Second Sunday before the Nativity: Sunday of the Forefathers
Col 3:4-11

A reading - from the Letter of Saint Paul the Apostle to the Colossians

Brothers and sisters: When Christ our life appears, then you shall appear with him in glory. Put to death whatever in your nature is rooted | in | Earth:

Fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desires, and that lust which is idol|a|try.

These are the sins which provoke God’s wrath. Your own conduct was once of this sort, when these sins were your ve|ry | life.

You must put that aside now: all the anger and quick temper, the malice, the insults, the foul language. Stop lying to one | a|nother.

What you have done is put aside your old self with its past deeds and put on a new man, one who grows in knowledge as he is formed anew in the image of his | Cre|ator.

There is no Greek or Jew here, circumcised or uncircumcised, foreigner, Scythian, slave or freeman. Rather Christ is everything in - all - of - you.