FIRST
READING: Wisdom
9: 13 - 18
13
For who among men is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can
think what the will of God is?
14
For the thoughts of mortal men are fearful, and our counsels
uncertain.
15
For the corruptible body is a load upon the soul, and the earthly
habitation presseth down the mind that museth upon many things.
16
And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth: and with
labour do we find the things that are before us. But the things that
are in heaven, who shall search out?
17
And who shall know thy thought, except thou give wisdom, and send thy
Holy Spirit from above:
18
And so the ways of them that are upon earth may be corrected, and men
may learn the things that please thee?
PSALM:
Psalms 90:
3 - 6, 12 - 17
3
Turn not man away to be brought low: and thou hast said: Be
converted, O ye sons of men.
4
For a thousand years in thy sight are as yesterday, which is past.
And as a watch in the night,
5
Things that are counted nothing, shall their years be.
6
In the morning man shall grow up like grass; in the morning he shall
flourish and pass away: in the evening he shall fall, grow dry, and
wither.
12
So make thy right hand known: and men learned in heart, in wisdom.
13
Return, O Lord, how long? and be entreated in favour of thy servants.
14
We are filled in the morning with thy mercy: and we have rejoiced,
and are delighted all our days.
15
We have rejoiced for the days in which thou hast humbled us: for the
years in which we have seen evils.
16
Look upon thy servants and upon their works: and direct their
children.
17
And let the brightness of the Lord our God be upon us: and direct
thou the works of our hands over us; yea, the work of our hands do
thou direct.
SECOND
READING: Philemon
1: 9 - 10, 12 - 17
9
For charity sake I rather beseech, whereas thou art such a one, as
Paul an old man, and now a prisoner also of Jesus Christ.
10
I beseech thee for my son, whom I have begotten in my bands,
Onesimus,
12
Whom I have sent back to thee. And do thou receive him as my own
bowels.
13
Whom I would have retained with me, that in thy stead he might have
ministered to me in the bands of the gospel:
14
But without thy counsel I would do nothing: that thy good deed might
not be as it were of necessity, but voluntary.
15
For perhaps he therefore departed for a season from thee, that thou
mightest receive him again for ever:
16
Not now as a servant, but instead of a servant, a most dear brother,
especially to me: but how much more to thee both in the flesh and in
the Lord?
17
If therefore thou count me a partner, receive him as myself.
GOSPEL:
Luke 14:
25 - 33
25
And there went great multitudes with him. And turning, he said to
them:
26
If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife,
and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also,
he cannot be my disciple.
27
And whosoever doth not carry his cross and come after me, cannot be
my disciple.
28
For which of you having a mind to build a tower, doth not first sit
down, and reckon the charges that are necessary, whether he have
wherewithal to finish it:
29
Lest, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish
it, all that see it begin to mock him,
30
Saying: This man began to build, and was not able to finish.
31
Or what king, about to go to make war against another king, doth not
first sit down, and think whether he be able, with ten thousand, to
meet him that, with twenty thousand, cometh against him?
32
Or else, whilst the other is yet afar off, sending an embassy, he
desireth conditions of peace.
33
So likewise every one of you that doth not renounce all that he
possesseth, cannot be my disciple.
