I know that nothing good dwells within me, that is, in my flesh. I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin that dwells within me.
So I find it to be a law that when I want to do what is good, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God in my inmost self, but I see in my members another law at war with the law of my mind, making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.
Wretched man that I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin.
R. Teach me your laws, O Lord.
Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. R.
Let your steadfast love become my comfort according to your promise to your servant. Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. R.
I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. R.
Jesus said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, ‘It is going to rain’; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens.
“You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?
“And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? Thus, when you go with your accuser before a magistrate, on the way make an effort to settle the case, or you may be dragged before the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer throw you in prison. I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.”
These readings provided courtesy of Living with Christ, Canada’s Companion to Praying and Living the Eucharist.
These readings are intended for personal use and reflection and may not be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher.
The lectionary texts contained herein are from the Lectionary, Sundays and Solemnities © Concacan Inc., 1992, 2009 and the Lectionary, Weekdays © Concacan Inc., 1993, of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. All rights reserved. Used by permission of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.
These editions of the Lectionary follow the Ordo Lectionum Missae, editio typica altera, Typis Polyglottis Vaticanus, 1981. The Scripture quotations contained herein are based on the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Adapted and used by permission. All rights reserved.
Adaptations for liturgical use have been made to selected Scripture texts. These adaptations have been made to bring the readings into conformity with the Ordo Lectionum Missae, editio typica altera, the Lectionarium and Liturgiam Authenticam, as well as to facilitate proclamation. These adaptations were prepared by and are the sole responsibility of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Adaptations copyright © 2009 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.