Daily Reading for Monday May 21, 2018

James 3:13-18

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him by his fine conduct demonstrate works performed with a mildness that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy+ and contentiousness+ in your hearts, do not be bragging+ and lying against the truth. 15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above; it is earthly,+ animalistic, demonic. 16 For wherever there are jealousy and contentiousness, there will also be disorder and every vile thing.+
17 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure,+ then peaceable,+ reasonable,+ ready to obey, full of mercy and good fruits,+ impartial,+ not hypocritical.+ 18 Moreover, the fruit of righteousness is sown in peaceful conditions+ for* those who are making peace.+

Psalms 19:8, 9, 10, 15

8 The orders from Jehovah are righteous, causing the heart to rejoice;+
The commandment of Jehovah is clean, making the eyes shine.+
9 The fear of Jehovah+ is pure, lasting forever.
The judgments of Jehovah are true, altogether righteous.+
10 They are more desirable than gold,
Than much fine* gold,+

Mark 9:14-29

14 When they came to the other disciples, they noticed a large crowd around them, and there were scribes arguing with them.+ 15 But as soon as all the crowd caught sight of him, they were astonished, and they ran up to him to greet him. 16 So he asked them: “What are you arguing about with them?” 17 And one of the crowd answered him: “Teacher, I brought my son to you because he has a speechless spirit.+ 18 Wherever it seizes him, it throws him to the ground, and he foams at the mouth and grinds his teeth and loses his strength. I asked your disciples to expel it, but they were not able to do so.” 19 In response he said to them: “O faithless generation,+ how long must I continue with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.”+ 20 So they brought the boy to him, but at the sight of him, the spirit at once threw the child into convulsions. After falling on the ground, he kept rolling about, foaming at the mouth. 21 Then Jesus asked the father: “How long has this been happening to him?” He said: “From childhood on, 22 and often it would throw him into the fire and also into the water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.” 23 Jesus said to him: “That expression, ‘If you can’! Why, all things are possible for the one who has faith.”+ 24 Immediately the child’s father cried out and said: “I have faith! Help me out where I need faith!”+
25 Jesus, now noticing that a crowd was rushing toward them, rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it: “You speechless and deaf spirit, I order you, get out of him and do not enter into him again!”+ 26 After crying out and going through many convulsions, it came out, and the child seemed to be dead, so that most of the people were saying: “He is dead!” 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him up, and he stood up. 28 So after he entered into a house, his disciples asked him privately: “Why could we not expel it?”+ 29 He said to them: “This kind can come out only by prayer.”