FIRST READING: Job 3: 1 - 3, 11 - 17, 20 - 23
1 After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day,
2 And he said:
3 Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said: A man child is conceived.
11 Why did I not die in the womb, why did I not perish when I came out of the belly?
12 Why received upon the knees? why suckled at the breasts?
13 For now I should have been asleep and still, and should have rest in my sleep.
14 With kings and consuls of the earth, who build themselves solitudes:
15 Or with princes, that possess gold, and All their houses with silver:
16 Or as a hidden untimely birth I should not be, or as they that being conceived have not seen the light.
17 There the wicked cease from tumult, and there the wearied in strength are at rest.
20 Why is light given to him that is in misery, and life to them that are in bitterness of soul?
21 That look for death, and it cometh not, as they that dig for a treasure:
22 And they rejoice exceedingly when they have found the grave.
23 To a man whose way is hidden, and God hath surrounded him with darkness!
PSALM: Psalms 88: 2 - 8
2 O Lord, the God of my salvation: I have cried in the day, and in the night before thee.
3 Let my prayer come in before thee: incline thy ear to my petition.
4 For my soul is filled with evils: and my life hath drawn nigh to hell.
5 I am counted among them that go down to the pit: I am become as a man without help,
6 Free among the dead. Like the slain sleeping in the sepulchres, whom thou rememberest no more: and they are cast off from thy hand.
7 They have laid me in the lower pit: in the dark places, and in the shadow of death.
8 Thy wrath is strong over me: and all thy waves thou hast brought in upon me.
GOSPEL: Luke 9: 51 - 56
51 And it came to pass, when the days of his assumption were accomplishing, that he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem.
52 And he sent messengers before his face; and going, they entered into a city of the Samaritans, to prepare for him.
53 And they received him not, because his face was of one going to Jerusalem.
54 And when his disciples James and John had seen this, they said: Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them?
55 And turning, he rebuked them, saying: You know not of what spirit you are.
56 The Son of man came not to destroy souls, but to save. And they went into another town.
