Jeremiah 38: 4-6, 8-10
A Reading from the Book of the Propet Jeremiah:
In those days, the princes said to the king: "Jeremiah ought to be put to death; he is demoralizing the soldiers who are left in this city, and all the people, by speaking such things to them; he is not interested in the welfare of our people, bu in their ruin." King Zedekiah answered: "He is in your power". for the king could do nothing with them. And so they took Jeremaih and threw him into the cistern of Prince Malchiah, which was in the quarters of the guard, letting him down with ropes. There was no water in the cister, only mud, and Jeremaih sank into the mud.
Ebed-melech, a court official, went there from the palace and said "My lord king, these men have been at fault in all they have done to the prophet Jeremiah, casting him into the cistern. He will die of famine on the spot, for there is no more food in the city." Then the king ordered Ebed-melech the Cushite to take three men along with him, and draw the prophet Jeremiah out of the cistern before he should die.
The Word of the Lord.
"Lord, come to my aid!"
1. I have waited, waited for the Lord,
and he stooped toward me.
R: Lord, come to my aid!
2. The Lord heard my cry.
He drew me out of the pit of destruction,
out of the mud of the swamp;
he set my feet upon a crag;
he made firm my steps.
R: Lord, come to my aid!
3. And he put a new song into my mouth,
a hymn to our God,
Many shall look on in awe
and trust in the Lord.
R: Lord, come to my aid!
4. Though I am afflicted and poor,
yet the Lord things of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
O my God, hold not back.
R: Lord, come to my aid!
Hebrews 12: 1-4
A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Hebrews:
Brothers and sisters:
Since we are surreounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid oursleves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfected of faith. For the sake of the joy that lay before him he endured the cross, despising its shame, and has teken his sear at the right of the throne of God. Conisider how he endured such opposition form sinners, in order that you may not grow weary and lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.
The Word of the Lord.
"Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia."
My sheep know my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
Luke 12: 49-53
A Reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke:
Jesus said to his disciples: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! there is a baptism with which I must be patized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that i have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against tw and tw against three; a father wil be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter agamist her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daugher-in-law against her mother-in-law.
The Gospel of the Lord.