I became flushed with anger against her over this. Then she replied to me, ‘Where are your acts of charity? Where are your righteous deeds? These things are known about you!’ Tobit 2:9-14, NRSV In today’s reading we meet Tobit who was a righteous, law abiding Jew. Even when others had abandoned the strict observances…
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Has any people ever heard the voice of a god speaking out of a fire, as you have heard, and lived? Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched…
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With her I gained understanding from the first; therefore I will never be forsaken.My heart was stirred to seek her; therefore I have gained a prize possession.The Lord gave me my tongue as a reward, and I will praise him with it. Ecclesiasticus 51:17-27, NRSV The Book of Ecclesiasticus concludes with an autobiographical poem in…
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Their descendants stand by the covenants; their children also, for their sake.Their offspring will continue for ever, and their glory will never be blotted out. Ecclesiasticus 44:1,9-13, NRSV The author of Ecclesiasticus brings his work towards its end by recalling and praising the lives of the great ancestors of Israel. Those he recalls include kings,…
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‘This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord:I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds’,he also adds,‘I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.’Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. Hebrews…
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Have mercy upon us, O God of all, and put all the nations in fear of you.Then they will know, as we have known, that there is no God but you, O Lord. Ecclesiasticus 36:1-2,5-7,13-19, NRSV In today’s reading, the author (Ben Sira) prays for the restoration of Israel and the overcoming of its enemies. At the time…
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Give to the Most High as he has given to you, and as generously as you can afford.For the Lord is the one who repays, and he will repay you sevenfold. Ecclesiasticus 35:2-15, NRSV The author of Ecclesiasticus speaks of the offerings and sacrifices that were traditionally made under the Jewish Law. This practice…
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When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including…
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I did not shrink from doing anything helpful, proclaiming the message to you and teaching you publicly and from house to house, as I testified to both Jews and Greeks about repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus. Acts 20:17-27, NRSV These words form part of Paul’s final speech to the church at…
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Then they prayed and said, ‘Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.’ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was…
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