Bible Readings - Dec. 14, 2024

Reading 1

1 Corinthians 2:1-10a

When I came to you, brothers and sisters,

proclaiming the mystery of God,

I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you

except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

I came to you in weakness and fear and much trembling,

and my message and my proclamation

were not with persuasive words of wisdom,

but with a demonstration of spirit and power,

so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom

but on the power of God.

Yet we do speak a wisdom to those who are mature,

but not a wisdom of this age,

nor of the rulers of this age who are passing away.

Rather, we speak God's wisdom, mysterious, hidden,

which God predetermined before the ages for our glory,

and which none of the rulers of this age knew

for, if they had known it,

they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

But as it is written:

What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard,

and what has not entered the human heart,

what God has prepared for those who love him,

this God has revealed to us through the Spirit.

Psalm 37:3-6, 30-31

Trust in the LORD and do good,

that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.

Take delight in the LORD,

and he will grant you your heart's request.

Commit to the LORD your way;

trust in him, and he will act.

He will make justice dawn for you like the light;

bright as the noonday shall be your vindication.

The mouth of the just tells of wisdom

and his tongue utters what is right.

The law of his God is in his heart,

and his steps do not falter.

Matthew 5:3

Blessed are the poor in spirit;

the Kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Gospel

Luke 14:25-33

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,

and he turned and addressed them,

"If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,

wife and children, brothers and sisters,

and even his own life,

he cannot be my disciple.

Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me

cannot be my disciple.

Which of you wishing to construct a tower

does not first sit down and calculate the cost

to see if there is enough for its completion?

Otherwise, after laying the foundation

and finding himself unable to finish the work

the onlookers should laugh at him and say,

'This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.'

Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down

and decide whether with ten thousand troops

he can successfully oppose another king

advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?

But if not, while he is still far away,

he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.

In the same way,

every one of you who does not renounce all his possessions

cannot be my disciple."