Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jeremiah 20:10-13 (JB)

A reading from the prophet Jeremiah

He has delivered the soul of the needy from the hands of those who are evil.

Jeremiah said:

I hear so many disparaging me,

‘”Terror from every side!”

Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’

All those who used to be my friends

watched for my downfall,

‘Perhaps he will be seduced into error.

Then we will master him and take our revenge!’

But the Lord is at my side, a mighty hero;

my opponents will stumble, mastered,

confounded by their failure;

everlasting, unforgettable disgrace will be theirs.

But you, Lord of Hosts, you who probe with justice,

who scrutinise the loins and heart,

let me see the vengeance you will take on them,

for I have committed my cause to you.

Sing to the Lord,

praise the Lord,

for he has delivered the soul of the needy

from the hands of evil men.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Jeremiah 20:10-13 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of the prophet Jeremiah

Jeremiah cried out:

“I have become a laughingstock all day long;

everyone mocks me.

For I hear many whispering:

‘Terror is all around!

Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’

All my close friends

are watching for me to stumble.

‘Perhaps he can be enticed,

and we can prevail against him,

and take our revenge on him.”‘

But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior;

therefore my persecutors will stumble,

and they will not prevail.

They will be greatly shamed,

for they will not succeed.

Their eternal dishonour

will never be forgotten.

“O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous,

you see the heart and the mind;

let me see your retribution upon them,

for to you I have committed my cause.

“Sing to the Lord;

praise the Lord!

For he has delivered the life of the needy

from the hands of evildoers.”

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 68:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35 (JB)

R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

It is for you that I suffer taunts,

that shame covers my face,

that I have become a stranger to my brothers,

an alien to my own mother’s sons.

I burn with zeal for your house

and taunts against you fall on me. R.

This is my prayer to you,

my prayer for your favour.

In your great love, answer me, O God,

with your help that never fails:

Lord, answer, for your love is kind;

in your compassion, turn towards me. R.

The poor when they see it will be glad

and God-seeking hearts will revive;

for the Lord listens to the needs

and does not spurn servants in their chains.

Let the heavens and the earth give him praise,

the sea and all its living creatures. R.

Romans 5:12-15 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

God’s gift to us is nothing like our sin against him.

Sin entered the world through one man, and through sin death, and thus death has spread through the whole human race because everyone has sinned. Sin existed in the world long before the Law was given. There was no law and so no one could be accused of the sin of ‘law-breaking’, yet death reigned over all from Adam to Moses, even though their sin, unlike that of Adam, was not a matter of breaking a law.

Adam prefigured the One to come, but the gift itself considerably outweighed the fall. If it is certain that through one man’s fall so many died, it is even more certain that divine grace, coming through the one man, Jesus Christ, came to so many as an abundant free gift.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Romans 5:12-15 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

Just as sin came into the world through one man,

and death came through sin,

so death spread to all because all have sinned.

Sin was indeed in the world before the law,

but sin is not reckoned when there is no law.

Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses,

even over those whose sins were not like

the transgression of Adam,

who is a type of the one who was to come.

But the free gift is not like the trespass.

For if the many died through the one man’s trespass,

much more surely have the grace of God

and the free gift in the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ,

abounded for the many.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

John 15:26, 27 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Spirit of Truth will bear witness to me, says the Lord,

and you also will be my witnesses.

Alleluia!

John 15:26, 27 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

The Spirit of truth will bear witness to me, says the Lord,

and you also will be my witnesses.

Alleluia!

Matthew 10:26-33 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Do not fear those who can kill the body.

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not be afraid. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the house-tops.

‘Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; fear him rather who can destroy both body and soul in hell. Can you not buy two sparrows for a penny? And yet not one falls to the ground without your Father knowing. Why, every hair on your head has been counted. So there is no need to be afraid; you are worth more than hundreds of sparrows.

‘So if anyone declares himself for me in the presence of men, I will declare myself for him in the presence of my Father in heaven. But the one who disowns me in the presence of men, I will disown in the presence of my Father in heaven.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 10:26-33 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

Jesus summoned the twelve

and sent them out with the following instructions:

“Have no fear;

for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered,

and nothing secret that will not become known.

What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light;

and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.

“Do not fear those who kill the body

but cannot kill the soul;

rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?

Yet not one of them will fall to the ground

apart from your Father.

And even the hairs of your head are all counted.

So do not be afraid;

you are of more value than many sparrows.

“Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others,

I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven;

but whoever denies me before others,

I also will deny before my Father in heaven.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.