Eccl 12, 1. 7 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth

(Eccl 12, 1. 7) Remember your Creator in the days of your youth

[1] Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years approach of which you will say, I have no pleasure in them. [7] And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the life breath returns to God who gave it.

(CCC 1007) Death is the end of earthly life. Our lives are measured by time, in the course of which we change, grow old and, as with all living beings on earth, death seems like the normal end of life. That aspect of death lends urgency to our lives: remembering our mortality helps us realize that we have only a limited time in which to bring our lives to fulfillment: Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth,… before the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it (Eccl 12:1, 7).

Eccl 5, 9 The covetous man is never satisfied with money

(Eccl 5, 9) The covetous man is never satisfied with money

[9] The covetous man is never satisfied with money, and the lover of wealth reaps no fruit from it; so this too is vanity.

(CCC 2536) The tenth commandment forbids greed and the desire to amass earthly goods without limit. It forbids avarice arising from a passion for riches and their attendant power. It also forbids the desire to commit injustice by harming our neighbor in his temporal goods: When the Law says, "You shall not covet," these words mean that we should banish our desires for whatever does not belong to us. Our thirst for another's goods is immense, infinite, never quenched. Thus it is written: "He who loves money never has money enough" (Roman Catechism, III, 37; cf. Sir 5:8).

Eccl 3, 20-21 Both go to the same place

Ecclesiastes (Qoheleth)

(Eccl 3, 20-21) Both go to the same place

[20] Both go to the same place; both were made from the dust, and to the dust they both return. [21] Who knows if the life-breath of the children of men goes upward and the life-breath of beasts goes earthward?

(CCC 703) The Word of God and his Breath are at the origin of the being and life of every creature (Cf. Pss 33:6; 104:30; Gen 1:2; 2:7; Eccl 3:20-21; Ezek 37:10): It belongs to the Holy Spirit to rule, sanctify, and animate creation, for he is God, consubstantial with the Father and the Son.... Power over life pertains to the Spirit, for being God he preserves creation in the Father through the Son (Byzantine liturgy, Sundays of the second mode, Troparion of Morning Prayer).

Prov 25, 9 Another man's secret do not disclose

(Prov 25, 9) Another man's secret do not disclose

[9] Discuss your case with your neighbor, but another man's secret do not disclose; [10] Lest, hearing it, he reproach you, and your ill repute cease not.

(CCC 2489) Charity and respect for the truth should dictate the response to every request for information or communication. The good and safety of others, respect for privacy, and the common good are sufficient reasons for being silent about what ought not be known or for making use of a discreet language. The duty to avoid scandal often commands strict discretion. No one is bound to reveal the truth to someone who does not have the right to know it (Cf. Sir 27:16; Prov 25:9-10).

Prov 21, 1 Wherever it pleases him, he directs it

(Prov 21, 1) Wherever it pleases him, he directs it

[1] Like a stream is the king's heart in the hand of the LORD; wherever it pleases him, he directs it.

(CCC 269) The Holy Scriptures repeatedly confess the universal power of God. He is called the "Mighty One of Jacob", the "LORD of hosts", the "strong and mighty" one. If God is almighty "in heaven and on earth", it is because he made them (Gen 49:24; Isa 1:24 etc.; Pss 24:8-10; 135 6). Nothing is impossible with God, who disposes his works according to his will (Cf. Jer 27:5; 32:17; Lk 1:37). He is the Lord of the universe, whose order he established and which remains wholly subject to him and at his disposal. He is master of history, governing hearts and events in keeping with his will: "It is always in your power to show great strength, and who can withstand the strength of your arm? (Wis 11:21; cf. Esth 4:17b; Prov 21:1; Tob 13:2).

Prov 19, 21 It is the decision of the LORD that endures

(Prov 19, 21) It is the decision of the LORD that endures

[21] Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the decision of the LORD that endures.

(CCC 303) The witness of Scripture is unanimous that the solicitude of divine providence is concrete and immediate; God cares for all, from the least things to the great events of the world and its history. The sacred books powerfully affirm God's absolute sovereignty over the course of events: "Our God is in the heavens; he does whatever he pleases" (Ps 115:3) and so it is with Christ, "who opens and no one shall shut, who shuts and no one opens" (Rev 3:7). As the book of Proverbs states: "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established" (Prov 19:21).

Prov 19, 9 The false witness will not go unpunished

(Prov 19, 9) The false witness will not go unpunished

[9] The false witness will not go unpunished, and he who utters lies will perish.

(CCC 2504) "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Ex 20:16). Christ's disciples have "put on the new man, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness" (Eph 4:24).

