Romans 14:19-23

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

¹⁹ Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. ²⁰ Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for any one to make others fall by what he eats; ²¹ it is right not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that makes your brother stumble.^[a] 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God; happy is he who has no reason to judge himself for what he approves. ²³ But he who has doubts is condemned, if he eats, because he does not act from faith; for whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.^[b]

Galatians 5:22-6:2

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us have no self-conceit, no provoking of one another, no envy of one another.

Bear One Another’s Burdens

6 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Look to yourself, lest you too be tempted. ² Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Matthew 6:1-13

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

Concerning Almsgiving

6 “Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

² “Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. ³ But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

Concerning Prayer

⁵ “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^[a]

⁷ “And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. ⁹ Pray then like this:

Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
¹⁰ Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
    On earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread;^[b]
12 And forgive us our debts,
    As we also have forgiven our debtors;
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    But deliver us from evil.^[c]

Matthew 11:27-30

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

²⁷ All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.^[a] 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

13 Our venerable father Martinian of Athens, who earlier had led an eremetical life near Caesarea in Palestine. (c. 398)

Zechariah 8:7-14

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

⁷ Thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country; ⁸ and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

⁹ Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets, since the day that the foundation of the house of the Lord of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. ¹⁰ For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in; for I set every man against his fellow. ¹¹ But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the Lord of hosts. ¹² For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, and the ground shall give its increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. ¹³ And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.”

¹⁴ For thus says the Lord of hosts: “As I purposed to do evil to you, when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the Lord of hosts,

Zechariah 8:19-23

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

¹⁹ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah seasons of joy and gladness, and cheerful feasts; therefore love truth and peace.

Many Peoples Drawn to Jerusalem

²⁰ “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities; ²¹ the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts; I am going.’ ²² Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favor of the Lord. ²³ Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”

12 Our holy father Meletius, archbishop of Antioch, was elected to the patriarchal see in 360, but within a month he was sent into exile by Emperor Constantius. Reinstated in 379, he held a council of 150 bishops and took a prominent role in the Ecumenical Council of Constantinople (381). He was persecuted on account of the Nicene faith with frequent exile and soon after presiding over the Ecumenical Council departed to the Lord. His virtues were celebrated with the highest praises by Saints Gregory of Nyssa and John Chrysostom. (381)

Jude 11-25

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

¹¹ Woe to them! For they walk in the way of Cain, and abandon themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error, and perish in Korah’s rebellion. ¹² These are blemishes^[a] on your love feasts, as they boldly carouse together, looking after themselves; waterless clouds, carried along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; ¹³ wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars for whom the nether gloom of darkness has been reserved for ever.

¹⁴ It was of these also that Enoch in the seventh generation from Adam prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with his holy myriads, ¹⁵ to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness which they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” ¹⁶ These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own passions, loud-mouthed boasters, flattering people to gain advantage.

Warnings and Exhortations

¹⁷ But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; ¹⁸ they said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” ¹⁹ It is these who set up divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. ²⁰ But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. ²² And convince some, who doubt; ²³ save some, by snatching them out of the fire; on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.^[b]

Benediction

²⁴ Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you without blemish before the presence of his glory with rejoicing, ²⁵ to the only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen.

Luke 23:1-34

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

Jesus before Pilate

23 Then the whole company of them arose, and brought him before Pilate. ² And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king.”^[a] 3 And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” ⁴ And Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, “I find no crime in this man.” ⁵ But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place.”

Jesus before Herod

⁶ When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. ⁷ And when he learned that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. ⁸ When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. ⁹ So he questioned him at some length; but he made no answer. ¹⁰ The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. ¹¹ And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then, arraying him in gorgeous apparel, he sent him back to Pilate. ¹² And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.

Jesus Sentenced to Death

¹³ Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, ¹⁴ and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him;^[b] 15 neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Behold, nothing deserving death has been done by him; ¹⁶ I will therefore chastise him and release him.”^[c]

¹⁸ But they all cried out together, “Away with this man, and release to us Barab′bas”— ¹⁹ a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city, and for murder. ²⁰ Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus; ²¹ but they shouted out, “Crucify, crucify him!” ²² A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no crime deserving death; I will therefore chastise him and release him.” ²³ But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted. ²⁵ He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

²⁶ And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyre′ne, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷ And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him. ²⁸ But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never gave suck!’ ³⁰ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ ³¹ For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”^[d]

³² Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. ³³ And when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. ³⁴ And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”^[e] And they cast lots to divide his garments.

