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Today's Readings
Reading I
Jas 2:14-24, 26
What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone says he has
faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother
or sister has nothing to wear and has no food for the day, and one
of you says to them, “Go in peace, keep warm, and eat well,” but you
do not give them the necessities of the body, what good is it? So
also faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead. Indeed
someone might say, “You have faith and I have works.” Demonstrate
your faith to me without works, and I will demonstrate my faith to
you from my works. You believe that God is one. You do well.
Even the demons believe that and tremble. Do you want proof, you
ignoramus, that faith without works is useless? Was not Abraham our
father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac upon the
altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith
was completed by the works. Thus the Scripture was fulfilled that
says, Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as
righteousness, and he was called the friend of God. See how a person
is justified by works and not by faith alone. For just as a body
without a spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.
Responsorial Psalm
112:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (see 1b) Blessed the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s
commands. Blessed the man who fears the LORD, who greatly
delights in his commands. His posterity shall be mighty upon the
earth; the upright generation shall be blessed. R. Blessed
the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands. Wealth and
riches shall be in his house; his generosity shall endure forever.
Light shines through the darkness for the upright; he is gracious
and merciful and just. R. Blessed the man who greatly delights in
the Lord’s commands. Well for the man who is gracious and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice; He shall never be moved; the
just man shall be in everlasting remembrance. R. Blessed
the man who greatly delights in the Lord’s commands.
Gospel
Mk 8:34–9:1
Jesus summoned the crowd with his disciples and said to them,
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his
cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose
it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the Gospel
will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life? What could one give in exchange for his life?
Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this faithless and
sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of when he comes
in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” He also said to
them, “Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not
taste death until they see that the Kingdom of God has come in
power.”
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