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Sirach 5: 1-8

Precepts for Everyday Living

5Do not rely on your wealth,
   or say, ‘I have enough.’
² Do not follow your inclination and strength
   in pursuing the desires of your heart.
³ Do not say, ‘Who can have power over me?’
   for the Lord will surely punish you.

⁴ Do not say, ‘I sinned, yet what has happened to me?’
   for the Lord is slow to anger.
⁵ Do not be so confident of forgiveness^*
   that you add sin to sin.
⁶ Do not say, ‘His mercy is great,
   he will forgive^* the multitude of my sins’,
for both mercy and wrath are with him,
   and his anger will rest on sinners.
⁷ Do not delay to turn back to the Lord,
   and do not postpone it from day to day;
for suddenly the wrath of the Lord will come upon you,
   and at the time of punishment you will perish.
⁸ Do not depend on dishonest wealth,
   for it will not benefit you on the day of calamity.

James 2: 1-9

Warning against Partiality

2My brothers and sisters,^* do you with your acts of favouritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?^* ²For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, ³and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, ‘Have a seat here, please’, while to the one who is poor you say, ‘Stand there’, or, ‘Sit at my feet’,^* ⁴have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? ⁵Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters.^* Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? ⁶But you have dishonoured the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? ⁷Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?

8 You do well if you really fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ ⁹But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.