Kathemerinosatos

Commemorating Wilfrid of Ripon, Bishop, Missionary, 709; Elizabeth Fry, Prison Reformer, 1845; and Edith Cavell, Nurse, 1915

Ecclesiasticus 10:6-8, 12-24

⁶Do not get angry with your neighbour for every injury, and do not resort to acts of insolence. ⁷Arrogance is hateful to the Lord and to mortals, and injustice is outrageous to both. ⁸Sovereignty passes from nation to nation on account of injustice and insolence and wealth. 12 The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord; the heart has withdrawn from its Maker. ¹³For the beginning of pride is sin, and the one who clings to it pours out abominations. Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities and destroys them completely. 14 The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers and enthrones the lowly in their place. 15 The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations and plants the humble in their place. ¹⁶The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations and destroys them to the foundations of the earth. ¹⁷He removes some of them and destroys them, and erases the memory of them from the earth. ¹⁸Pride was not created for human beings, or violent anger for those born of women. Persons Deserving Honour ¹⁹Whose offspring are worthy of honour? Human offspring. Whose offspring are worthy of honour? Those who fear the Lord. Whose offspring are unworthy of honour? Human offspring. Whose offspring are unworthy of honour? Those who break the commandments. ²⁰Among family members their leader is worthy of honour, but those who fear the Lord are worthy of honour in his eyes. ²²The rich, and the eminent, and the poor—their glory is the fear of the Lord. ²³It is not right to despise one who is intelligent but poor, and it is not proper to honour one who is sinful. 24 The prince and the judge and the ruler are honoured, but none of them is greater than one who fears the Lord.