Bible Readings - May 25, 2024

Reading 1

James 5:13-20

Beloved:

Is anyone among you suffering?

He should pray.

Is anyone in good spirits?

He should sing a song of praise.

Is anyone among you sick?

He should summon the presbyters of the Church,

and they should pray over him

and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.

The prayer of faith will save the sick person,

and the Lord will raise him up.

If he has committed any sins, he will be forgiven.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another

and pray for one another, that you may be healed.

The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.

Elijah was a man like us;

yet he prayed earnestly that it might not rain,

and for three years and six months it did not rain upon the land.

Then Elijah prayed again, and the sky gave rain

and the earth produced its fruit.

My brothers and sisters,

if anyone among you should stray from the truth

and someone bring him back,

he should know that whoever brings back a sinner

from the error of his way will save his soul from death

and will cover a multitude of sins.

Psalm 141:1-3 and 8

O LORD, to you I call; hasten to me;

hearken to my voice when I call upon you.

Let my prayer come like incense before you;

the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.

O LORD, set a watch before my mouth,

a guard at the door of my lips.

For toward you, O God, my LORD, my eyes are turned;

in you I take refuge; strip me not of life.

see Matthew 11:25

I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,

for although you have hidden these things from the wise

and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.

Gospel

Mark 10:13-16

People were bringing children to Jesus that he might touch them,

but the disciples rebuked them.

When Jesus saw this he became indignant and said to them,

“Let the children come to me; do not prevent them,

for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

Amen, I say to you,

whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child

will not enter it.”

Then he embraced the children and blessed them,

placing his hands on them.