Readings for the Memorial of Saint Cornelius, Pope and Martyr, and Saint Cyprian, Bishop and Martyr Reading 1 1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13 Brothers and sisters:Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.But I shall show you a still more excellent way.If I speak in human and angelic tonguesbut do not have love,I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.And if I have the gift of prophecyand comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge;if I have all faith so as to move mountains,but do not have love, I am nothing.If I give away everything I own,and if I hand my body over so that I may boastbut do not have love, I gain nothing.Love is patient, love is kind.It is not jealous, love is not pompous,it is not inflated, it is not rude,it does not seek its own interests,it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,it does not rejoice over wrongdoingbut rejoices with the truth.It bears all things, believes all things,hopes all things, endures all things.Love never fa

Reading 1 Numbers 21:4b-9 With their patience worn out by the journey, the people complained against God and Moses, "Why have you brought us up from Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We are disgusted with this wretched food!" In punishment the LORD sent among the people saraph serpents, which bit the people so that many of them died. Then the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned in complaining against the LORD and you. Pray the LORD to take the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people, and the LORD said to Moses, "Make a saraph and mount it on a pole, and if any who have been bitten look at it, they will live." Moses accordingly made a bronze serpent and mounted it on a pole, and whenever anyone who had been bitten by a serpent looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 78:1bc-2, 34-35, 36-37, 38 R. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord! Hearken,

Reading 1 1 Corinthians 10:14-22 My beloved ones, avoid idolatry.I am speaking as to sensible people;judge for yourselves what I am saying.The cup of blessing that we bless,is it not a participation in the Blood of Christ?The bread that we break,is it not a participation in the Body of Christ?Because the loaf of bread is one,we, though many, are one Body,for we all partake of the one loaf.Look at Israel according to the flesh;are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?So what am I saying?That meat sacrificed to idols is anything?Or that an idol is anything?No, I mean that what they sacrifice,they sacrifice to demons, not to God,and I do not want you to become participants with demons.You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons.You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons.Or are we provoking the Lord to jealous anger?Are we stronger than him? Responsorial Psalm Psalm 116:12-13, 17-18 R.&nb

Reading 1 1 Corinthians 8:1b-7, 11-13 Brothers and sisters:Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.If anyone supposes he knows something,he does not yet know as he ought to know.But if one loves God, one is known by him.So about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols:we know that there is no idol in the world,and that there is no God but one.Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth(there are, to be sure, many “gods” and many “lords”),yet for us there is one God, the Father,from whom all things are and for whom we exist,and one Lord, Jesus Christ,through whom all things are and through whom we exist.But not all have this knowledge.There are some who have been so used to idolatry up until nowthat, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols,their conscience, which is weak, is defiled.Thus, through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction,the brother for whom Christ died.When you sin in this

Reading 1 Micah 5:1-4a The LORD says: You, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times. (Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, And the rest of his brethren shall return to the children of Israel.) He shall stand firm and shepherd his flock by the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD, his God; And they shall remain, for now his greatness shall reach to the ends of the earth; he shall be peace. or Romans 8:28-30 Brothers and sisters: We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified;