Preparation for Confession - Scripture readings

"The Holy Bible - translated from the Latin Vulgate" 1914

Be perfect like your heavenly Father
Matthew 5; 20-48

20. For I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of heaven.
21. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not kill. And whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment.
22. But I say to you, that whosoever is angry with his brother, shall be in danger of the judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council. And whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
23. If therefore thou offer thy gift at the altar, and there thou remember that thy brother hath any thing against thee;
24. Leave there thy offering before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to thy brother: and then coming thou shalt offer thy gift.
25. Be at agreement with thy adversary betimes, whilst thou art in the way with him: lest perhaps the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
26. Amen I say to thee, thou shalt not go out from thence till thou repay the last farthing.
27. You have heard that it was said to them of old: Thou shalt not commit adultery.
28. But I say to you, that whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her, hath already committed adultery with her in his heart.
29. And if thy right eye scandalize thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. For it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than thy whole body be cast into hell.
30. And if thy right hand scandalise thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is expedient for thee that one of thy members should perish, rather than that thy whole body go into hell.
31. And it hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a bill of divorce.
32. But I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting for the fornication, maketh her to commit adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery.
33. Again you have hard that it was said to them of old, Thou shalt not forswear thyself: but thou shalt perform thy oaths to the Lord.
34. But I say to you not to swear at all, neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God:
35. Nor by the earth, for it is his footstool: nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great king:
36. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
37. But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil.
38. You have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth.
39. But I say to you not to resist evil: but if one strike thee on thy right cheek, turn to him also the other.
40. And if a man will contend with thee in judgment, and take away thy coat, let go thy cloak also unto him.
41. And whosoever will force thee one mile, go with him other two.
42. Give to him that asketh of thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not away.
43. You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thy enemy.
44. But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you:
45. That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust.
46. For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? Do not even publicans do this?
47. Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.

Lessons of Christian virtues - Never repay evil for evil
Romans 12:1-21

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God, your reasonable service.
2. And be not conformed to this world; but be reformed in the newness of your mind, that you may prove what is the good, and the acceptable, and the perfect will of God.
3. For I say, by the grace that is given me, to all that are among you, not to be more wise than it behoveth to be wise, but to be wise unto sobriety, and according as God hath divided to every one the measure of faith.
4. For as in one body we have many members, but all the members have not the same office:
5. So we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6. And having different gifts, according to the grace that is given us, either prophecy. To be used according to the rule of faith;
7. Or ministry, in administering; or he that teacheth, in doctrine;
8. He that exorteth, in exorthing; he that giveth, with simplicity; he that ruleth, with carefulness; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness.
9. Let love be without dissimulation. Hating that which is evil, cleaving to that which is good.
10. Loving one another with the charity of brotherhood, with honour preventing one another.
11. In carefulness not slothful. In spirit fervent. Serving the Lord.
12. Rejoicing in hope. Patient in tribulation. Instant in prayer.
13. Communicating to the necessities of the saints. Pursuing hospitality.
14. Bless them that persecute you: bless and curse not.
15. Rejoice with them that rejoice; weep with them that weep.
16. Being of one mind one towards another. Not minding high things, but consenting to the humble. Be not wise in your own conceits.
17. To no man rendering evil for evil. Providing good things, not only in the sight of God, but also in the sight of all men.
18. If it be possible, as much as is in you, have peace with all men.
19. Revenge not yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath, for it is written:Revenge is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord.
20. But if your enemy be hungry, give him to eat; if he thirst, give him to drink. For, doing this, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head.
21. Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil by good.

Give up your old way of life - Put on the new man and fly sin
Ephesians 4: 17-32

17. This then I testify in the Lord: That henceforward you walk not as also the Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind.
18. Having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts.
19. Who despairing, have given themselves up to lasciviousness, unto the working of all uncleanness, unto covetousness.
20. But you have not so learned Christ;
21. If so be that you have heard him, and have been thought in him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22. To put off, according to former conversation, the old man, who is corrupted according to the desire of error.
23. And be renewed in the spirit of your mind:
24. And put on the new man, who according to God is created in justice and holiness of truth.
25. Wherefore putting away lying, speak ye the truth every man with his neighbour; for we are members one of another.
26. Be angry, and sin not. Let not the sun go down upon your anger.
27. Give not place to the devil.
28. He that stole, let him now steal no more; but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have something to give to him that suffereth need.
29. Let no evil speech proceed from your mouth, but that which is good, to the edification of faith, that it may administer grace to the hearers.
30. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God: whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption.
31. Let all bitterness, and anger, and indignation, and clamour, and blasphemy, be put away from you, with all malice.
32. And be you kind one to another; merciful, forgiving one another, even as God hath forgiven you in Christ.