Fast-Free Day
Gospel Reading
Mark 7:24-30
²⁴ From there he arose, and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house, and didn’t want anyone to know it, but he couldn’t escape notice. ²⁵ For a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. ²⁶ Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷ But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁸ But she answered him, “Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” ²⁹ He said to her, “For this saying, go your way. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” ³⁰ She went away to her house, and found the child having been laid on the bed, with the demon gone out.
Epistle Reading
Ephesians 1:1-9
¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, to the saints who are at Ephesus, and the faithful in Christ Jesus: ² Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ; ⁴ even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love; ⁵ having predestined us for adoption as children through Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his desire, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of his grace, by which he freely gave us favor in the Beloved, ⁷ in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, ⁸ which he made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence, ⁹ making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him