August 16, 2027

11the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. They served the Baals, 12and abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the one who had brought them out of the land of Egypt. They followed other gods, the gods of the peoples around them, and bowed down to them, and provoked the LORD. 13Because they had abandoned the LORD and served Baal and the Astartes, 14the anger of the LORD flared up against Israel, and he delivered them into the power of plunderers who despoiled them. He sold them into the power of the enemies around them, and they were no longer able to withstand their enemies. 15Whenever they marched out, the hand of the LORD turned against them, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn to them; and they were in great distress. 16But the LORD raised up judges to save them from the power of their plunderers; 17but they did not listen to their judges either, for they prostituted themselves by following other gods, bowing down to them. They were quick to stray from the way their ancestors had taken, who obeyed the commandments of the LORD; but these did not. 18When the LORD raised up judges for them, he would be with the judge and save them from the power of their enemies as long as the judge lived. The LORD would change his mind when they groaned in their affliction under their oppressors. 19But when the judge died, they would again do worse than their ancestors, following other gods, serving and bowing down to them, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn ways.

34VIII They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them, 35But mingled with the nations and imitated their ways. 36They served their idols and were ensnared by them. 37They sacrificed to demons their own sons and daughters, 39They defiled themselves by their actions, became adulterers by their conduct. 40So the LORD grew angry with his people, abhorred his own heritage. 43Many times did he rescue them, but they kept rebelling and scheming and were brought low by their own guilt. 44Still God had regard for their affliction when he heard their wailing.

3The Beatitudes - “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

16Now someone approached him and said, “Teacher, what good must I do to gain eternal life?” 17He answered him, “Why do you ask me about the good? There is only One who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” 18He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “ ‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; 19honor your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20The young man said to him, “All of these I have observed. What do I still lack?” 21Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to [the] poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22When the young man heard this statement, he went away sad, for he had many possessions.