Daily Readings

Beloved:Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David:such is my Gospel, for which I am suffering,even to the point of chains, like a criminal.But the word of God is not chained.Therefore, I bear with everything for the sake of those who are chosen,so that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus,together with eternal glory.This saying is trustworthy:If we have died with himwe shall also live with him;if we perseverewe shall also reign with him.But if we deny himhe will deny us.If we are unfaithfulhe remains faithful,for he cannot deny himself.Remind people of these thingsand charge them before God to stop disputing about words.This serves no useful purpose since it harms those who listen.Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God,a workman who causes no disgrace,imparting the word of truth without deviation. 

R. (4) Teach me your ways, O Lord.Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;teach me your paths,Guide me in your truth and teach me,for you are God my savior.R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.Good and upright is the LORD;thus he shows sinners the way.He guides the humble to justice,he teaches the humble his way. R. Teach me your ways, O Lord.All the paths of the LORD are kindness and constancytoward those who keep his covenant and his decrees.The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him,and his covenant, for their instruction.R. Teach me your ways, O Lord. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed deathand brought life to light through the Gospel.R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,"Which is the first of all the commandments?"Jesus replied, "The first is this:Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone!You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.The second is this:You shall love your neighbor as yourself.There is no other commandment greater than these."The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher.You are right in saying,He is One and there is no other than he.And to love him with all your heart,with all your understanding,with all your strength,and to love your neighbor as yourselfis worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,he said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God."And no one dared to ask him any more questions. 

Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of Godfor the promise of life in Christ Jesus,to Timothy, my dear child:grace, mercy, and peace from God the Fatherand Christ Jesus our Lord.I am grateful to God,whom I worship with a clear conscience as my ancestors did,as I remember you constantly in my prayers, night and day.For this reason, I remind you to stir into flamethe gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardicebut rather of power and love and self-control.So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord,nor of me, a prisoner for his sake;but bear your share of hardship for the Gospelwith the strength that comes from God.He saved us and called us to a holy life,not according to our worksbut according to his own designand the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began,but now made manifestthrough the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus,who destroyed death and brought life and immortalityto light through the Gospel,for which I was appointed preacher and Apostle and teacher.On this account I am suffering these things;but I am not ashamed,for I know him in whom I have believedand am confident that he is able to guardwhat has been entrusted to me until that day. 

R. (1b) To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.To you I lift up my eyeswho are enthroned in heaven.Behold, as the eyes of servantsare on the hands of their masters.R. To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes.As the eyes of a maidare on the hands of her mistress,So are our eyes on the LORD, our God,till he have pity on us. R. To you, O Lord, I lift up my eyes. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.I am the resurrection and the life, says the Lord;whoever believes in me will never die.R. Alleluia, alleluia. 

Some Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection,came to Jesus and put this question to him, saying,"Teacher, Moses wrote for us,If someone's brother dies, leaving a wife but no child,his brother must take the wifeand raise up descendants for his brother.Now there were seven brothers.The first married a woman and died, leaving no descendants.So the second brother married her and died, leaving no descendants,and the third likewise.And the seven left no descendants.Last of all the woman also died.At the resurrection when they arise whose wife will she be?For all seven had been married to her."Jesus said to them, "Are you not misledbecause you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?When they rise from the dead,they neither marry nor are given in marriage,but they are like the angels in heaven.As for the dead being raised,have you not read in the Book of Moses,in the passage about the bush, how God told him,I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?He is not God of the dead but of the living.You are greatly misled." 

Beloved:Wait for and hasten the coming of the day of God,because of which the heavens will be dissolved in flamesand the elements melted by fire.But according to his promisewe await new heavens and a new earthin which righteousness dwells.

Therefore, beloved, since you await these things,be eager to be found without spot or blemish before him, at peace.And consider the patience of our Lord as salvation.

Therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned,be on your guard not to be led into the error of the unprincipledand to fall from your own stability.But grow in graceand in the knowledge of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.To him be glory now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

R.    (1)  In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.Before the mountains were begottenand the earth and the world were brought forth,from everlasting to everlasting you are God.R.    In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.You turn man back to dust,saying, “Return, O children of men.”For a thousand years in your sightare as yesterday, now that it is past,or as a watch of the night.R.    In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.Seventy is the sum of our years,or eighty, if we are strong,And most of them are fruitless toil,for they pass quickly and we drift away.R.    In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.Fill us at daybreak with your kindness,that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days.Let your work be seen by your servantsand your glory by their children.R.    In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

R.    Alleluia, alleluia.May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christenlighten the eyes of our hearts,that we may know what is the hopethat belongs to his call.R.    Alleluia, alleluia.

Some Pharisees and Herodians were sentto Jesus to ensnare him in his speech.They came and said to him,“Teacher, we know that you are a truthful manand that you are not concerned with anyone’s opinion.You do not regard a person’s statusbut teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.Is it lawful to pay the census tax to Caesar or not?Should we pay or should we not pay?”Knowing their hypocrisy he said to them,“Why are you testing me?Bring me a denarius to look at.”They brought one to him and he said to them,“Whose image and inscription is this?”They replied to him, “Caesar’s.”So Jesus said to them,“Repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesarand to God what belongs to God.”They were utterly amazed at him.