Daily Readings - 09/09/2026

^7:25 About remaining celibate, I have no directions from the Lord but give my own opinion as one who, by the Lord’s mercy, has stayed faithful.

^7:26 Well then, I believe that in these present times of stress this is right: that it is good for a man to stay as he is.

^7:27 If you are tied to a wife, do not look for freedom; if you are free of a wife, then do not look for one.

^7:28 But if you marry, it is no sin, and it is not a sin for a young girl to get married. They will have their troubles, though, in their married life, and I should like to spare you that.

^7:29 Brothers, this is what I mean: our time is growing short. Those who have wives should live as though they had none,

^7:30 and those who mourn should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying life should live as though there were nothing to laugh about; those whose life is buying things should live as though they had nothing of their own;

^7:31 and those who have to deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. I say this because the world as we know it is passing away.

^44:1 God, we have heard with our own ears, our ancestors have told us of the deeds you performed in their days, in days long ago,

^44:2 by your hand. To put them in the land you dispossessed the nations, you harried the peoples to make room for them;

^44:3 it was not by their swords they won the land, it was not by their arms they gained the victory: it was your right hand, your arm and the light of your face – because you loved them.

^44:4 You it was, my King, my God, who won those victories for Jacob;

^44:5 through you we trampled down our enemies, through your name we subdued our aggressors.

^44:6 My trust was not in my bow, my sword did not gain me victory:

^44:7 we conquered our enemies through you, you, who defeated all who hated us –

^44:8 our boast was always of God, we praised your name without ceasing. (Pause)

^44:9 Yet now you abandon and scorn us, you no longer march with our armies,

^44:10 you allow the enemy to push us back, and let those who hate us raid us when it suits them.

^44:11 You let us go to the slaughterhouse like sheep, you scatter us among the nations;

^44:12 you sell your people for next to nothing, and make no profit from the bargain.

^44:13 Thanks to you, our neighbours insult us, all those around us make us their butt and laughing-stock;

^44:14 you make us a byword to pagans, a thing to make them toss their heathen heads.

^44:15 All day long I brood on this disgrace, my face covered in shame,

^44:16 under a shower of insult and blasphemy, a display of hatred and revenge.

^44:17 All this happened to us though we had not forgotten you, though we had not been disloyal to your covenant;

^44:18 though our hearts had not turned away, though our steps had not left your path:

^44:19 yet you crushed us in the place where the jackals live, and threw the shadow of death over us.

^44:20 Had we forgotten the name of our own God and stretched out our hands to a foreign one,

^44:21 would not God have found this out, he who knows the secrets of the heart?

^44:22 No, it is for your sake we are being massacred daily, and counted as sheep for the slaughter.

^44:23 Wake up, Lord! Why are you asleep? Awake! Do not abandon us for good.

^44:24 Why do you hide your face, and forget we are wretched and exploited?

^44:25 For we are bowed in the dust, our bodies crushed to the ground.

^44:26 Rise! Come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your love.

^6:20 Then fixing his eyes on his disciples he said: ‘How happy are you who are poor: yours is the kingdom of God.

^6:21 Happy you who are hungry now: you shall be satisfied. Happy you who weep now: you shall laugh.

^6:22 Happy are you when people hate you, drive you out, abuse you, denounce your name as criminal, on account of the Son of Man.

^6:23 Rejoice when that day comes and dance for joy, for then your reward will be great in heaven. This was the way their ancestors treated the prophets.

^6:24 ‘But alas for you who are rich: you are having your consolation now.

^6:25 Alas for you who have your fill now: you shall go hungry. Alas for you who laugh now: you shall mourn and weep.

^6:26 Alas for you when the world speaks well of you! This was the way their ancestors treated the false prophets.’