Daily Reading for Wednesday, September 27th, 2023

Reading 1, Ezra 9:5-9

⁵ At the evening sacrifice I came out of my stupor and, falling on my knees in my torn clothes and cloak, stretched out my hands to Yahweh my God,

⁶ and said: 'My God, I am ashamed, I blush to lift my face to you, my God. For our iniquities have increased, until they are higher than our heads, and our guilt has risen as high as heaven.

⁷ From the days of our ancestors until now we have been deeply guilty and, because of our iniquities, we, our kings and our priests, have been handed over to the kings of other countries, to the sword, to captivity, to pillage, to shame, as is the case today.

⁸ And now, for a brief moment, the favour of Yahweh our God has allowed a remnant of us to escape and given us a stable home in his holy place, so that our God can raise our spirits and revive us a little in our slavery.

⁹ For we are slaves; but God has not forgotten us in our slavery; he has extended his faithful love to us even under the kings of Persia and revived us to rebuild the Temple of our God, restore its ruins and provide us with a refuge in Judah and in Jerusalem.

Responsorial Psalm, Tobit 13:2, 3-4, 6, 7-8, 6

² For he both punishes and pardons; he sends people down to the depths of the underworld and draws them up from utter Destruction; no one can escape his hand.

³ Declare his praise before the nations, you who are the children of Israel! For if he has scattered you among them,

⁴ there too he has shown you his greatness. Extol him before all the living; he is our Lord and he is our God; he is our Father, and he is God for ever and ever.

⁶ If you return to him with all your heart and all your soul, behaving honestly towards him, then he will return to you and hide his face from you no longer. Consider how well he has treated you; loudly give him thanks. Bless the Lord of justice and extol the King of the ages. I for my part sing his praise in the country of my exile; I make his power and greatness known to a nation that has sinned. Sinners, return to him; let your conduct be upright before him; perhaps he will be gracious to you and take pity on you.

⁷ I for my part extol God and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven. Let his greatness

⁸ be on every tongue, his praises be sung in Jerusalem.

Make this Christmas Extra Special with the Gift of Faith