The first reading is a reading from the letter of St. James. James, a servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the 12 tribes in the dispersion greetings. Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

And let perseverance be perfect so that you may be perfect at complete, lacking in nothing.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously

and ungrudgeonly, and he will be given it. But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who

doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind. For that person

must not suppose that he will receive

anything from the Lord, since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways.

The brother in lonely circumstances should take pride in high standing, and the rich one in his lowliness,

for he will pass away like the flower of the field. For the sun comes up with its scorching heat

and drives up the grass, it flowers droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes. So will the rich person fade away in the midst of all his

pursuits. The word of the Lord, thanks be to God. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live. Be kind to me,

Lord, and I shall live. Before I was afflicted and I went astray,

but now I hold to your promise. You are good and bountiful. Teach me your statutes. Be kind to me,

Lord, and I shall live. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes.

The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.

I know, O Lord, that your ordinances are just, and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me.

Let your kindness comfort me according to your promise to your

servants be kind to me lord and i shall live my brothers and sisters may our lord be with you and with your

spirit a reading from the holy gospel according to st mark glory to you o lord the pharisees came forward and began to argue

with jesus seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him he sighed from the depths of his spirit and said, Why does this generation seek a sign?

Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.

Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.

...