First Reading
Wis 2, 12.17-20
The godless say to themselves, “Let us lie in wait for the virtuous man, since he
annoys us and apposes our way of life, reproaches us for our breaches of the law and
accuses us of playing false to our upbringing. Let us see the truth of what he says and
find out what his end will be. If the righteous is a son of God, God will defend him
and deliver him from his adversaries. Let us humble and torture him to prove his self-
control and test his patience. When we have condemned him to a shameful death, we
may test his words."
Responsorial Psalm
By your name, O God, save me;
you, the Valiant, uphold my cause.
Hear my prayer, O God;
listen to the words of my mouth.
Strangers are against me
- the ruthless seek my life;
they have no regard for God.
See, God is my helper;
the Lord upholds my life.
Freely will I offer sacrifice to you
and praise your name,
O Lord, for it is good.
Second Reading
Jas 3,16-4,3
Wherever there is jealousy and ambition, you will also find discord and all that is evil.
Instead, the wisdom which comes from above, is pure and peace-loving. Persons with
this wisdom show understanding and listen to advice; they are full of compassion and
good works; they are impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow peace reap a
harvest of justice. What causes these fights and quarrels among you? Is it not your
inner longings, which make war within your own selves? When you long for
something you cannot have, you kill for it and when you do not get what you desire,
you squabble and fight. The fact is, you do not have what you want because you do
not pray for it. You pray for something and you do not get it because you pray with the
wrong motive of indulging your pleasures.
Gospel
Mk 9,30-37
After leaving that place, they made their way through Galilee; but Jesus did not want
people to know where he was because he was teaching his disciples. And he told them,
"The Son of Man will be delivered into human hands. They will kill him, but three
days after he has been killed, he will rise." The disciples, however, did not understand
these words and they were afraid to ask him what he meant. They came to Capernaum
and, once inside the house, Jesus asked them, "What were you discussing on the way?"
But they did not answer because they had been arguing about who was the greatest.
Then he sat down, called the Twelve and said to them, "If someone wants to be first,
let him be last of all and servant of all." Then he took a little child, placed it in their
midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, "Whoever welcomes a child such
as this in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but
the One who sent me."