SCRIPTURE READINGS

~ 2 Corinthians 12:19–13:14 ~

Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We speak in Christ before God, and everything we do, beloved, is for your building up. For I fear that somehow when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and that I may have to mourn over many of those who previously sinned and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and licentiousness that they practiced.

This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every word shall be established by the mouth of two or three witnesses.” I already warned those who sinned previously and all the rest, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit: if I come again, I will not spare them— since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak toward you, but is powerful among you. For indeed he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we will live with him by the power of God toward you. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail the test. I hope you will discover that we have not failed the test. But we pray to God that you may do no wrong—not that we may appear to have passed the test, but that you may do what is right, even if we seem to have failed. For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. For we rejoice when we are weak and you are strong. What we pray for is your restoration. For this reason I write these things while absent, so that when present I may not have to be severe in my use of the authority that the Lord has given me for building up and not for tearing down. Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

~ Holy Gospel of St. Mark 11:15–25 ~

They came to Jerusalem. Entering the temple courts, Jesus began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves, and he would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple grounds. He taught them, saying, “Is it not written: ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a den of robbers.” When the chief priests and scribes heard this, they looked for a way to destroy him, for they feared him because the whole crowd was astonished by his teaching. And when evening came, Jesus and his disciples went out of the city. In the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree withered down to its roots. Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered.” Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart, but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Whenever you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your transgressions.”