Léctio Epístolæ primæ beáti Pauli apóstoli ad Corínthios (12,31-13,13)
Æmulámini charísmata maióra. Et adhuc excellentiórem viam vobis demónstro. Si linguis hóminum loquar et angelórum, caritátem autem non hábeam, factus sum velut aes sonans aut cýmbalum tínniens. Et si habúero prophetíam et nóverim mystéria ómnia et omnem sciéntiam, et si habúero omnem fidem, ita ut montes tránsferam, caritátem autem non habúero, nihil sum. Et si distribúero in cibos omnes facultátes meas et si tradídero corpus meum, ut glórier, caritátem autem non habúero, nihil mihi prodest. Cáritas pátiens est, benígna est cáritas, non æmulátur, non agit supérbe, non inflátur, non est ambitiósa, non quærit, quæ sua sunt, non irritátur, non cógitat malum, non gaudet super iniquitátem, congáudet autem veritáti; ómnia suffert, ómnia credit, ómnia sperat, ómnia sústinet. Cáritas numquam éxcidit. Sive prophetíæ, evacuabúntur; sive linguæ, cessábunt; sive sciéntia, destruétur. Ex parte enim cognóscimus et ex parte prophetámus; cum autem vénerit, quod perféctum est, evacuábitur, quod ex parte est. Cum essem párvulus, loquébar ut párvulus, sapiébam ut párvulus, cogitábam ut párvulus; quando factus sum vir, evacuávi, quæ erant párvuli. Vidémus enim nunc per spéculum in ænígmate, tunc autem fácie ad fáciem; nunc cognósco ex parte, tunc autem cognóscam, sicut et cógnitus sum. Nunc autem manet fides, spes, cáritas, tria hæc; maior autem ex his est cáritas.
But be zealous for the better gifts. And I shew unto you yet a more excellent way. If I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up; Is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never falleth away: whether prophecies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child. But, when I became a man, I put away the things of a child. We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face. Now I know I part; but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.
