Friday of the 25th week of Ordinary Time

1In the seventh month, in the twenty-first day of the month, the LORD’s word came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 2“Speak now to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 3‘Who is left among you who saw this house in its former glory? How do you see it now? Isn’t it in your eyes as nothing? 4Yet now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ says the LORD. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ says the LORD, ‘and work, for I am with you,’ says the LORD of Armies. 5This is the word that I covenanted with you when you came out of Egypt, and my Spirit lived among you. ‘Don’t be afraid.’ 6For this is what the LORD of Armies says: ‘Yet once more, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land; 7and I will shake all nations. The treasure of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the LORD of Armies. 8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine,’ says the LORD of Armies. 9‘The latter glory of this house will be greater than the former,’ says the LORD of Armies; ‘and in this place I will give peace,’ says the LORD of Armies.”

1Vindicate me, God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation.

Oh, deliver me from deceitful and wicked men.

2For you are the God of my strength. Why have you rejected me?

Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

3Oh, send out your light and your truth.

Let them lead me.

Let them bring me to your holy hill,

to your tents.

4Then I will go to the altar of God,

to God, my exceeding joy.

I will praise you on the harp, God, my God.

18As he was praying alone, the disciples were near him, and he asked them, “Who do the multitudes say that I am?” 19They answered, “‘John the Baptizer,’ but others say, ‘Elijah,’ and others, that one of the old prophets has risen again.” 20He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” 21But he warned them and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and the third day be raised up.”