Luke 23:44-56

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

The Death of Jesus

⁴⁴ It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land^[a] until the ninth hour, ⁴⁵ while the sun’s light failed;^[b] and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. ⁴⁶ Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. ⁴⁷ Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, and said, “Certainly this man was innocent!” ⁴⁸ And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. ⁴⁹ And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance and saw these things.

The Burial of Jesus

⁵⁰ Now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Arimathe′a. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, ⁵¹ who had not consented to their purpose and deed, and he was looking for the kingdom of God. ⁵² This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. ⁵³ Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid. ⁵⁴ It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning.^[c] 55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid; ⁵⁶ then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.

On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

11 The holy martyr Blaise, bishop of Sebaste, who suffered martyrdom in Armenia in the power-struggle between Licinius and the Emperor Constantine. (316) Mitigation for wine and oil.

Joel 2:12-26

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

¹² “Yet even now,” says the Lord,
    “return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
¹³     and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord, your God,
    for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
    and repents of evil.
¹⁴ Who knows whether he will not turn and repent,
    and leave a blessing behind him,
a cereal offering and a drink offering
    for the Lord, your God?

¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion;
    sanctify a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
¹⁶     gather the people.
Sanctify the congregation;
    assemble the elders;
gather the children,
    even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
    and the bride her chamber.

¹⁷ Between the vestibule and the altar
    let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
and say, “Spare thy people, O Lord,
    and make not thy heritage a reproach,
    a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?’”

God’s Response and Promise

¹⁸ Then the Lord became jealous for his land,
    and had pity on his people.
¹⁹ The Lord answered and said to his people,
“Behold, I am sending to you
    grain, wine, and oil,
    and you will be satisfied;
and I will no more make you
    a reproach among the nations.

²⁰ “I will remove the northerner far from you,
    and drive him into a parched and desolate land,
his front into the eastern sea,
    and his rear into the western sea;
the stench and foul smell of him will rise,
    for he has done great things.

²¹ “Fear not, O land;
    be glad and rejoice,
    for the Lord has done great things!
²² Fear not, you beasts of the field,
    for the pastures of the wilderness are green;
the tree bears its fruit,
    the fig tree and vine give their full yield.

²³ “Be glad, O sons of Zion,
    and rejoice in the Lord, your God;
for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
    he has poured down for you abundant rain,
    the early and the latter rain, as before.

²⁴ “The threshing floors shall be full of grain,
    the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.
²⁵ I will restore to you the years
    which the swarming locust has eaten,
the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
    my great army, which I sent among you.

²⁶ “You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
    and praise the name of the Lord your God,
    who has dealt wondrously with you.
And my people shall never again be put to shame.

Joel 3:12-21

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

¹² Let the nations bestir themselves,
    and come up to the valley of Jehosh′aphat;
for there I will sit to judge
    all the nations round about.

¹³ Put in the sickle,
    for the harvest is ripe.
Go in, tread,
    for the wine press is full.
The vats overflow,
    for their wickedness is great.

¹⁴ Multitudes, multitudes,
    in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near
    in the valley of decision.
¹⁵ The sun and the moon are darkened,
    and the stars withdraw their shining.

¹⁶ And the Lord roars from Zion,
    and utters his voice from Jerusalem,
    and the heavens and the earth shake.
But the Lord is a refuge to his people,
    a stronghold to the people of Israel.

The Glorious Future of Judah

¹⁷ “So you shall know that I am the Lord your God,
    who dwell in Zion, my holy mountain.
And Jerusalem shall be holy
    and strangers shall never again pass through it.

¹⁸ “And in that day
the mountains shall drip sweet wine,
    and the hills shall flow with milk,
and all the stream beds of Judah
    shall flow with water;
and a fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord
    and water the valley of Shittim.

¹⁹ “Egypt shall become a desolation
    and Edom a desolate wilderness,
for the violence done to the people of Judah,
    because they have shed innocent blood in their land.
²⁰ But Judah shall be inhabited for ever,
    and Jerusalem to all generations.
²¹ I will avenge their blood, and I will not clear the guilty,^[a]
    for the Lord dwells in Zion.”

