Thursday of the 2nd week of Lent

5Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is a man who trusts in man, and who establishes what is flesh as his right arm, and whose heart withdraws from the Lord. 6For he will be like a saltcedar tree in the desert. And he will not perceive it, when what is good has arrived. Instead, he will live in dryness, in a desert, in a land of salt, which is uninhabitable. 7Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, for the Lord will be his confidence. 8And he will be like a tree planted beside waters, which sends out its roots to moist soil. And it will not fear when the heat arrives. And its leaves will be green. And in the time of drought, it will not be anxious, nor will it cease at any time to bear fruit. 9The heart is depraved above all things, and it is unsearchable, who can know it? 10I am the Lord, who examines the heart and tests the temperament, who gives to each one according to his way and according to the fruit of his own decisions.

1Blessed is the man who has not followed the counsel of the impious, and has not remained in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the chair of pestilence.

2But his will is with the law of the Lord, and he will meditate on his law, day and night.

3And he will be like a tree that has been planted beside running waters, which will provide its fruit in its time, and its leaf will not fall away, and all things whatsoever that he does will prosper.

4Not so the impious, not so. For they are like the dust that the wind casts along the face of the earth.

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6For the Lord knows the way of the just. And the path of the impious will pass away.

19A certain man was wealthy, and he was clothed in purple and in fine linen. And he feasted splendidly every day. 20And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who lay at his gate, covered with sores, 21wanting to be filled with the crumbs which were falling from the wealthy man’s table. But no one gave it to him. And even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22Then it happened that the beggar died, and he was carried by the Angels into the bosom of Abraham. Now the wealthy man also died, and he was entombed in Hell. 23Then lifting up his eyes, while he was in torments, he saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom. 24And crying out, he said: ‘Father Abraham, take pity on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water to refresh my tongue. For I am tortured in this fire.’ 25And Abraham said to him: ‘Son, recall that you received good things in your life, and in comparison, Lazarus received bad things. But now he is consoled, and truly you are tormented. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been established, so that those who might want to cross from here to you are not able, nor can someone cross from there to here.’ 27And he said: ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, 28so that he may testify to them, lest they also come into this place of torments.’ 29And Abraham said to him: ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ 30So he said: ‘No, father Abraham. But if someone were to go to them from the dead, they would repent.’ 31But he said to him: ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they believe even if someone has resurrected from the dead.’ ”