Proverbs 6:1-19
My child, if you have given your pledge to your neighbor, if you have bound yourself to another, you are snared by the utterance of your lips, caught by the words of your mouth. So do this, my child, and save yourself, for you have come into your neighbor's power: go, hurry, and plead with your neighbor. Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber; save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler. Go to the ant, you lazybones; consider its ways, and be wise. Without having any chief or officer or ruler, it prepares its food in summer, and gathers its sustenance in harvest. How long will you lie there, O lazybones? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want, like an armed warrior. A scoundrel and a villain goes around with crooked speech, winking the eyes, shuffling the feet, pointing the fingers, with perverted mind devising evil, continually sowing discord; on such a one calamity will descend suddenly; in a moment, damage beyond repair. There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that hurry to run to evil, a lying witness who testifies falsely, and one who sows discord in a family.
1 John 5:1-12
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth. There are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three agree. If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Matthew 11:16-24
"But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another, 'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, 'He has a demon' the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds." Then he began to reproach the cities in which most of his deeds of power had been done, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades. For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that on the day of judgment it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom than for you."
Morning Psalms
Psalm 119: Aleph Beati immaculati
1 Happy are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!
2 Happy are they who observe his decrees and seek him with all their hearts!
3 Who never do any wrong, but always walk in his ways.
4 You laid down your commandments, that we should fully keep them.
5 Oh, that my ways were made so direct that I might keep your statutes!
6 Then I should not be put to shame, when I regard all your commandments.
7 I will thank you with an unfeigned heart, when I have learned your righteous judgments.
8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me.
Psalm 119: Beth In quo corrigit?
9 How shall a young man cleanse his way? By keeping to your words.
10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not stray from your commandments.
11 I treasure your promise in my heart, that I may not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O LORD; instruct me in your statutes.
13 With my lips will I recite all the judgments of your mouth.
14 I have taken greater delight in the way of your decrees than in all manner of riches.
15 I will meditate on your commandments and give attention to your ways.
16 My delight is in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
Psalm 119: Gimel Retribue servo tuo
17 Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may see the wonders of your law.
19 I am a stranger here on earth; do not hide your commandments from me.
20 My soul is consumed at all times with longing for your judgments.
21 You have rebuked the insolent; cursed are they who stray from your commandments!
22 Turn from me shame and rebuke, for I have kept your decrees.
23 Even though rulers sit and plot against me, I will meditate on your statutes.
24 For your decrees are my delight, and they are my counselors.
Evening Psalms
Psalm 12 Salvum me fac
1 Help me, LORD, for there is no godly one left; the faithful have vanished from among us.
2 Everyone speaks falsely with his neighbor; with a smooth tongue they speak from a double heart.
3 Oh, that the LORD would cut off all smooth tongues, and close the lips that utter proud boasts!
4 Those who say, "With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own; who is lord over us?"
5 Because the needy are oppressed, and the poor cry out in misery, I will rise up, says the LORD, and give them the help they long for.
6 The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined from ore and purified seven times in the fire.
7 O LORD, watch over us and save us from this generation for ever.
8 The wicked prowl on every side, and that which is worthless is highly prized by everyone.
Psalm 13 Usquequo, Domine?
1 How long, O LORD? will you forget me for ever? how long will you hide your face from me?
2 How long shall I have perplexity in my mind, and grief in my heart, day after day? how long shall my enemy triumph over me?
3 Look upon me and answer me, O LORD my God; give light to my eyes, lest I sleep in death;
4 Lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him, " and my foes rejoice that I have fallen.
5 But I put my trust in your mercy; my heart is joyful because of your saving help.
6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has dealt with me richly; I will praise the Name of the Lord Most High.
Psalm 14 Dixit insipiens
1 The fool has said in his heart, There is no God." All are corrupt and commit abominable acts; there is none who does any good.
2 The LORD looks down from heaven upon us all, to see if there is any who is wise, if there is one who seeks after God.
3 Every one has proved faithless; all alike have turned bad; there is none who does good; no, not one.
4 Have they no knowledge, all those evildoers who eat up my people like bread and do not call upon the LORD?
5 See how they tremble with fear, because God is in the company of the righteous.
6 Their aim is to confound the plans of the afflicted, but the LORD is their refuge.
7 Oh, that Israel's deliverance would come out of Zion! when the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, Jacob will rejoice and Israel be glad.
