First Reading

Wisdom 2:12, 17-20

12Therefore, let us encircle the just, because he is useless to us, and he is against our works, and he reproaches us with our legal offenses, and makes known to us the sins of our way of life. 13He promises that he has the knowledge of God and he calls himself the son of God. 14He was made among us to expose our very thoughts. 15He is grievous for us even to behold, for his life is unlike other men’s lives, and immutable are his ways. 16It is as if we are considered by him to be insignificant, and he abstains from our ways as from filth; he prefers the newly justified, and he glories that he has God for his father. 17Let us see, then, if his words are true, and let us test what will happen to him, and then we will know what his end will be. 18For if he is the true son of God, he will receive him and deliver him from the hands of his adversaries. 19Let us examine him with insult and torture, that we may know his reverence and try his patience. 20Let us condemn him to a most shameful death, for, according to his own words, God will care for him.”
Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 53

3Save me, O God, by your name, and judge me in your virtue. 4O God, listen to my prayer. Pay attention to the words of my mouth. 5For strangers have risen up against me, and the strong have sought my soul. And they have not set God before their eyes. 6For behold, God is my helper, and the Lord is the protector of my soul. 7Turn back the evils upon my adversaries, and ruin them by your truth. 8I will freely sacrifice to you, and I will confess your name, O God, because it is good.
Second Reading

James 3:16—4:3

Gospel

Mark 9:30-37

30Then he taught his disciples, and he said to them, “For the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and having been killed, on the third day he will rise again.” 31But they did not understand the word. And they were afraid to question him. 32And they went to Capernaum. And when they were in the house, he questioned them, “What did you discuss on the way?” 33But they were silent. For indeed, on the way, they had disputed among themselves as to which of them was greater. 34And sitting down, he called the twelve, and he said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he shall be the last of all and the minister of all.” 35And taking a child, he set him in their midst. And when he had embraced him, he said to them: 36“Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives not me, but him who sent me.” 37John responded to him by saying, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name; he does not follow us, and so we prohibited him.”