Today Someone...Be an example.

Dear Lord,

Today Someone stands up for God's Word;
Let me be like ...
He who professes to have knowledge of God,
He who styles himself as a child of the LORD.

The wicked say,
“Let us beset the just one, he is obnoxious to us;
He sets himself against our doings,
Reproaches us for our transgressions.

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 as from things impure.
He calls blest 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 are their thoughts, but they err;
For their wickedness blinds them, and they know not the hidden counsels of God;
Neither do they count on a recompense of holiness,
Nor discern the innocent souls’ reward.

Amen.

(Wisdom 2: 1, 12-22)