The First Reading is from Zechariah 4:1-14
4 The angel who talked with me came again, and wakened me, as one is wakened from sleep. 2 He said to me, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it; there are seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. 3 And by it there are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.’ 4 I said to the angel who talked with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’ 5 Then the angel who talked with me answered me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ I said, ‘No, my lord.’ 6 He said to me, ‘This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7 What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain; and he shall bring out the top stone amid shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’ 8 Moreover, the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 9 ‘The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent me to you. 10 For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel. ‘These seven are the eyes of the Lord, which range through the whole earth.’ 11 Then I said to him, ‘What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?’ 12 And a second time I said to him, ‘What are these two branches of the olive trees, which pour out the oil through the two golden pipes?’ 13 He said to me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ I said, ‘No, my lord.’ 14 Then he said, ‘These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.’
Hear the Word of the Lord
Thanks be to God
The Gospel Reading is from Luke 12:13-21
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.’ 14 But he said to him, ‘Friend, who set me to be a judge or arbitrator over you?’ 15 And he said to them, ‘Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.’ 16 Then he told them a parable: ‘The land of a rich man produced abundantly. 17 And he thought to himself, “What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?” 18 Then he said, “I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” 20 But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life is being demanded of you. And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?” 21 So it is with those who store up treasures for themselves but are not rich towards God.’
For the Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ
