First Reading

Reading from the book of Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Thus says the Lord: “See, today I set before you life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the commandments I am giving you today, by loving the Lord, your God, and walking in his ways, and keeping his commandments, statutes and decrees, you will live and grow numerous, and the Lord, your God, will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away, so that you do not hear, but are led astray and adore and serve other gods, I tell you today that you will certainly perish; you will not have a long life on the land which you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

Today I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live, by loving the Lord, your God, heeding his voice, and holding fast to him. For that will be your life and the length of days in the land which the Lord promised to give to your fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Luke

Luke 9:22-25

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised.”

Then he said to all: “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself?”