"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy." But the LORD said to me,
"Do not say, `I am only a boy';
for you shall go to all to whom I send you,
and you shall speak whatever I command you,
Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD."
Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said to me,
"Now I have put my words in your mouth.
See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,
to pluck up and to pull down,
to destroy and to overthrow,
to build and to plant."
The Psalm
Psalm
49:1-8
Audite haec, omnes
hearken, all you who dwell in the world, *
you of high degree and low, rich and poor together.
and my heart shall meditate on understanding.
and set forth my riddle upon the harp.
when the wickedness of those at my heels surrounds me,
and boast of their great riches?
or deliver to God the price of our life;
that we should never have enough to pay it,
and never see the grave.
or
Psalm
34:15-22
Benedicam Domine
and his ears are open to their cry.
to root out the remembrance of them from the earth.
and delivers them from all their troubles.
and will save those whose spirits are crushed.
but the LORD will deliver him out of them all.
not one of them shall be broken.
and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
and none will be punished who trust in him.
The Gospel
Luke 21:12-15
Jesus said, "But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name. This will give you an opportunity to testify. So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance; for I will give you words and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict."
Saints