A reading from the book of Genesis.

God led Abram outside and said: “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can.”  God then said, “Just as the stars of the heavens, so shall your descendants be.”  Abram trusted in Yahweh, who credited it to Abram as an act of righteousness.

God then said to Abram, “I am Yahweh who brought you from Ur to give you this land as a possession.”  Abram asked, “How am I to know that I shall possess it?”  God answered Abram, “Bring me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon.”  Abram brought all of these, split them in two, and placed each half opposite the other, but the birds he did not cut up.  Birds of prey swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram stayed with them.  As the sun was about to set, a trance fell upon Abram, and a deep, terrifying darkness enveloped him.

When the sun had set and it was dark, there appeared a smoking brazier and a flaming torch, which passed between those pieces.  It was on that occasion that Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying: “To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the Great River (the Euphrates).”

The Word of God recorded in the book of Genesis.

Response: O God, You are my light and my salvation.

O God, You are my light and my salvation;

who will I fear?

You are the stronghold of my life;

of whom will I be afraid?

R: O God, You are my light and my salvation.

Hear me when I cry aloud,

be gracious to me and answer me!

You have said, “Seek My face.”

My heart says to You,

“Your face do I seek.”

R: O God, You are my light and my salvation.

Your face do I seek;

hide not Your face from me.

Tum not Your servant away in anger,

You who have been my help.

R: O God, You are my light and my salvation.

I believe that I will see the goodness of Our God

in the land of the living!

Wait for Our God, be strong, and let your heart take courage;

Yes, wait for Our God!

R: O God, You are my light and my salvation.