Epistle – 1 Thessalonians i. 2‒10
Brethren, we give thanks to God for you all, making a remembrance of you in our prayers without ceasing; being mindful of the work of your faith, and labour and charity, and of the enduring of the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ before God and our Father: knowing, brethren, beloved of God, your election; for our gospel has not been unto you in word only, but in power also, and in the Holy Ghost, and in such fullness, as you know what manner of men we have been among you for your sakes. And you became followers of us and of the Lord; receiving the word in much tribulation, with joy of the Holy Ghost: so that you were made a pattern to all that believe, in Macedonia and in Achaia. For from you was spread abroad the word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but also in every place, your faith, which is towards God, is gone forth; so that we need not to speak anything. For they themselves relate of us what manner of entering in we had unto you; and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God; and to wait for His Son from heaven (whom He raised from the dead), Jesus, who has delivered us from the wrath to come.
Thanks be to God.
Gospel – Matthew xiii. 31–35
At that time, Jesus spoke this parable to the multitude: “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: which is the least indeed of all seeds; but when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs, and becomes a tree; so that the thirds of the air come, and dwell in the branches thereof.” Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.” All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes, and without parables He did not speak to them; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”
Praise be to you, O Christ.
