A reading from the Book of Sirach

I give you thanks, LORD and King,

I praise you, God my savior!
I declare your name, refuge of my life,
because you have ransomed my life from death;
You held back my body from the pit,
and delivered my foot from the power of Sheol.

You have preserved me from the scourge of the slanderous tongue,

and from the lips of those who went over to falsehood.
You were with me against those who rise up against me;
You have rescued me according to your abundant mercy
From the snare of those who look for my downfall,
and from the power of those who seek my life.

From many dangers you have saved me,

from flames that beset me on every side,
From the midst of fire till there was not a whiff of it,
from the deep belly of Sheol,
From deceiving lips and painters of lies,
from the arrows of a treacherous tongue.

I was at the point of death,

my life was nearing the depths of Sheol;
I turned every way, but there was no one to help;
I looked for support but there was none.
Then I remembered the mercies of the LORD,
his acts of kindness through ages past;
For he saves those who take refuge in him,
and rescues them from every evil.

The Word of the Lord.

Second reading, a reading from the Second Letter of Paul to Timothy
(2 Timothy 2:8-13,3:10-12)

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David—that is

my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like
a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure everything
for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in
Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The saying is sure:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 

 if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us; 
 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—
for he cannot deny himself.

Now you have observed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my

patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, and my suffering the
things that happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What
persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. Indeed, all
who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

Let our response be: “The Lord saved me from all my fears.”

I will bless the Lord at all times;

praise of him is always in my mouth.
In the Lord my soul shall makes its boast;
the humble shall hear and be glad.

R. The Lord saved me from all my fears.

Glorify the Lord with me,

together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord, and he answered me
from all my terrors he set me free.

R. The Lord saved me from all my fears.

Look toward him and be radiant;

let your faces not be abashed.
This lowly one called; the Lord heard,
and rescued him from all his distress.

R. The Lord saved me from all my fears.

The angel of the Lord is encamped

around those who fear him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Blessed the man who seeks refuge in him.

R. The Lord saved me from all my fears.

A READING FROM THE HOLY GOSPEL ACCDG TO LUKE
Luke 9:23-26 
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must
23 

deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.  For
24 

whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their
life for me will save it.  What good is it for someone to gain the
25 

whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self?  Whoever is
26 

ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of

them when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and
of the holy angels.

THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD