James 3.1-10
(Epistle)
1Let not many of you be teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive heavier judgment.
2For we all stumble in many things. Anyone who doesn’t stumble in word is a perfect person, able to bridle the whole body also.
3Indeed, we put bits into the horses’ mouths so that they may obey us, and we guide their whole body.
4Behold, the ships also, though they are so big and are driven by fierce winds, are yet guided by a very small rudder, wherever the pilot desires.
5So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest!
6And the tongue is a fire. The world of iniquity among our members is the tongue, which defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and is set on fire by Gehenna.
7For every kind of animal, bird, creeping thing, and sea creature is tamed, and has been tamed by mankind;
8but nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in the image of God.
10Out of the same mouth comes blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
Hebrews 10.32-38
(Epistle, Ignatius' Relics)
32But remember the former days, in which, after you were enlightened, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:
33partly, being exposed to both reproaches and oppressions, and partly, becoming partakers with those who were treated so.
34For you both had compassion on me in my chains and joyfully accepted the plundering of your possessions, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and an enduring one in the heavens.
35Therefore don’t throw away your boldness, which has a great reward.
36For you need endurance so that, having done the will of God, you may receive the promise.
37“In a very little while, he who comes will come and will not wait.
38But the righteous one will live by faith. If he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.”
Mark 11.11-23
(Gospel)
11Jesus entered into the temple in Jerusalem. When he had looked around at everything, it being now evening, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
12The next day, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry.
13Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came to see if perhaps he might find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.
14Jesus told it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!” and his disciples heard it.
15They came to Jerusalem, and Jesus entered into the temple and began to throw out those who sold and those who bought in the temple, and overthrew the money changers’ tables and the seats of those who sold the doves.
16He would not allow anyone to carry a container through the temple.
17He taught, saying to them, “Isn’t it written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers!”
18The chief priests and the scribes heard it, and sought how they might destroy him. For they feared him, because all the multitude was astonished at his teaching.
19When evening came, he went out of the city.
20As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.
21Peter, remembering, said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.”
22Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
23For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening, he shall have whatever he says.
Mark 9.33-41
(Gospel, Ignatius' Relics)
33He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?”
34But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest.
35He sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.”
36He took a little child and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them,
37“Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”
38John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone who doesn’t follow us casting out demons in your name; and we forbade him, because he doesn’t follow us.”
39But Jesus said, “Don’t forbid him, for there is no one who will do a mighty work in my name and be able quickly to speak evil of me.
40For whoever is not against us is on our side.
41For whoever will give you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.