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| "Jesus Alone on the Cross" -- by James Tissot (Click image to view full size) |
FIRST READING: Numbers 21: 4 - 9
4
And the people began to be weary of their journey and labour:
5
And speaking against God and Moses, they said: Why didst thou bring
us out of Egypt, to die in the wilderness? There is no bread, nor
have we any waters: our soul now loatheth this very light food.
6
Wherefore the Lord sent among the people fiery serpents, which bit
them and killed many of them.
7
Upon which they came to Moses, and said: We have sinned, because we
have spoken against the Lord and thee: pray that he may take away
these serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.
8
And the Lord said to him: Make a brazen serpent, and set it up for a
sign: whosoever being struck shall look on it, shall live.
9
Moses therefore made a brazen serpent, and set it up for a sign:
which when they that were bitten looked upon, they were healed.
1
Attend, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my
mouth.
2
I will open my mouth in parables: I will utter propositions from the
beginning.
34
When he slew them, then they sought him: and they returned, and came
to him early in the morning.
35
And they remembered that God was their helper: and the most high God
their redeemer.
36
And they loved him with their mouth: and with their tongue they lied
unto him:
37
But their heart was not right with him: nor were they counted
faithful in his covenant.
38
But he is merciful, and will forgive their sins: and will not destroy
them. And many a time did he turn away his anger: and did not kindle
all his wrath.
6
Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God:
7
But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the
likeness of men, and in habit found as a man.
8
He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death
of the cross.
9
For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name
which is above all names:
10
That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in
heaven, on earth, and under the earth:
11
And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in
the glory of God the Father.
13
And no man hath ascended into heaven, but he that descended from
heaven, the Son of man who is in heaven.
14
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of
man be lifted up:
15
That whosoever believeth in him, may not perish; but may have life
everlasting.
16
For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that
whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life
everlasting.
17
For God sent not his Son into the world, to judge the world, but that
the world may be saved by him.
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