Romans 1.7-12
(Epistle)
7to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, that your faith is proclaimed throughout the whole world.
9For God is my witness, whom I serve in my spirit in the Good News of his Son, how unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers,
10requesting, if by any means now at last I may be prospered by the will of God to come to you.
11For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, to the end that you may be established;
12that is, that I with you may be encouraged in you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.
1 Corinthians 12.27-13.8
(Epistle, Cosmas & Damian)
27Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
28God has set some in the assembly: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracle workers, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, and various kinds of languages.
29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all miracle workers?
30Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with various languages? Do all interpret?
31But earnestly desire the best gifts. Moreover, I show a most excellent way to you.
1If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but don’t have love, I am nothing.
3If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.
4Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud,
5doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;
6doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with.
Matthew 5.42-48
(Gospel)
42Give to him who asks you, and don’t turn away him who desires to borrow from you.
43“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
44But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
45that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.
46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?
47If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?
48Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 10.1, 5-8
(Gospel, Cosmas & Damian)
1He called to himself his twelve disciples, and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every sickness.
5Jesus sent these twelve out and commanded them, saying, “Don’t go among the Gentiles, and don’t enter into any city of the Samaritans.
6Rather, go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
7As you go, preach, saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!’
8Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons. Freely you received, so freely give.