Prov 18, 5 It is not good to be partial to the guilty

(Prov 18, 5) It is not good to be partial to the guilty

[5] It is not good to be partial to the guilty, and so to reject a rightful claim.

(CCC 2476) False witness and perjury. When it is made publicly, a statement contrary to the truth takes on a particular gravity. In court it becomes false witness (Cf. Prov 19:9). When it is under oath, it is perjury. Acts such as these contribute to condemnation of the innocent, exoneration of the guilty, or the increased punishment of the accused (Cf. Prov 18:5).

Prov 17, 6 Grandchildren are the crown of old men

(Prov 17, 6) Grandchildren are the crown of old men

[6] Grandchildren are the crown of old men, and the glory of children is their parentage.

(CCC 2219) Filial respect promotes harmony in all of family life; it also concerns relationships between brothers and sisters. Respect toward parents fills the home with light and warmth. "Grandchildren are the crown of the aged" (Prov 17:6). "With all humility and meekness, with patience, [support] one another in charity" (Eph 4:2).

Prov 14, 15 The shrewd man measures his steps

(Prov 14, 15) The shrewd man measures his steps

[15] The simpleton believes everything, but the shrewd man measures his steps.

(CCC 1806) Prudence is the virtue that disposes practical reason to discern our true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it; "the prudent man looks where he is going" (Prov 14:15). "Keep sane and sober for your prayers" (1 Pet 4:7). Prudence is "right reason in action," writes St. Thomas Aquinas, following Aristotle (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh II-II, 47, 2). It is not to be confused with timidity or fear, nor with duplicity or dissimulation. It is called auriga virtutum (the charioteer of the virtues); it guides the other virtues by setting rule and measure. It is prudence that immediately guides the judgment of conscience. The prudent man determines and directs his conduct in accordance with this judgment. With the help of this virtue we apply moral principles to particular cases without error and overcome doubts about the good to achieve and the evil to avoid.

Prov 13, 1 A wise son loves correction

(Prov 13, 1) A wise son loves correction

[1] A wise son loves correction, but the senseless one heeds no rebuke.

(CCC 2216) Filial respect is shown by true docility and obedience. "My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching.... When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you" (Prov 6:20-22). "A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke" (Prov 13:1).

Prov 8, 22-31 I was poured forth before the earth

(Prov 8, 22-31) I was poured forth before the earth

[22] "The LORD begot me, the first-born of his ways, the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago; [23] From of old I was poured forth, at the first, before the earth. [24] When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no fountains or springs of water; [25] Before the mountains were settled into place, before the hills, I was brought forth; [26] While as yet the earth and the fields were not made, nor the first clods of the world. [27] "When he established the heavens I was there, when he marked out the vault over the face of the deep; [28] When he made firm the skies above, when he fixed fast the foundations of the earth; [29] When he set for the sea its limit, so that the waters should not transgress his command; [30] Then was I beside him as his craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, Playing before him all the while, [31] playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the sons of men.

(CCC 288) Thus the revelation of creation is inseparable from the revelation and forging of the covenant of the one God with his People. Creation is revealed as the first step towards this covenant, the first and universal witness to God's all-powerful love (Cf. Gen 15:5; Jer 33:19-26). And so, the truth of creation is also expressed with growing vigour in the message of the prophets, the prayer of the psalms and the liturgy, and in the wisdom sayings of the Chosen People (Cf. Isa 44:24; Ps 104; Prov 8:22-31).

Prov 8, 1-9 My appeal is to the children of men

(Prov 8, 1-9) My appeal is to the children of men

[1] Does not Wisdom call, and Understanding raise her voice? [2] On the top of the heights along the road, at the crossroads she takes her stand; [3] By the gates at the approaches of the city, in the entryways she cries aloud: [4] "To you, O men, I call; my appeal is to the children of men. [5] You simple ones, gain resource, you fools, gain sense. [6] "Give heed! for noble things I speak; honesty opens my lips. [7] Yes, the truth my mouth recounts, but the wickedness my lips abhor. [8] Sincere are all the words of my mouth, no one of them is wily or crooked; [9] All of them are plain to the man of intelligence, and right to those who attain knowledge.

(CCC 721) Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense the Church's Tradition has often read the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary (Cf. Prov 8:1- 9:6; Sir 24). Mary is acclaimed and represented in the liturgy as the "Seat of Wisdom." In her, the "wonders of God" that the Spirit was to fulfill in Christ and the Church began to be manifested. (CCC 2465) The Old Testament attests that God is the source of all truth. His Word is truth. His Law is truth. His "faithfulness endures to all generations" (Ps 119:90; Cf. Prov 8:7; 2 Sam 7:28; Ps 119:142; Lk 1:50). Since God is "true," the members of his people are called to live in the truth (Rom 3:4; cf. Ps 119:30).

