August 11, 2023 — Friday, Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time — Odd Year — Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven — Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew (Mt 16: 24-28)

Jesus said to his disciples,

“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself,
take up his cross, and follow me.
For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it,
but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world
and forfeit his life?
Or what can one give in exchange for his life?
For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory,
and then he will repay each according to his conduct.
Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here
who will not taste death
until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom.”