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| "Jesus Discourses with His Disciples" -- by James Tissot |
FIRST
READING: Genesis
18: 20 - 32
20
And the Lord said: The cry of Sodom and Gomorrha is multiplied, and
their sin is become exceedingly grievous.
21
I will go down and see whether they have done according to the cry
that is come to me: or whether it be not so, that I may know.
22
And they turned themselves from thence, and went their way to Sodom:
but Abraham as yet stood before the Lord.
23
And drawing nigh he said: Wilt thou destroy the just with the wicked?
24
If there be fifty just men in the city, shall they perish withal? and
wilt thou not spare that place for the sake of the fifty just, if
they be therein?
25
Far be it from thee to do this thing, and to slay the just with the
wicked, and for the just to be in like case as the wicked, this is
not beseeming thee: thou who judgest all the earth, wilt not make
this judgment.
26
And the Lord said to him: If I find in Sodom fifty just within the
city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.
27
And Abraham answered, and said: Seeing I have once begun, I will
speak to my Lord, whereas I am dust and ashes.
28
What if there be five less than fifty just persons? wilt thou for
five and forty destroy the whole city? And he said: I will not
destroy it, if I find five and forty.
29
And again he said to him: But if forty be found there, what wilt thou
do? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of forty.
30
Lord, saith he, be not angry, I beseech thee, if I speak: What if
thirty shall be found there? He answered: I will not do it, if I find
thirty there.
31
Seeing, saith he, I have once begun, I will speak to my Lord. What if
twenty be found there? He said: I will not destroy it for the sake of
twenty.
32
I beseech thee, saith he, be not angry, Lord, if I speak yet once
more: What if ten should be found there? And he said: I will not
destroy it for the sake of ten.
PSALM:
Psalms 138:
1 - 3, 6 - 8
1
I will praise thee, O lord, with my whole heart: for thou hast heard
the words of my mouth. I will sing praise to thee in the sight of his
angels:
2
I will worship towards thy holy temple, and I will give glory to thy
name. For thy mercy, and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy
holy name above all.
3
In what day soever I shall call upon thee, hear me: thou shall
multiply strength in my soul.
6
For the Lord is high, and looketh on the low: and the high he knoweth
afar off.
7
If I shall walk in the midst of tribulation, thou wilt quicken me:
and thou hast stretched forth thy hand against the wrath of my
enemies: and thy right hand hath saved me.
8
The Lord will repay for me: thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: O
despise not the work of thy hands.
SECOND
READING: Colossians
2: 12 - 14
12
Buried with him in baptism, in whom also you are risen again by the
faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him up from the dead.
13
And you, when you were dead in your sins, and the uncircumcision of
your flesh; he hath quickened together with him, forgiving you all
offences:
14
Blotting out the handwriting of the decree that was against us, which
was contrary to us. And he hath taken the same out of the way,
fastening it to the cross.
GOSPEL:
Luke 11:
1 - 13
1
And it came to pass, that as he was in a certain place praying, when
he ceased, one of his disciples said to him: Lord, teach us to pray,
as John also taught his disciples.
2
And he said to them: When you pray, say: Father, hallowed be thy
name. Thy kingdom come.
3
Give us this day our daily bread.
4
And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive every one that is
indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.
5
And he said to them: Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go
to him at midnight, and shall say to him: Friend, lend me three
loaves,
6
Because a friend of mine is come off his journey to me, and I have
not what to set before him.
7
And he from within should answer, and say: Trouble me not, the door
is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and
give thee.
8
Yet if he shall continue knocking, I say to you, although he will not
rise and give him, because he is his friend; yet, because of his
importunity, he will rise, and give him as many as he needeth.
9
And I say to you, Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and you shall
find: knock, and it shall be opened to you.
10
For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth;
and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened.
11
And which of you, if he ask his father bread, will he give him a
stone? or a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he reach him a scorpion?
13
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father from heaven give the good
Spirit to them that ask him?
