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From: Micah 7:14-15, 18-20

Prayer for Jerusalem

[14] Shepherd thy people with thy staff,
the flock of thy inheritance,
who dwell alone in a forest
in the midst of a garden land;
let them feed in Báshan and Gilead
as in the days of old.
[15] As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt
I will show them marvellous things.

Hymn to the Lord

[18] Who is a God like thee, pardoning iniquity
and passing over transgression
for the remnant of his inheritance?
He does not retain his anger for ever
because he delights in steadfast love.
[19] He will again have compassion upon us,
he will tread our iniquities under foot.
Thou wilt cast all our sins
into the depths of the sea.
[20] Thou wilt show faithfulness to Jacob
and steadfast love to Abraham,
as thou hast sworn to our fathers
from the days of old.

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Commentary:

7:14-17. These verses also deal with hope in the future restoration, but it is now
expressed in the form of a prayer to the Lord. He is asked for a return to the way
things were in the early days of the chosen people — a repetition of wondrous
works that will astound the Gentiles (vv. 16-17) and convince them of the power
of the Lord (v. 16). The prayer also desires the Lord to be the only shepherd of
his people (v. 14; cf. 5:3), who now occupy the whole of Palestine again, a land
that is most fertile. Bashan and Gilead, on the eastern banks and highlands of
the Jordan, were areas renowned for rich pasture-land.

