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| "The Accursed Fig Tree" - by James Tissot |
FIRST READING:
1 Peter 4: 7 - 13
7
The end of all things is at hand; therefore keep sane and sober for
your prayers.
8
Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers
a multitude of sins.
9
Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another.
10
As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good
stewards of God's varied grace:
11
whoever speaks, as one who utters oracles of God; whoever renders
service, as one who renders it by the strength which God supplies; in
order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.
To him belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
12
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you
to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you.
13
But rejoice in so far as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may
also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
PSALM:
Psalms 96: 10 - 13
10
Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns! Yea, the world is
established, it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with
equity."
11
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar,
and all that fills it;
12
let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees
of the wood sing for joy
13
before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He
will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with his
truth.
GOSPEL: Mark
11: 11 - 26
11
And he entered Jerusalem, and went into the temple; and when he had
looked round at everything, as it was already late, he went out to
Bethany with the twelve.
12
On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry.
13
And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he
could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but
leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14
And he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again."
And his disciples heard it.
15
And they came to Jerusalem. And he entered the temple and began to
drive out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and he
overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those
who sold pigeons;
16
and he would not allow any one to carry anything through the temple.
17
And he taught, and said to them, "Is it not written, `My house
shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations'? But you have
made it a den of robbers."
18
And the chief priests and the scribes heard it and sought a way to
destroy him; for they feared him, because all the multitude was
astonished at his teaching.
19
And when evening came they went out of the city.
20As
they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to
its roots.
21
And Peter remembered and said to him, "Master, look! The fig
tree which you cursed has withered."
22
And Jesus answered them, "Have faith in God.
23
Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, `Be taken up and
cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes
that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.
24
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you
have received it, and it will be yours.
25
And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against
any one; so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you
your trespasses."
