March 14, 2026

1“Come, let us return to the Lord , For it is he who has torn, but he will heal us; he has struck down, but he will bind our wounds. 2He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, to live in his presence. 3Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD; as certain as the dawn is his coming. He will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth.” 4What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your loyalty is like morning mist, like the dew that disappears early. 5For this reason I struck them down through the prophets, I killed them by the words of my mouth; my judgment shines forth like the light. 6For it is loyalty that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

3I - Have mercy on me, God, in accord with your merciful love; in your abundant compassion blot out my transgressions. 4Thoroughly wash away my guilt; and from my sin cleanse me. 18For you do not desire sacrifice or I would give it; a burnt offering you would not accept. 19My sacrifice, O God, is a contrite spirit; a contrite, humbled heart, O God, you will not scorn. 20III - Treat Zion kindly according to your good will; build up the walls of Jerusalem. 21Then you will desire the sacrifices of the just, burnt offering and whole offerings; then they will offer up young bulls on your altar.

8Do not harden your hearts as at Meribah, as on the day of Massah in the desert.

9The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. He then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. 10“Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. 11The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ 13But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ 14I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”