Prov 6, 20 Reject not your mother's teaching

(Prov 6, 20) Reject not your mother's teaching

[20] Observe, my son, your father's bidding, and reject not your mother's teaching; [21] Keep them fastened over your heart always, put them around your neck;

(CCC 2216) Filial respect is shown by true docility and obedience. "My son, keep your father's commandment, and forsake not your mother's teaching.... When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you" (Prov 6:20-22). "A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke" (Prov 13:1).

Prov 1, 8 Hear, my son, your father's instruction

Proverbs

(Prov 1, 8) Hear, my son, your father's instruction

[8] Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and reject not your mother's teaching;

(CCC 2214) The divine fatherhood is the source of human fatherhood (Cf. Eph 3:14) this is the foundation of the honor owed to parents. The respect of children, whether minors or adults, for their father and mother (Cf. Prov 1:8; Tob 4:3-4) is nourished by the natural affection born of the bond uniting them. It is required by God's commandment (Cf. Ex 20:12).

Ps 146, 3-4 I Put no trust in princes

(Ps 146, 3-4) I Put no trust in princes

[3] I Put no trust in princes, in mere mortals powerless to save. [4] When they breathe their last, they return to the earth; that day all their planning comes to nothing.

(CCC 150) Faith is first of all a personal adherence of man to God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is a free assent to the whole truth that God has revealed. As personal adherence to God and assent to his truth, Christian faith differs from our faith in any human person. It is right and just to entrust oneself wholly to God and to believe absolutely what he says. It would be futile and false to place such faith in a creature (Cf. Jer 17:5-6; Ps 40:5; 146:3-4).

Ps 145, 9 The LORD is good to all

(Ps 145, 9) The LORD is good to all

[9] The LORD is good to all, compassionate to every creature.

(CCC 295) We believe that God created the world according to his wisdom (Cf. Wis 9:9). It is not the product of any necessity whatever, nor of blind fate or chance. We believe that it proceeds from God's free will; he wanted to make his creatures share in his being, wisdom and goodness: "For you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created" (Rev 4:11). Therefore the Psalmist exclaims: "O LORD, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all"; and "The LORD is good to all, and his compassion is over all that he has made" (Pss 104:24; 145:9). (CCC 342) The hierarchy of creatures is expressed by the order of the "six days", from the less perfect to the more perfect. God loves all his creatures (Cf. Ps 145:9) and takes care of each one, even the sparrow. Nevertheless, Jesus said: "You are of more value than many sparrows", or again: "of how much more value is a man than a sheep!" (Lk 12:6-7; Mt 12:12). (CCC 343) Man is the summit of the Creator's work, as the inspired account expresses by clearly distinguishing the creation of man from that of the other creatures (Cf. Gen 1-26).

Ps 145, 3 God's grandeur is beyond understanding

(Ps 145, 3) God's grandeur is beyond understanding

[3] Great is the LORD and worthy of high praise; God's grandeur is beyond understanding.

(CCC 300) God is infinitely greater than all his works: "You have set your glory above the heavens" (Ps 8:1; cf. Sir 43:28). Indeed, God's "greatness is unsearchable" (Ps 145:3). But because he is the free and sovereign Creator, the first cause of all that exists, God is present to his creatures' inmost being: "In him we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). In the words of St. Augustine, God is "higher than my highest and more inward than my innermost self" (St. Augustine, Conf. 3, 6, 11: PL 32, 688).

Ps 143, 10 May your kind spirit guide me

(Ps 143, 10) May your kind spirit guide me

[10] Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. May your kind spirit guide me on ground that is level.

(CCC 1831) The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David (Cf. Isa 11:1-2). They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations. Let your good spirit lead me on a level path(Ps 143:10). For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God… If children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ (Rom 8:14 17).

Ps 139, 15 My bones were not hidden from you

(Ps 139, 15) My bones were not hidden from you

[15] my bones were not hidden from you, When I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth.

(CCC 2270) Human life must be respected and protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person - among which is the inviolable right of every innocent being to life (Cf. CDF, Donum vitae I, 1). Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you (Jer 1:5; cf. Job 10:8-12; Ps 22:10-11). My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately wrought in the depths of the earth (Ps 139:15). (CCC 2272) Formal cooperation in an abortion constitutes a grave offense. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life. "A person who procures a completed abortion incurs excommunication latae sententiae" (CIC, can. 1398), "by the very commission of the offense" (CIC, can. 1314), and subject to the conditions provided by Canon Law (Cf. CIC, cann. 1323-1324). The Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy. Rather, she makes clear the gravity of the crime committed, the irreparable harm done to the innocent who is put to death, as well as to the parents and the whole of society.

