Deacon: Wisdom! Arise! Hear the Holy Gospel!

Priest:    Peace to you all.

People:  And to your spirit.

Deacon:  A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew (6:22-33)

People:  Glory to You Lord. Glory to You.

Priest:   Listen!

Deacon:

At that time Jesus said:

'The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is diseased, your whole body will be in darkness. If the light in you then is darkness, how great will be that darkness!

'No one can serve two masters. Either the first will be hated and the other loved, or the first will be loved and the second despised. You cannot be servant of both God and money.

'So I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, and how you clothe it. Surely life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.

'Look at the birds in the air. They do not sow, or reap, or store in barns. Yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren't you worth more than them?

'With all your worrying, can anyone of you add one single length to your life?

'And why worry about clothing? Think about the flowers growing in the fields. They never labour or spin. Yet I sincerely tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these. Since God so clothes the plants of the field, which are alive today but burnt in the fire tomorrow, won't He look after you so much more, you people of little faith.

'So, do not worry, do not say, "What will we eat, what will we drink, what clothes will we wear?" It is the pagans who centre their hearts on all these things. Your heavenly Father knows you need them all. Set your hearts on His kingdom first, and on His good judgment, and all these other things will be yours also.'

People: Glory to You Lord. Glory to You.