NEW TESTAMENT (Second Reading)

A Reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Philippians

Brothers and sisters:

Whatever gains I had, these I have come 

     to consider a loss because of Christ. 

More than that, I even consider everything as a loss 

     because of the supreme good 

     of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. 

For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things 

     and I consider them so much rubbish, 

     that I may gain Christ and be found in him, 

     not having any righteousness of my own 

     based on the law but that which comes 

     through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, 

     depending on faith to know him 

     and the power of his resurrection 

     and the sharing of his sufferings 

     by being conformed to his death, if somehow 

     I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

It is not that I have already taken hold of it 

     or have already attained perfect maturity, 

     but I continue my pursuit in hope 

     that I may possess it, 

     since I have indeed 

     been taken possession of by Christ Jesus. 

Brothers, I for my part do not consider 

     myself to have taken possession. 

Just one thing: forgetting what lies behind 

     but straining forward to what lies ahead, 

     I continue my pursuit toward the goal, 

     the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus.

The Word of the Lord