March 15th, 2004, Friday of the fourth week of Lent.

A reading from the Book of Wisdom.

The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright,

Let us beset the just one because he is obnoxious to us.

He sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law,

and charges us with violations of our training. He professes to have knowledge of God and styles

himself a child of the Lord. To us, he is the censure of our thoughts.

Merely to see him is a hardship for us, because his life is not like that of others,

and different are his ways. He judges us debased. He holds aloof from our paths paths as from things impure. He calls blessed the destiny of

the just and boasts that God is his father. Let us see whether his words be true. Let us find out what will happen to him. For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and

deliver him from the hand of his foes. With revilement and torture, let us put him to the test

that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. Let us condemn him to a shameful death, for according to his

own words, God will take care of him. These were their thoughts, but they erred, for their wickedness

blinded them, and they knew not the hidden counsels of God. Neither did they count on

a recompense of holiness, nor discern the innocent soul's reward. The Word of the Lord.

The response is, the Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

The Lord confronts the evildoers to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.

When the just cry out, the Lord hears them, and from all their distress, he rescues them. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted, and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.

Many are the troubles of the just man, but out of them all the Lord delivers him. The Lord is close to

the brokenhearted. He watches over all his bones. Not one of them shall be broken. The Lord

redeems the lives of his servants. No one incurs guilt who takes refuge in him.

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