Wednesday of the 18th week after Pentecost

Brethren, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word … that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man yet hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the Church. For we are members of His Body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church… Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his own wife even as himself …

My son Timothy, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who chose him to be a soldier. And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the farmer that labors who must take the first share of the crops. Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my Gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.