First Reading
Jeremiah 38: 4-6, 8- 10
38:4 And the leaders said to the king: “We petition you to put this man to death. For he is deliberately weakening the hands of the men of war, who have remained in this city, and the hands of the people, by speaking to them with these words. For this man is certainly not seeking peace for this people, but evil.”
38:5 And king Zedekiah said: “Behold, he is in your hands. For it is not fitting for the king to deny you anything.”
38:6 Therefore, they took Jeremiah and cast him into the pit of Malchiah, the son of Amelech, which was at the entrance to the prison. And they lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the pit, in which there was no water, but only mud. And so Jeremiah descended into the mire.
38:8 And so Ebedmelech departed from the king’s house, and he spoke to the king, saying:
38:9 “My lord the king, these men have done evil in all that they have perpetrated against Jeremiah the prophet, casting him into the pit so that he would die there from famine. For there is no more bread in the city.”
38:10 And so the king instructed Ebedmelech, the Ethiopian, saying: “Take with you thirty men from here, and lift Jeremiah the prophet from the pit, before he dies.”
Second Reading
Hebrews 12: 1-4
12:1 Furthermore, since we also have so great a cloud of witnesses over us, let us set aside every burden and sin which may surround us, and advance, through patience, to the struggle offered to us.
12:2 Let us gaze upon Jesus, as the Author and the completion of our faith, who, having joy laid out before him, endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and who now sits at the right hand of the throne of God.
12:3 So then, meditate upon him who endured such adversity from sinners against himself, so that you may not become weary, failing in your souls.
12:4 For you have not yet resisted unto blood, while striving against sin.
Gospel
Luke 12: 49- 53
12:49 I have come to cast a fire upon the earth. And what should I desire, except that it may be kindled?
12:50 And I have a baptism, with which I am to be baptized. And how I am constrained, even until it may be accomplished!
12:51 Do you think that I have come to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division.
12:52 For from this time on, there will be five in one house: divided as three against two, and as two against three.
12:53 A father will be divided against a son, and a son against his father; a mother against a daughter and a daughter against a mother; a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”