First Reading

Reading from the letter of the Apostle Saint Paul to the Ephesians

Ephesians 4, 1-6

Brothers and sisters: I, Paul, a prisoner for the cause of the Lord, urge you to lead a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be always humble and kind; be understanding and bear with one another in love; strive to remain united in the Spirit with the bond of peace.

For there is only one body and one Spirit, just as there is also one hope in the calling you have received. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who reigns over all, works through all, and lives in all.

Gospel

Reading from the holy Gospel according to Saint Luke

Luke 12, 54-59

At that time, Jesus said to the crowd: “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say that it is going to rain, and indeed it does. When the wind blows from the south, you say it will be hot, and so it happens. Hypocrites! If you know how to interpret the appearance of the sky and the earth, why do you not interpret the signs of the present time? Why, then, do you not judge for yourselves what you ought to do now?

When you go with your adversary to appear before the authority, do everything possible to reach an agreement with him on the way, so that he does not bring you before the judge, the judge hand you over to the police, and the police put you in jail. I assure you that you will not get out of there until you pay the last penny.”