Forefeast of the Procession of the Lifegiving Cross

Therefore I urge you, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service. ²Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

³For I say through the grace that was given me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think; but to think reasonably, as God has apportioned to each person a measure of faith.

He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me isn’t worthy of me. ³⁸He who doesn’t take his cross and follow after me isn’t worthy of me. ³⁹He who seeks his life will lose it; and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.

⁴⁰“He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives him who sent me. ⁴¹He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. He who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. ⁴²Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, most certainly I tell you, he will in no way lose his reward.”

¹When Jesus had finished directing his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.