Romans 9.18-33
(Epistle)
18So then, he has mercy on whom he desires, and he hardens whom he desires.
19You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?”
20But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”
21Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor?
22What if God, willing to show his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction,
23and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory—
24us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles?
25As he says also in Hosea, “I will call them ‘my people,’ which were not my people; and her ‘beloved,’ who was not beloved.”
26“It will be that in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”
27Isaiah cries concerning Israel, “If the number of the children of Israel are as the sand of the sea, it is the remnant who will be saved;
28for he will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, because the Lord will make a short work upon the earth.”
29As Isaiah has said before, “Unless the Lord of Armies had left us a seed, we would have become like Sodom, and would have been made like Gomorrah.”
30What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, who didn’t follow after righteousness, attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith;
31but Israel, following after a law of righteousness, didn’t arrive at the law of righteousness.
32Why? Because they didn’t seek it by faith, but as it were by works of the law. They stumbled over the stumbling stone,
33even as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and a rock of offense; and no one who believes in him will be disappointed.”
2 Corinthians 6.1-10
(Epistle, Euphemia (July))
1Working together, we entreat also that you do not receive the grace of God in vain.
2For he says, “At an acceptable time I listened to you. In a day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.
3We give no occasion of stumbling in anything, that our service may not be blamed,
4but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God: in great endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses,
5in beatings, in imprisonments, in riots, in labors, in watchings, in fastings,
6in pureness, in knowledge, in perseverance, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in sincere love,
7in the word of truth, in the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,
8by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report, as deceivers and yet true,
9as unknown and yet well known, as dying and behold—we live, as punished and not killed,
10as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things.
Matthew 11.2-15
(Gospel)
2Now when John heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples
3and said to him, “Are you he who comes, or should we look for another?”
4Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see:
5the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.
6Blessed is he who finds no occasion for stumbling in me.”
7As these went their way, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind?
8But what did you go out to see? A man in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.
9But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet.
10For this is he, of whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’
11Most certainly I tell you, among those who are born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptizer; yet he who is least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.
12From the days of John the Baptizer until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.
13For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14If you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.
15He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Luke 7.36-50
(Gospel, Euphemia (July))
36One of the Pharisees invited him to eat with him. He entered into the Pharisee’s house and sat at the table.
37Behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that he was reclining in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment.
38Standing behind at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
39Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, “This man, if he were a prophet, would have perceived who and what kind of woman this is who touches him, that she is a sinner.”
40Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” He said, “Teacher, say on.”
41“A certain lender had two debtors. The one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.
42When they couldn’t pay, he forgave them both. Which of them therefore will love him most?”
43Simon answered, “He, I suppose, to whom he forgave the most.” He said to him, “You have judged correctly.”
44Turning to the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house, and you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head.
45You gave me no kiss, but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet.
46You didn’t anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.
47Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.”
48He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49Those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”