A reading from the letter of St. Paul to the Colossians.

Brothers and sisters, if you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God think of what is above

not what is of the earth for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God

and when Christ your life appears then you too will appear with Him in glory.

So put to death then the parts of you that are earthly.

Immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and the greed which is idolatry.

Because of these, the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient.

By these, you too once conducted yourselves when you lived in that way.

But now, you must put all that away.

Anger, fury, malice, slander, and obscene language out of your mouths.

Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self,

which is being renewed for knowledge in the image of its creator. Here, there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision,

barbarian, Scythian, slave, free, but Christ is all and in all.

The word of the Lord.

The Lord is compassionate toward all his works.

The Lord is compassionate toward all his works. Every day will I bless you, and I will praise

your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord and highly to be praised. His greatness is unsearchable.

The Lord is compassion toward all his works. That all your works give you thanks, O Lord, and let your faithful ones bless you.

Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom

and speak of your might.

The Lord is compassionate toward all his works,

making known to men your might

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