10 The holy martyr Charalampas, endured death for Christ by the sword in the reign of Emperor Septimus Severus along with Porphyrius, Dauctus, and three women of Magnesia in the province of Asia. (203)

In Benedictine communities, our venerable mother Scholastica, virgin, who, the sister of Saint Benedict and consecrated to God from infancy, had one mind in God with her brother, so that once a year she would spend a whole day at Monte Cassino in Campania with him in the praises of God. (c. 547)

Jude

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

Salutation

¹ Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,

To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:

² May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

Occasion of the Letter

³ Beloved, being very eager to write to you of our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. ⁴ For admission has been secretly gained by some who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly persons who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.^[a]

Judgment on False Teachers

⁵ Now I desire to remind you, though you were once for all fully informed, that he^[b] who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. ⁶ And the angels that did not keep their own position but left their proper dwelling have been kept by him in eternal chains in the nether gloom until the judgment of the great day;^[c] 7 just as Sodom and Gomor′rah and the surrounding cities, which likewise acted immorally and indulged in unnatural lust, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

⁸ Yet in like manner these men in their dreamings defile the flesh, reject authority, and revile the glorious ones.^[d] 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, disputed about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a reviling judgment upon him, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”^[e] 10 But these men revile whatever they do not understand, and by those things that they know by instinct as irrational animals do, they are destroyed. ¹¹ Woe to them! For they walk in the way of Cain, and abandon themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error, and perish in Korah’s rebellion. ¹² These are blemishes^[f] on your love feasts, as they boldly carouse together, looking after themselves; waterless clouds, carried along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; ¹³ wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars for whom the nether gloom of darkness has been reserved for ever.

¹⁴ It was of these also that Enoch in the seventh generation from Adam prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord came with his holy myriads, ¹⁵ to execute judgment on all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness which they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” ¹⁶ These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own passions, loud-mouthed boasters, flattering people to gain advantage.

Warnings and Exhortations

¹⁷ But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; ¹⁸ they said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” ¹⁹ It is these who set up divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. ²⁰ But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; ²¹ keep yourselves in the love of God; wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. ²² And convince some, who doubt; ²³ save some, by snatching them out of the fire; on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.^[g]

Benediction

²⁴ Now to him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you without blemish before the presence of his glory with rejoicing, ²⁵ to the only God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen.

Luke 22:39-42

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

³⁹ And he came out, and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. ⁴⁰ And when he came to the place he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” ⁴¹ And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, ⁴² “Father, if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.”

Luke 22:45-23:1

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

⁴⁵ And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, ⁴⁶ and he said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.”

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

⁴⁷ While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him; ⁴⁸ but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of man with a kiss?” ⁴⁹ And when those who were about him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” ⁵⁰ And one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. ⁵¹ But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. ⁵² Then Jesus said to the chief priests and captains of the temple and elders, who had come out against him,^[a] “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? ⁵³ When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.”

Peter Denies Jesus

⁵⁴ Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. Peter followed at a distance; ⁵⁵ and when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. ⁵⁶ Then a maid, seeing him as he sat in the light and gazing at him, said, “This man also was with him.” ⁵⁷ But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” ⁵⁸ And a little later some one else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” ⁵⁹ And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean.” ⁶⁰ But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. ⁶¹ And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.” ⁶² And he went out and wept bitterly.

The Mocking and Beating of Jesus

⁶³ Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him; ⁶⁴ they also blindfolded him and asked him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” ⁶⁵ And they spoke many other words against him, reviling him.

Jesus before the Council

⁶⁶ When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes; and they led him away to their council, and they said, ⁶⁷ “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe; ⁶⁸ and if I ask you, you will not answer. ⁶⁹ But from now on the Son of man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” ⁷⁰ And they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” ⁷¹ And they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”

Jesus before Pilate

23 Then the whole company of them arose, and brought him before Pilate.

9 Leave-taking of the Meeting. Great Doxology at Matins. Melkite Great Vespers and Great Doxology at Matins.

The holy martyr Nicephor, a Christian from Syria, took the place of the priest Sapricius, who apostasized before a pagan judge. (260)

3 John

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

Salutation

¹ The elder to the beloved Ga′ius, whom I love in the truth.

Gaius Commended for His Hospitality

² Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in health; I know that it is well with your soul. ³ For I greatly rejoiced when some of the brethren arrived and testified to the truth of your life, as indeed you do follow the truth. ⁴ No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth.

