Today’s epistle reading is from the letter of St. James, chapter three, verse 11, through chapter four, verse six.

Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”? But he gives more grace. Therefore he says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

About today’s epistle reading, the Venerable Bede writes:

God punishes robbers, perjurers, gluttons, and other sinners because they are in contempt of his commandments, but it is said that he resists the proud in a special way. This is because those who trust in their own strength, who neglect to submit themselves to God’s power, who really think that they can almost save themselves and therefore have no time to seek help from above, these are all deserving of greater punishment. On the other hand, God gives grace to the humble, because they recognize their need and ask him for help to overcome the plague of their sins, and for this reason they deserve to be healed.

It ought to be noted that James quotes this verse from Proverbs, according to the Septuagint, as does Peter in his letter. The Latin text, which is based on the Hebrew original, reads, “Toward the scorners, he is scornful, but to the humble, he shows favor.”

Today’s gospel reading is from St. Luke, chapter 18, verses 15 through 17, and verses 26 through 30.

Then they also brought infants to him that he might touch them; but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of God. Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.”

And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?” But he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” Then Peter said, “See, we have left all and followed you.” So he said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or parents or brothers or wife or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who shall not receive many times more in this present time, and in the age to come eternal life.”

About today’s gospel reading, St. Cyril of Alexandria writes:

Mothers brought their babes. They wanted his blessing, and begged for their infants the touch of his holy hand. The blessed disciples rebuked them for doing this, not because they envied the babes; rather, they were paying him due respect as their teacher and preventing him from getting unnecessarily tired. They placed much value on order. Even until now, infants are brought near and blessed by Christ by means of consecrated hands. The pattern of the act continues even until this day and descends to us from the custom of Christ as its fountain. Only now the bringing of infants does not take place in an unbecoming or disorderly manner, but with proper order, solemnity, and reverence.

Let us forgive everyone their trespasses against us so that we may be forgiven on the day of the great judgment.

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.