May 22nd, 2004.

Wednesday of the seventh week in ordinary time.

A reading from the letter of St. James.

Beloved, come now.

You who say today or tomorrow we shall go into such and such a town,

spend a year there doing business, and make a profit.

You have no idea what your life will be like

tomorrow. You are a puff of smoke that appears briefly and then disappears. Instead, you should say,

if the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that. But now you are boasting in your arrogance.

All such boasting is evil.

So for one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, it is a sin.

The word of the Lord.

The Responsorial Psalm.

The response is,

Blessed are the poor in spirit.

The kingdom of heaven is theirs. Hear this all you peoples,

Harken all who dwell in the world, of lowly birth or high degree, rich and poor alike.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Why should I fear in evil days when my wicked and snares ring me round?

They trust in their wealth, the abundance of their riches is their boast.

Blessed are the poor and spirit, the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Yet in no way can a man redeem himself or pay his own ransom to God.

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