⁵ Beloved, it is a loyal thing you do when you render any service to the brethren, especially to strangers, ⁶ who have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey as befits God’s service. ⁷ For they have set out for his sake and have accepted nothing from the heathen. ⁸ So we ought to support such men, that we may be fellow workers in the truth.

Diotrephes and Demetrius

⁹ I have written something to the church; but Diot′rephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge my authority. ¹⁰ So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, prating against me with evil words. And not content with that, he refuses himself to welcome the brethren, and also stops those who want to welcome them and puts them out of the church.

¹¹ Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. He who does good is of God; he who does evil has not seen God. ¹² Deme′trius^[a] has testimony from every one, and from the truth itself; I testify to him too, and you know my testimony is true.

Final Greetings

¹³ I had much to write to you, but I would rather not write with pen and ink; ¹⁴ I hope to see you soon, and we will talk together face to face.

¹⁵ Peace be to you. The friends greet you. Greet the friends, every one of them.

Luke 19:29-40

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

²⁹ When he drew near to Beth′phage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, ³⁰ saying, “Go into the village opposite, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat; untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If any one asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this, ‘The Lord has need of it.’” ³² So those who were sent went away and found it as he had told them. ³³ And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” ³⁴ And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” ³⁵ And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their garments on the colt they set Jesus upon it. ³⁶ And as he rode along, they spread their garments on the road. ³⁷ As he was now drawing near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, ³⁸ saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” ³⁹ And some of the Pharisees in the multitude said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” ⁴⁰ He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Luke 22:7-39

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

The Preparation of the Passover

⁷ Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the passover lamb had to be sacrificed. ⁸ So Jesus^[a] sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the passover for us, that we may eat it.” ⁹ They said to him, “Where will you have us prepare it?” ¹⁰ He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house which he enters, ¹¹ and tell the householder, ‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I am to eat the passover with my disciples?’ ¹² And he will show you a large upper room furnished; there make ready.” ¹³ And they went, and found it as he had told them; and they prepared the passover.

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

¹⁴ And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. ¹⁵ And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; ¹⁶ for I tell you I shall not eat it^[b] until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ¹⁷ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves; ¹⁸ for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹ And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰ And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.^[c] 21 But behold the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. ²² For the Son of man goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” ²³ And they began to question one another, which of them it was that would do this.

The Dispute about Greatness

²⁴ A dispute also arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. ²⁵ And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. ²⁶ But not so with you; rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. ²⁷ For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves.

²⁸ “You are those who have continued with me in my trials; ²⁹ as my Father appointed a kingdom for me, so do I appoint for you ³⁰ that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

³¹ “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you,^[d] that he might sift you^[e] like wheat, ³² but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail; and when you have turned again, strengthen your brethren.” ³³ And he said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” ³⁴ He said, “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you three times deny that you know me.”

Purse, Bag, and Sword

³⁵ And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no purse or bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” ³⁶ He said to them, “But now, let him who has a purse take it, and likewise a bag. And let him who has no sword sell his mantle and buy one. ³⁷ For I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was reckoned with transgressors’; for what is written about me has its fulfilment.” ³⁸ And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.”

Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives

³⁹ And he came out, and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him.

8 The holy great martyr Theodore was a general in the army of the Emperor Licinius. He suffered death in Heraclea in Thrace. (318)

The holy prophet Zechariah, who prophesied that the Chosen People would return from their exile to the land of promise. He bore the news to them of the king of peace, which Christ the Lord fulfilled marvelously by his triumphant entrance to the holy city Jerusalem. Mitigation for wine and oil.

1 Corinthians 8:8-9:2

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

⁸ Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. ⁹ Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰ For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol’s temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹ And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. ¹² Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother’s falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.

The Rights of an Apostle

9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? ² If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

Matthew 25:31-46

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

The Judgment of the Nations

³¹ “When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. ³² Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, ³³ and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; ³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? ³⁸ And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? ³⁹ And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ ⁴¹ Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; ⁴² for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, ⁴³ I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ ⁴⁴ Then they also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to thee?’ ⁴⁵ Then he will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.’ ⁴⁶ And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

7 Our venerable father Parthenius, bishop of Lampsacus in Hellespont, who, in the time of the emperor Constantine, propagated the faith by his preaching and example of life. (318)