February 15th, 2004, Thursday after Ash Wednesday.

A reading from the book of Deuteronomy.

Moses said to the people,

Today I have set before you life and prosperity,

death and doom.

If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God,

which I enjoin on you today,

loving him and walking in his ways,

and keeping his commandments, statutes, and decrees,

you will live and grow numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land

you are entering to occupy. If, however, you turn away your hearts and will not listen, but are led astray

and adore and serve other gods. I tell you now

that you will certainly perish. You will not have a long life on the land that you are crossing

the Jordan to enter and occupy. I call heaven and earth today to witness against you.

I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse.

Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live

by loving the Lord your God,

heeding his voice, and holding fast to him.

For that will mean life for you,

a long life for you to live on the land that the Lord swore he would give to your fathers.

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The Word of the Lord.

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