Saint John I, Pope and Martyr

1My son, if you come to serve the Lord,

prepare your soul for temptation.

2Set your heart aright, constantly endure,

and don’t make haste in time of calamity.

3Cling to him, and don’t depart,

that you may be increased at your latter end.

4Accept whatever is brought upon you,

and be patient when you suffer humiliation.

5For gold is tried in the fire,

and acceptable men in the furnace of humiliation.

6Put your trust in him, and he will help you.

Make your ways straight, and set your hope on him.

7All you who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy.

Don’t turn aside, lest you fall.

8All you who fear the Lord, put your trust in him,

and your reward will not fail.

9All you who fear the Lord, hope for good things,

and for eternal gladness and mercy.

10Look at the generations of old, and see:

Who ever put his trust in the Lord, and was ashamed?

Or who remained in his fear, and was forsaken?

Or who called upon him, and he neglected him?

11For the Lord is full of compassion and mercy.

He forgives sins and saves in time of affliction.

3Trust in the LORD, and do good.

Dwell in the land, and enjoy safe pasture.

4Also delight yourself in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

…

18The LORD knows the days of the perfect.

Their inheritance shall be forever.

19They shall not be disappointed in the time of evil.

In the days of famine they shall be satisfied.

…

27Depart from evil, and do good.

Live securely forever.

28For the LORD loves justice,

and doesn’t forsake his saints.

They are preserved forever,

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

…

39But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD.

He is their stronghold in the time of trouble.

40The LORD helps them and rescues them.

He rescues them from the wicked and saves them,

because they have taken refuge in him.

30They went out from there and passed through Galilee. He didn’t want anyone to know it, 31for he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, “The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again.” 32But they didn’t understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. 33He came to Capernaum, and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing among yourselves on the way?” 34But they were silent, for they had disputed with one another on the way about who was the greatest. 35He sat down and called the twelve; and he said to them, “If any man wants to be first, he shall be last of all, and servant of all.” 36He took a little child and set him in the middle of them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37“Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me; and whoever receives me, doesn’t receive me, but him who sent me.”