Daily Readings

Beloved:I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus,who will judge the living and the dead,and by his appearing and his kingly power:proclaim the word;be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient;convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrinebut, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity,will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truthand will be diverted to myths.But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances;put up with hardship;perform the work of an evangelist;fulfill your ministry.For I am already being poured out like a libation,and the time of my departure is at hand.I have competed well;I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me,which the Lord, the just judge,will award to me on that day, and not only to me,but to all who have longed for his appearance.

R. (see 15ab)  I will sing of your salvation.My mouth shall be filled with your praise,with your glory day by day.Cast me not off in my old age;as my strength fails, forsake me not.R. I will sing of your salvation.But I will always hopeand praise you ever more and more.My mouth shall declare your justice,day by day your salvation. R. I will sing of your salvation.I will treat of the mighty works of the Lord;O God, I will tell of your singular justice.O God, you have taught me from my youth,and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds.R. I will sing of your salvation.So will I give you thanks with music on the lyre,for your faithfulness, O my God!I will sing your praises with the harp,O Holy One of Israel!R. I will sing of your salvation.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Blessed are the poor in spirit;for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

In the course of his teaching Jesus said,“Beware of the scribes, who like to go around in long robesand accept greetings in the marketplaces,seats of honor in synagogues,and places of honor at banquets.They devour the houses of widows and, as a pretext,recite lengthy prayers.They will receive a very severe condemnation.”He sat down opposite the treasuryand observed how the crowd put money into the treasury.Many rich people put in large sums.A poor widow also came and put in two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them,“Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in morethan all the other contributors to the treasury.For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth,but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had,her whole livelihood.” 

You have followed my teaching, way of life,purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions,and sufferings, such as happened to mein Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra,persecutions that I endured.Yet from all these things the Lord delivered me.In fact, all who want to live religiously in Christ Jesuswill be persecuted.But wicked people and charlatans will go from bad to worse,deceivers and deceived.But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed,because you know from whom you learned it,and that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures,which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvationthrough faith in Christ Jesus.All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching,for refutation, for correction,and for training in righteousness,so that one who belongs to God may be competent,equipped for every good work.

R. (165a)  O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.Though my persecutors and my foes are many,I turn not away from your decrees.R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.Permanence is your word’s chief trait;each of your just ordinances is everlasting.R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.Princes persecute me without causebut my heart stands in awe of your word. R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.Those who love your law have great peace,and for them there is no stumbling block.R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.I wait for your salvation, O Lord,and your commands I fulfill.R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law.I keep your precepts and your decrees,for all my ways are before you.R. O Lord, great peace have they who love your law. 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.Whoever loves me will keep my word,and my Father will love himand we will come to him.R. Alleluia, alleluia.

As Jesus was teaching in the temple area he said,“How do the scribes claim that the Christ is the son of David?David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said:The Lord said to my lord,‘Sit at my right handuntil I place your enemies under your feet.’David himself calls him ‘lord’;so how is he his son?”The great crowd heard this with delight.

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.