Tuesday of the 11th week of Ordinary Time

17Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying: 18“Rise up, and descend to meet Ahab, the king of Israel, who is in Samaria. Behold, he is descending to the vineyard of Naboth, so that he may take possession of it. 19And you shall speak to him, saying: ‘Thus says the Lord: You have killed. Moreover you have also taken possession.’ And after this, you shall add: ‘Thus says the Lord: In this place, where the dogs have licked the blood of Naboth, they shall also lick your blood.’ ” 20And Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you discovered me to be your enemy?” And he said: “I have discovered you to have been sold, so that you would do evil in the sight of the Lord: 21‘Behold, I will lead evil over you. And I will cut down your posterity. And I will put to death of Ahab whatever urinates against a wall, and whatever is lame, and whatever is last in Israel. 22And I will cause your house to be like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah. For you have acted so that you provoked me to anger, and so that you caused Israel to sin.’ 23And about Jezebel also, the Lord spoke, saying: ‘The dogs shall consume Jezebel in the field of Jezreel. 24If Ahab will have died in the city, the dogs will consume him. But if he will have died in the field, the birds of the air will consume him.’ ” 25And so, there was no other person similar to Ahab, who was sold so that he did evil in the sight of the Lord. For his wife, Jezebel, urged him on. 26And he became abominable, so much so that he followed the idols that the Amorites had made, whom the Lord consumed before the face of the sons of Israel. 27Then, when Ahab had heard these words, he tore his garments, and he put haircloth on his body, and he fasted, and he slept in sackcloth, and he walked with his head downcast. 28And the word of the Lord came to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying: 29“Have you not seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Therefore, since he has humbled himself because of me, I will not lead in the evil during his days. Instead, during the days of his son, I will bring in the evil to his house.”

3Be merciful to me, O God, according to your great mercy. And, according to the plentitude of your compassion, wipe out my iniquity.

4Wash me once again from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

5For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me.

6Against you only have I sinned, and I have done evil before your eyes. And so, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment.

…

11Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my iniquities.

…

16Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice.

43You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and you shall have hatred for your enemy.’ 44But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you. 45In this way, you shall be sons of your Father, who is in heaven. He causes his sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and he causes it to rain upon the just and the unjust. 46For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even tax collectors behave this way? 47And if you greet only your brothers, what more have you done? Do not even the pagans behave this way? 48Therefore, be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.”