Today’s Readings

The LORD was pleased     to crush him in infirmity.

If he gives his life as an offering for sin,     he shall see his descendants in a long life,     and the will of the LORD shall be accomplished through him.

Because of his affliction     he shall see the light in fullness         of days; through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,     and their guilt he shall bear.

R. (22)    Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. Upright is the word of the LORD,     and all his works are trustworthy. He loves justice and right;     of the kindness of the LORD the earth is full. R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. See, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,     upon those who hope for his kindness, To deliver them from death     and preserve them in spite of famine. R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you. Our soul waits for the LORD,     who is our help and our shield. May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us     who have put our hope in you. R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.

Brothers and sisters: Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens,  Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin.  So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help.

R. Alleluia, alleluia. The Son of Man came to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus and said to him, "Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you."  He replied, "What do you wish me to do for you?"  They answered him, "Grant that in your glory we may sit one at your right and the other at your left."  Jesus said to them, "You do not know what you are asking.  Can you drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?"  They said to him, "We can."  Jesus said to them, "The cup that I drink, you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right or at my left is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared."  When the ten heard this, they became indignant at James and John.  Jesus summoned them and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt.  But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.  For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

OR:

Jesus summoned the twelve and said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones make their authority over them felt.  But it shall not be so among you.  Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you will be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you will be the slave of all.  For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Brothers and sisters: It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith. For this reason, it depends on faith,  so that it may be a gift, and the promise may be guaranteed to all his descendants, not to those who only adhere to the law but to those who follow the faith of Abraham, who is the father of all of us, as it is written, I have made you father of many nations. He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into being what does not exist. He believed, hoping against hope, that he would become the father of many nations, according to what was said, Thus shall your descendants be.

R.    (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. You descendants of Abraham, his servants,     sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the LORD, is our God;     throughout the earth his judgments prevail. R.    The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. He remembers forever his covenant     which he made binding for a thousand generations – Which he entered into with Abraham     and by his oath to Isaac. R.    The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. For he remembered his holy word     to his servant Abraham. And he led forth his people with joy;     with shouts of joy, his chosen ones. R.    The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.

R. Alleluia, alleluia. The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Jesus said to his disciples:  “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.

“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say.  For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”

Brothers and sisters: What can we say that Abraham found, our ancestor according to the flesh? Indeed, if Abraham was justified on the basis of his works, he has reason to boast; but this was not so in the sight of God. For what does the Scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. A worker’s wage is credited not as a gift, but as something due. But when one does not work, yet believes in the one who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.  So also David declares the blessedness of the person to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:

Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not record.

R. (see 7) I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation. Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. Blessed the man to whom the LORD imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation. Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, “I confess my faults to the LORD,” and you took away the guilt of my sin. R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you just; exult, all you upright of heart. R. I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

R. Alleluia, alleluia. May your kindness, O LORD, be upon us; who have put our hope in you. R. Alleluia, alleluia.

At that time: So many people were crowding together  that they were trampling one another underfoot. Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples, “Beware of the leaven–that is, the hypocrisy–of the Pharisees.

“There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops. I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one. Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.”