June 28, 2027

16Abraham Intercedes for Sodom. With Abraham walking with them to see them on their way, the men set out from there and looked down toward Sodom. 17The LORD considered: Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, 18now that he is to become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth are to find blessing in him? 19Indeed, I have singled him out that he may direct his children and his household in the future to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD may put into effect for Abraham the promises he made about him. 20So the LORD said: The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave, 21that I must go down to see whether or not their actions are as bad as the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out. 22As the men turned and walked on toward Sodom, Abraham remained standing before the LORD. 23Then Abraham drew near and said: “Will you really sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24Suppose there were fifty righteous people in the city; would you really sweep away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people within it? 25Far be it from you to do such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike! Far be it from you! Should not the judge of all the world do what is just?” 26The LORD replied: If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake. 27Abraham spoke up again: “See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am only dust and ashes! 28What if there are five less than fifty righteous people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?” I will not destroy it, he answered, if I find forty-five there. 29But Abraham persisted, saying, “What if only forty are found there?” He replied: I will refrain from doing it for the sake of the forty. 30Then he said, “Do not let my Lord be angry if I go on. What if only thirty are found there?” He replied: I will refrain from doing it if I can find thirty there. 31Abraham went on, “Since I have thus presumed to speak to my Lord, what if there are no more than twenty?” I will not destroy it, he answered, for the sake of the twenty. 32But he persisted: “Please, do not let my Lord be angry if I speak up this last time. What if ten are found there?” For the sake of the ten, he replied, I will not destroy it. 33The LORD departed as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.

1Psalm 103 Praise of Divine Goodness - Of David. I - Bless the LORD, my soul; all my being, bless his holy name! 2Bless the LORD, my soul; and do not forget all his gifts, 3Who pardons all your sins, and heals all your ills, 4Who redeems your life from the pit, and crowns you with mercy and compassion, 8Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger, abounding in mercy. 9He will not always accuse, and nurses no lasting anger; 10He has not dealt with us as our sins merit, nor requited us as our wrongs deserve. 11III - For as the heavens tower over the earth, so his mercy towers over those who fear him.

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

18When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side. 19A scribe approached and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” 21Another of [his] disciples said to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” 22But Jesus answered him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”