Saint Bridget of Sweden, Religious, Patron of Europe

1God spoke all these words, saying, 2“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3“You shall have no other gods before me. 4“You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6and showing loving kindness to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who misuses his name. 8“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9You shall labor six days, and do all your work, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates; 11for in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy. 12“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which the LORD your God gives you. 13“You shall not murder. 14“You shall not commit adultery. 15“You shall not steal. 16“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. 17“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

7The LORD’s law is perfect, restoring the soul.

The LORD’s covenant is sure, making wise the simple.

8The LORD’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart.

The LORD’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever.

The LORD’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether.

10They are more to be desired than gold, yes, than much fine gold,

sweeter also than honey and the extract of the honeycomb.

18“Hear, then, the parable of the farmer. 19When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside. 20What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately with joy receives it; 21yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.”