Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sirach 27:4-7 (JB)

A reading from the book of Ecclesiasticus

Do not praise someone before they have spoken.

In a shaken sieve the rubbish is left behind,

so too the defects of a man appear in his talk.

The kiln tests the work of the potter,

the test of a man is in his conversation.

The orchard where the tree grows is judged on the quality of its fruit,

similarly a man’s words betray what he feels.

Do not praise a man before he has spoken,

since this is the test of men.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Sirach 27:4-7 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Sirach

When a sieve is shaken, the refuse appears;

so do a person’s faults when one speaks.

The kiln tests the potter’s vessels;

so the test of a person is in conversation.

Its fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree;

so a person’s speech discloses the cultivation of the mind.

Do not praise people before they speak,

for this is the way people are tested.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 91:2-3, 13-16 (JB)

R. Lord, it is good to give thanks to you.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord

to make music to your name, O Most High,

to proclaim your love in the morning

and your truth in the watches of the night. R.

The just will flourish like the palm-tree

and grow like a Lebanon cedar. R.

Planted in the house of the Lord

they will flourish in the courts of our God,

still bearing fruit when they are old,

still full of sap, still green,

to proclaim that the Lord is just.

In him, my rock, there is no wrong. R.

1 Corinthians 15:54-58 (JB)

A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians

Victory has been given to us through Jesus Christ.

When this perishable nature has put on imperishability, and when this mortal nature has put on immortality, then the words of scripture will come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Never give in then, my dear brothers, never admit defeat; keep on working at the Lord’s work always, knowing that, in the Lord, you cannot be labouring in vain.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

1 Corinthians 15:54-58 (NRSV)

A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians

When this perishable body puts on imperishability,

and this mortal body puts on immortality,

then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

“Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

“Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin,

and the power of sin is the law.

But thanks be to God,

who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved,

be steadfast, immovable,

always excelling in the work of the Lord,

because you know that in the Lord your labour is not in vain.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Philippians 2:15-16 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Shine on the world like bright stars;

you are offering it the word of life.

Alleluia!

Philippians 2:15-16 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

Shine on the world like bright stars;

you are offering it the word of life.

Alleluia!

Luke 6:39-45 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke

A person speaks from what is in his heart.

Jesus told a parable to his disciples, ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own? Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.

‘There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 6:39-45 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Luke

Jesus told his disciples a parable:

“Can a blind person guide a blind person?

Will not both fall into a pit?

A disciple is not above the teacher,

but everyone who is fully qualified will be like the teacher.

“Why do you see the speck in your neighbour’s eye,

but do not notice the log in your own eye?

Or how can you say to your neighbour,

‘Friend, let me take out the speck in your eye,’

when you yourself do not see the log in your own eye?

You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye,

and then you will see clearly

to take the speck out of your neighbour’s eye.

“No good tree bears bad fruit,

nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit;

for each tree is known by its own fruit.

Figs are not gathered from thorns,

nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.

“Out of the good treasure of the heart,

the good person produces good,

and out of evil treasure,

the evil person produces evil;

for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.