Léctio sancti Evangélii secúndum Matthǽum (18,1-5.10.12-14)
In illa hora accessérunt discípuli ad Iésum dicéntes: “Quis putas maíor est in regno cælórum?” Et ádvocans párvulum, státuit eum in médio eórum et dixit: “Amen dico vobis: Nisi convérsi fuéritis et efiiciámini sicut párvuli, non intrábitis in regnum cælórum. Quicúmque ergo humiliáverit se sicut párvulus iste, hic est maíor in regno cælórum. Et, qui suscéperit unum párvulum talem in nómine meo, me súscipit. Vidéte, ne contemnátis unum ex his pusíllis; dico enim vobis quia ángeli eórum in cælis semper vident fáciem Patris mei, qui in cælis est. Quid vobis vidétur? Si fúerint alícui centum oves, et erráverit una ex eis, nonne relínquet nonagínta novem in móntibus et vadit quǽrere eam, quæ errávit? Et si contígerit ut invéniat eam, amen dico vobis quia gaudébit super eam magis quam super nonagínta novem, quæ non erravérunt. Sic non est volúntas ante Patrem vestrum, qui in cælis est, ut péreat unus de pusíllis istis.
At that hour the Disciples came to Jesus, saying: Who, thinkest thou, is the greater in the Kingdom of Heaven? And Jesus calling unto him a little child, set him in the midst of them, and said: Amen I say to you, unless you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, he is the greater in the Kingdom of Heaven. And he that shall receive one such little child in my name, receiveth me. And he that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it is expedient for him that a millstone be hanged about his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe be to the world for scandals. For it is necessary that scandals do come: but nevertheless woe to that man by whom the scandal cometh. And if thy hand, or thy foot scandalize thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee. It is good for thee to go into life maimed or lame, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into everlasting fire. And if thine eye scandalize thee, pluck him out, and cast him from thee: It is good for thee having one eye to enter into life, rather than having two eyes to be cast into the Hell of fire. See that you despise not one of these little ones: for I say to you, that their Angels in Heaven always do see the face of my Father which is in Heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that which was perished. How think you? If a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them shall go astray; doth he not leave ninety nine in the mountains, and goeth to seek that which is strayed? And if it chance that he find it: Amen I say to you, that he rejoiceth more for that, than for the ninety nine that went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father, which is in Heaven, that one perish of these little ones.