7:18-20. The last three verses of the book celebrate the Lord’s steadfast love in
a liturgical tone. Witnessing the works of the Lord (his pardoning of sins, and
putting them out of his mind: vv. 18-19; his faithfulness to his promises, no mat-
ter what: v. 20), all that the believer can do is be grateful and live in awe: “Who
is a God like thee?” (v. 18). Many of the terms used in this short hymn (remnant,
inheritance, faithfulness, etc.) have come up earlier in the book and are being re-
hearsed again here. But we can appreciate their importance more if we remem-
ber the way Micah is echoed in the Benedictus of Zechariah in the New Testa-
ment. That hymn sums up very well the hope in the Messiah harbored by gene-
ration upon generation of the people of God, and when we reread it, it will help to
revive our own hope in the definitive (second) coming of the Lord: “Blessed be the
Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, and has raised up
a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the
mouth of his holy prophets from of old” (Lk 1:68-70).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Luke
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Luke 15
1.	NOW the publicans and sinners drew near unto him to hear him.	Erant autem appropinquantes ei publicani, et peccatores ut audirent illum.	ησαν δε εγγιζοντες αυτω παντες οι τελωναι και οι αμαρτωλοι ακουειν αυτου
2.	And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying: This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.	Et murmurabant pharisæi, et scribæ, dicentes : Quia hic peccatores recipit, et manducat cum illis.	και διεγογγυζον οι φαρισαιοι και οι γραμματεις λεγοντες οτι ουτος αμαρτωλους προσδεχεται και συνεσθιει αυτοις
3.	And he spoke to them this parable, saying:	Et ait ad illos parabolam istam dicens :	ειπεν δε προς αυτους την παραβολην ταυτην λεγων
[...]
11.	And he said: A certain man had two sons:	Ait autem : Homo quidam habuit duos filios :	ειπεν δε ανθρωπος τις ειχεν δυο υιους
12.	And the younger of them said to his father: Father, give me the portion of substance that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his substance.	et dixit adolescentior ex illis patri : Pater, da mihi portionem substantiæ, quæ me contingit. Et divisit illis substantiam.	και ειπεν ο νεωτερος αυτων τω πατρι πατερ δος μοι το επιβαλλον μερος της ουσιας και διειλεν αυτοις τον βιον
13.	And not many days after, the younger son, gathering all together, went abroad into a far country: and there wasted his substance, living riotously.	Et non post multos dies, congregatis omnibus, adolescentior filius peregre profectus est in regionem longinquam, et ibi dissipavit substantiam suam vivendo luxuriose.	και μετ ου πολλας ημερας συναγαγων απαντα ο νεωτερος υιος απεδημησεν εις χωραν μακραν και εκει διεσκορπισεν την ουσιαν αυτου ζων ασωτως
14.	And after he had spent all, there came a mighty famine in that country; and he began to be in want.	Et postquam omnia consummasset, facta est fames valida in regione illa, et ipse cœpit egere.	δαπανησαντος δε αυτου παντα εγενετο λιμος ισχυρος κατα την χωραν εκεινην και αυτος ηρξατο υστερεισθαι
15.	And he went and cleaved to one of the citizens of that country. And he sent him into his farm to feed swine.	Et abiit, et adhæsit uni civium regionis illius : et misit illum in villam suam ut pasceret porcos.	και πορευθεις εκολληθη ενι των πολιτων της χωρας εκεινης και επεμψεν αυτον εις τους αγρους αυτου βοσκειν χοιρους
16.	And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him.	Et cupiebat implere ventrem suum de siliquis, quas porci manducabant : et nemo illi dabat.	και επεθυμει γεμισαι την κοιλιαν αυτου απο των κερατιων ων ησθιον οι χοιροι και ουδεις εδιδου αυτω
17.	And returning to himself, he said: How many hired servants in my father's house abound with bread, and I here perish with hunger?	In se autem reversus, dixit : Quanti mercenarii in domo patris mei abundant panibus, ego autem hic fame pereo !	εις εαυτον δε ελθων ειπεν ποσοι μισθιοι του πατρος μου περισσευουσιν αρτων εγω δε λιμω απολλυμαι
18.	I will arise, and will go to my father, and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee:	surgam, et ibo ad patrem meum, et dicam ei : Pater, peccavi in cælum, et coram te :	αναστας πορευσομαι προς τον πατερα μου και ερω αυτω πατερ ημαρτον εις τον ουρανον και ενωπιον σου
19.	I am not worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.	jam non sum dignus vocari filius tuus : fac me sicut unum de mercenariis tuis.	και ουκετι ειμι αξιος κληθηναι υιος σου ποιησον με ως ενα των μισθιων σου
20.	And rising up he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and running to him fell upon his neck, and kissed him.	Et surgens venit ad patrem suum. Cum autem adhuc longe esset, vidit illum pater ipsius, et misericordia motus est, et accurrens cecidit super collum ejus, et osculatus est eum.	και αναστας ηλθεν προς τον πατερα αυτου ετι δε αυτου μακραν απεχοντος ειδεν αυτον ο πατηρ αυτου και εσπλαγχνισθη και δραμων επεπεσεν επι τον τραχηλον αυτου και κατεφιλησεν αυτον
21.	And the son said to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, I am not now worthy to be called thy son.	Dixitque ei filius : Pater, peccavi in cælum, et coram te : jam non sum dignus vocari filius tuus.	ειπεν δε αυτω ο υιος πατερ ημαρτον εις τον ουρανον και ενωπιον σου και ουκετι ειμι αξιος κληθηναι υιος σου
22.	And the father said to his servants: Bring forth quickly the first robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:	Dixit autem pater ad servos suos : Cito proferte stolam primam, et induite illum, et date annulum in manum ejus, et calceamenta in pedes ejus :	ειπεν δε ο πατηρ προς τους δουλους αυτου εξενεγκατε την στολην την πρωτην και ενδυσατε αυτον και δοτε δακτυλιον εις την χειρα αυτου και υποδηματα εις τους ποδας
23.	And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it, and let us eat and make merry:	et adducite vitulum saginatum, et occidite, et manducemus, et epulemur :	και ενεγκαντες τον μοσχον τον σιτευτον θυσατε και φαγοντες ευφρανθωμεν
24.	Because this my son was dead, and is come to life again: was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.	quia hic filius meus mortuus erat, et revixit : perierat, et inventus est. Et cœperunt epulari.	οτι ουτος ο υιος μου νεκρος ην και ανεζησεν και απολωλως ην και ευρεθη και ηρξαντο ευφραινεσθαι
25.	Now his elder son was in the field, and when he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing:	Erat autem filius ejus senior in agro : et cum veniret, et appropinquaret domui, audivit symphoniam et chorum :	ην δε ο υιος αυτου ο πρεσβυτερος εν αγρω και ως ερχομενος ηγγισεν τη οικια ηκουσεν συμφωνιας και χορων
26.	And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.	et vocavit unum de servis, et interrogavit quid hæc essent.	και προσκαλεσαμενος ενα των παιδων επυνθανετο τι ειη ταυτα
27.	And he said to him: Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe.	Isque dixit illi : Frater tuus venit, et occidit pater tuus vitulum saginatum, quia salvum illum recepit.	ο δε ειπεν αυτω οτι ο αδελφος σου ηκει και εθυσεν ο πατηρ σου τον μοσχον τον σιτευτον οτι υγιαινοντα αυτον απελαβεν
28.	And he was angry, and would not go in. His father therefore coming out began to entreat him.	Indignatus est autem, et nolebat introire. Pater ergo illius egressus, cœpit rogare illum.	ωργισθη δε και ουκ ηθελεν εισελθειν ο ουν πατηρ αυτου εξελθων παρεκαλει αυτον
29.	And he answering, said to his father: Behold, for so many years do I serve thee, and I have never transgressed thy commandment, and yet thou hast never given me a kid to make merry with my friends:	At ille respondens, dixit patri suo : Ecce tot annis servio tibi, et numquam mandatum tuum præterivi : et numquam dedisti mihi hædum ut cum amicis meis epularer.	ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν τω πατρι ιδου τοσαυτα ετη δουλευω σοι και ουδεποτε εντολην σου παρηλθον και εμοι ουδεποτε εδωκας εριφον ινα μετα των φιλων μου ευφρανθω
30.	But as soon as this thy son is come, who hath devoured his substance with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.	Sed postquam filius tuus hic, qui devoravit substantiam suam cum meretricibus, venit, occidisti illi vitulum saginatum.	οτε δε ο υιος σου ουτος ο καταφαγων σου τον βιον μετα πορνων ηλθεν εθυσας αυτω τον μοσχον τον σιτευτον
31.	But he said to him: Son, thou art always with me, and all I have is thine.	At ipse dixit illi : Fili, tu semper mecum es, et omnia mea tua sunt :	ο δε ειπεν αυτω τεκνον συ παντοτε μετ εμου ει και παντα τα εμα σα εστιν
32.	But it was fit that we should make merry and be glad, for this thy brother was dead and is come to life again; he was lost, and is found.	epulari autem, et gaudere oportebat, quia frater tuus hic mortuus erat, et revixit ; perierat, et inventus est.	ευφρανθηναι δε και χαρηναι εδει οτι ο αδελφος σου ουτος νεκρος ην και ανεζησεν και απολωλως ην και ευρεθη