Daily Reading for Friday, August 9th, 2013

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Reading 1, Deuteronomy 4:32-40

³² 'Put this question, then, to the ages that are past, that have gone before you, from when God created the human race on earth: Was there ever a word so majestic, from one end of heaven to the other? Was anything like it ever heard?

³³ Did ever a people hear the voice of the living God speaking from the heart of the fire, as you have heard it, and remain alive?

³⁴ Has it ever been known before that any god took action himself to bring one nation out of another one, by ordeals, signs, wonders, war with mighty hand and outstretched arm, by fearsome terrors -- all of which things Yahweh your God has done for you before your eyes in Egypt?

³⁵ 'This he showed you, so that you might know that Yahweh is the true God and that there is no other.

³⁶ To instruct you, he made you hear his voice from heaven, and on earth he let you see his great fire, and from the heart of the fire you heard his words.

³⁷ Because he loved your ancestors and, after them, chose their descendants, he has brought you out of Egypt, displaying his presence and mighty power,

³⁸ dispossessing for you nations who were larger and stronger than you, to make way for you and to give you their country as your heritage, as it still is today.

³⁹ 'Hence, grasp this today and meditate on it carefully: Yahweh is the true God, in heaven above as on earth beneath, he and no other.

⁴⁰ Keep his laws and commandments as I give them to you today, so that you and your children after you may prosper and live long in the country that Yahweh your God is giving you for ever.'

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 77:12-13, 14-15, 16, 21

¹² I reflect on all that you did, I ponder all your great deeds.

¹³ God, your ways are holy! What god is as great as our God?

¹⁴ You are the God who does marvellous deeds, brought nations to acknowledge your power,

¹⁵ with your own arm redeeming your people, the children of Jacob and Joseph.

¹⁶ When the waters saw you, God, when the waters saw you they writhed in anguish, the very depths shook with fear.

Gospel, Matthew 16:24-28

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me.

²⁵ Anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.

²⁶ What, then, will anyone gain by winning the whole world and forfeiting his life? Or what can anyone offer in exchange for his life?

²⁷ 'For the Son of man is going to come in the glory of his Father with his angels, and then he will reward each one according to his behaviour.

²⁸ In truth I tell you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of man coming with his kingdom.'