Today’s Epistle reading is from the letter of St. James, chapter 3, verses 1-10.

“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.  For we all stumble in many things.  If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man able also to bridle the whole body.  Indeed, we put bits in horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body.  Look also at ships.  Although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder whenever the pilot desires.  Even so, the tongue is a little member and boasts great things.

See how great a forest a little fire kindles.  And the tongue is a fire—a world of iniquity.  The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of nature and is set on fire by hell.  For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind.  But no man can tame the tongue.  It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.  With it, we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men who have been made in the similitude of God.  Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.  My brethren, these things ought not to be so.”

About today’s Epistle reading, St. Basil the Great writes:

“If you love life, fulfill the commandment of life.  ‘The one who loves Me,’ said Jesus, ‘keeps my commandments.’  And the first commandment is this:  keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking guile.  For the sin which is caused by the tongue is very active and many-sided; being active in wrath, lust, hypocrisy, judgment, and deception.  Do we need to recall the many names which are given to sins of the tongue?  For from it comes slanders, course jokes, idiocies, irrelevant accusations, bitterness, swearing, false witness.  The tongue is the creator of all these evil things and more.”

Today’s Gospel reading is from St. Mark, chapter 11, verses 11-23:

“And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the Temple, so when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry, and seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it.  When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.  In response, Jesus said to it, ‘Let no one eat fruit from you ever again,’ and His disciples heard it.

So they came to Jerusalem.  Then Jesus went into the Temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the Temple, and over-turned the tables of the moneychangers and the seats of those who sold doves.  And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the Temple.  Then He taught, saying to them, ‘Is it not written, “My House shall be called a House of Prayer for all nations”?  But you have made it a den of thieves.’  And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His teaching.

When evening had come, He went out of the city.  Now in the morning as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.  And Peter remembering, said to Him, ‘Rabbi, look.  The fig tree which you cursed has withered away.’  So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Have faith in God.  For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, “Be removed and be cast into the sea,” and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he said will be done, he will have whatever he says.’”

About toady’s Gospel reading, the Venerable Bede writes:

“He scattered the fraudulent traders and drove them all out, together with the things that had to do with the carrying-on of trade.  What, my beloved, do you suppose our Lord would do if He should discover people involved in disputes?  Wasting time gossiping, indulging in unseemly laughter, or engaged in any other sort of wicked action?  Remember, when He saw traders in the Temple, buying the sacrificial offerings meant to be made to Him, He was prompt in getting rid of them.  These things should cause us great perturbation, beloved.  We should dread them exceedingly, with well-deserved fear and carefully avoid them with pain-staking diligence, lest He come unexpectedly and find something evil in us.  As a result of which, we should be rightly be scourged and cast out of the church.”

Announcer:  Now, here with some final thoughts, is Fr. Tom.

Fr. Tom:  Pray that the Lord finds us fruitful, obedient to all of His commandments.  Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the Church, by Christ Jesus, to all generations, forever and ever.  Amen.