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Sirach 38: 1-14

Concerning Physicians and Health

38Honour physicians for their services,
   for the Lord created them;
² for their gift of healing comes from the Most High,
   and they are rewarded by the king.
³ The skill of physicians makes them distinguished,
   and in the presence of the great they are admired.
⁴ The Lord created medicines out of the earth,
   and the sensible will not despise them.
⁵ Was not water made sweet with a tree
   in order that its^* power might be known?
⁶ And he gave skill to human beings
   that he^* might be glorified in his marvellous works.
⁷ By them the physician^* heals and takes away pain;
⁸   the pharmacist makes a mixture from them.
God’s^* works will never be finished;
   and from him health^* spreads over all the earth.

⁹ My child, when you are ill, do not delay,
   but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.
¹⁰ Give up your faults and direct your hands rightly,
   and cleanse your heart from all sin.
¹¹ Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial portion of choice flour,
   and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford.^*
¹² Then give the physician his place, for the Lord created him;
   do not let him leave you, for you need him.
¹³ There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians,^*
¹⁴   for they too pray to the Lord
that he will grant them success in diagnosis^*
   and in healing, for the sake of preserving life.

Isaiah 61: 1-6

The Good News of Deliverance

61The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
   because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
   to bind up the broken-hearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
   and release to the prisoners;
² to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,
   and the day of vengeance of our God;
   to comfort all who mourn;
³ to provide for those who mourn in Zion—
   to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
   the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
   the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.
⁴ They shall build up the ancient ruins,
   they shall raise up the former devastations;
they shall repair the ruined cities,
   the devastations of many generations.

⁵ Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,
   foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines;
⁶ but you shall be called priests of the Lord,
   you shall be named ministers of our God;
you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations,
   and in their riches you shall glory.