Saint Irenaeus, Bishop and Martyr

16The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way. 17The LORD said, “Will I hide from Abraham what I do, 18since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him? 19For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that the LORD may bring on Abraham that which he has spoken of him.” 20The LORD said, “Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous, 21I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know.” 22The men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. 23Abraham came near, and said, “Will you consume the righteous with the wicked? 24What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will you consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it? 25May it be far from you to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from you. Shouldn’t the Judge of all the earth do right?” 26The LORD said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 27Abraham answered, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, although I am dust and ashes. 28What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will you destroy all the city for lack of five?” He said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” 29He spoke to him yet again, and said, “What if there are forty found there?” He said, “I will not do it for the forty’s sake.” 30He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there?” He said, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.” 31He said, “See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the twenty’s sake.” 32He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.” 33The LORD went his way as soon as he had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.

1Praise the LORD, my soul!

All that is within me, praise his holy name!

2Praise the LORD, my soul,

and don’t forget all his benefits,

3who forgives all your sins,

who heals all your diseases,

4who redeems your life from destruction,

who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies,

…

8The LORD is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness.

9He will not always accuse;

neither will he stay angry forever.

10He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

nor repaid us for our iniquities.

11For as the heavens are high above the earth,

so great is his loving kindness toward those who fear him.

18Now when Jesus saw great multitudes around him, he gave the order to depart to the other side. 19A scribe came and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” 20Jesus said to him, “The foxes have holes and the birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” 21Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, allow me first to go and bury my father.” 22But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.”