Sirach 35: 12-14, 16-18
| 35:12 | Give to the Most High according to his gifts to you, and act with a good eye toward the creations of your hands. |
| 35:13 | For the Lord gives recompense, and he will repay you seven times as much. |
| 35:14 | Do not be willing to offer corrupt gifts. For he will not accept them. |
| 35:16 | The Lord will not accept favoritism against the poor, but he will heed the prayer of one who has been harmed. |
| 35:17 | He will not despise the prayers of the orphan, nor of the widow, if she utters a lamenting complaint. |
| 35:18 | Do a widow’s tears not run down her cheek? And will her outcry not cause their downfall? |
Second Letter to Timothy 4: 6-8, 16-18
| 4:6 | For I am already being worn away, and the time of my dissolution presses close. |
| 4:7 | I have fought the good fight. I have completed the course. I have preserved the faith. |
| 4:8 | As for the remainder, a crown of justice has been reserved for me, one which the Lord, the just judge, will render to me in that day, and not only to me, but also to those who look forward to his return. Hurry to return to me soon. |
| 4:16 | At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone abandoned me. May it not be counted against them! |
| 4:17 | But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that through me the preaching would be accomplished, and so that all the Gentiles would hear. And I was freed from the mouth of the lion. |
| 4:18 | The Lord has freed me from every evil work, and he will accomplish salvation by his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen. |
Luke 18: 9-14
| 18:9 | Now about certain persons who consider themselves to be just, while disdaining others, he told also this parable: |
| 18:10 | “Two men ascended to the temple, in order to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector. |
| 18:11 | Standing, the Pharisee prayed within himself in this way: ‘O God, I give thanks to you that I am not like the rest of men: robbers, unjust, adulterers, even as this tax collector chooses to be. |
| 18:12 | I fast twice between Sabbaths. I give tithes from all that I possess.’ |
| 18:13 | And the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing to even lift up his eyes to heaven. But he struck his chest, saying: ‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.’ |
| 18:14 | I say to you, this one descended to his house justified, but not the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” |