• At the time of the evening sacrifice, I, Ezra, rose in my wretchedness, and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees, stretching out my hands to the LORD, my God. I said: "My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you, O my God, for our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads and our guilt reaches up to heaven. From the time of our fathers even to this day great has been our guilt, and for our wicked deeds we have been delivered over, we and our kings and our […]
  • He scourges and then has mercy; he casts down to the depths of the nether world, and he brings up from the great abyss. No one can escape his hand. Praise him, you children of Israel, before the Gentiles, for though he has scattered you among them, He has shown you his greatness even there. Exalt him before every living being, because he is the Lord our God, our Father and God forever. He scourged you for your iniquities, but will again have mercy on you all. He will gather you from all the Gentiles among whom you have been […]
  • Jesus summoned the Twelve and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there and leave from there. And as for those who do not welcome you, when you leave that town, shake the dust from your feet in testimony against them." Then they set out and went from village […]
  • Since I came here, I have had no rest. I have been from village to village and every child not yet baptized I have baptized… But the children would not let me say my office or eat or rest till I had taught them some prayer. It was then that I really began to feel that of such is the kingdom of heaven (Mk 10,14). I could not reject so religious a request without myself being irreligious. I made a start with the sign of the cross and taught them the Apostles' Creed, the Our Father and the Hail Mary. […]