quis, putas, major est in regno caelorum?
 2 And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them,
Et advocans Jesus parvulum, statuit eum in medio eorum,
 3 And said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
et dixit : Amen dico vobis, nisi conversi fueritis, et efficiamini sicut parvuli, non intrabitis in regnum caelorum.
 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the kingdom of heaven.
Quicumque ergo humiliaverit se sicut parvulus iste, hic est major in regno caelorum.
 5 And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me.
Et qui susceperit unum parvulum talem in nomine meo, me suscipit :
Don Bosco founded the Salesian Fathers and the Order of our Lady, Help of Christians, for the education of poor boys and girls. He died A.D. 1888.

1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be like to ten virgins, who taking their lamps went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.
Tunc simile erit regnum caelorum decem virginibus : quae accipientes lampades suas exierunt obviam sponso et sponsae.
 2 And five of them were foolish, and five wise.
Quinque autem ex eis erant fatuae, et quinque prudentes :
 3 But the five foolish, having taken their lamps, did not take oil with them:
sed quinque fatuae, acceptis lampadibus, non sumpserunt oleum secum :
 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with the lamps.
prudentes vero acceperunt oleum in vasis suis cum lampadibus.
 5 And the bridegroom tarrying, they all slumbered and slept.
Moram autem faciente sponso, dormitaverunt omnes et dormierunt.
 6 And at midnight there was a cry made: Behold the bridegroom cometh, go ye forth to meet him.
Media autem nocte clamor factus est : Ecce sponsus venit, exite obviam ei.
 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
Tunc surrexerunt omnes virgines illae, et ornaverunt lampades suas.
 8 And the foolish said to the wise: Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.
Fatuae autem sapientibus dixerunt : Date nobis de oleo vestro, quia lampades nostrae extinguuntur.
 9 The wise answered, saying: Lest perhaps there be not enough for us and for you, go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Responderunt prudentes, dicentes : Ne forte non sufficiat nobis, et vobis, ite potius ad vendentes, et emite vobis.
 10 Now whilst they went to buy, the bridegroom came: and they that were ready, went in with him to the marriage, and the door was shut.
Dum autem irent emere, venit sponsus : et quae paratae erant, intraverunt cum eo ad nuptias, et clausa est janua.
 11 But at last come also the other virgins, saying: Lord, Lord, open to us.
Novissime vero veniunt et reliquae virgines, dicentes : Domine, domine, aperi nobis.
 12 But he answering said: Amen I say to you, I know you not.
At ille respondens, ait : Amen dico vobis, nescio vos.
 13 Watch ye therefore, because you know not the day nor the hour.
Vigilate itaque, quia nescitis diem, neque horam.
St Martina, a noble Roman Virgin was beheaded after the most atrocious torments, A.D. 228.