Ps 138, 1-2 I thank you, LORD, with all my heart

(Ps 138, 1-2) I thank you, LORD, with all my heart

[1] I thank you, LORD, with all my heart; before the gods to you I sing. [2] I bow low toward your holy temple; I praise your name for your fidelity and love. For you have exalted over all your name and your promise.

(CCC 304) And so we see the Holy Spirit, the principal author of Sacred Scripture, often attributing actions to God without mentioning any secondary causes. This is not a "primitive mode of speech", but a profound way of recalling God's primacy and absolute Lordship over history and the world (Cf. Isa 10:5-15; 45:51; Dt 32:39; Sir 11:14), and so of educating his people to trust in him. The prayer of the Psalms is the great school of this trust (Cf. Pss 22; 32; 35; 103; 138; et al.). (CCC 214) God, "He who is", revealed himself to Israel as the one "abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Ex 34:6). These two terms express summarily the riches of the divine name. In all his works God displays, not only his kindness, goodness, grace and steadfast love, but also his trustworthiness, constancy, faithfulness and truth. "I give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness" (Ps 138:2; cf. Ps 85:11). He is the Truth, for "God is light and in him there is no darkness"; "God is love", as the apostle John teaches (1 Jn 1:5; 4:8).

Ps 135, 6 Whatever the LORD wishes he does

(Ps 135, 6) Whatever the LORD wishes he does

[6] Whatever the LORD wishes he does in heaven and on earth, in the seas and in all the deeps.

(CCC 269) The Holy Scriptures repeatedly confess the universal power of God. He is called the "Mighty One of Jacob", the "LORD of hosts", the "strong and mighty" one. If God is almighty "in heaven and on earth", it is because he made them (Gen 49:24; Isa 1:24 etc.; Pss 24:8-10; 135 6). Nothing is impossible with God, who disposes his works according to his will (Cf. Jer 27:5; 32:17; Lk 1:37). He is the Lord of the universe, whose order he established and which remains wholly subject to him and at his disposal. He is master of history, governing hearts and events in keeping with his will: "It is always in your power to show great strength, and who can withstand the strength of your arm? (Wis 11:21; cf. Esth 4:17b; Prov 21:1; Tob 13:2).

Ps 134, 3 The LORD who made heaven and earth

(Ps 134, 3) The LORD who made heaven and earth

[3] May the LORD who made heaven and earth bless you from Zion.

(CCC 288) Thus the revelation of creation is inseparable from the revelation and forging of the covenant of the one God with his People. Creation is revealed as the first step towards this covenant, the first and universal witness to God's all-powerful love (Cf. Gen 15:5; Jer 33:19-26). And so, the truth of creation is also expressed with growing vigour in the message of the prophets, the prayer of the psalms and the liturgy, and in the wisdom sayings of the Chosen People (Cf. Isa 44:24; Ps 104; Prov 8:22-31).

Ps 130, 1-3 Lord, hear my voice

(Ps 130, 1-3) Lord, hear my voice

[1] A song of ascents. Out of the depths I call to you, LORD; [2 ] Lord, hear my voice: Let thy ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. [3] If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?

(CCC 2559) "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God" (St. John Damascene, De fide orth. 3, 24: PG 94, 1089C) But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? (Ps 130:1). He who humbles himself will be exalted (Cf. Lk 18:9-14); humility is the foundation of prayer, Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought" (Rom 8:26), are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God" (St. Augustine, Sermo 56, 6, 9: PL 38, 381). (CCC 239) By calling God "Father", the language of faith indicates two main things: that God is the first origin of everything and transcendent authority; and that he is at the same time goodness and loving care for all his children. God's parental tenderness can also be expressed by the image of motherhood (Cf. Isa 66:13; Ps 131:2), which emphasizes God's immanence, the intimacy between Creator and creature. The language of faith thus draws on the human experience of parents, who are in a way the first representatives of God for man. But this experience also tells us that human parents are fallible and can disfigure the face of fatherhood and motherhood. We ought therefore to recall that God transcends the human distinction between the sexes. He is neither man nor woman: he is God. He also transcends human fatherhood and motherhood, although he is their origin and standard (Cf. Ps 27:10; Eph 3:14; Isa 49:15): no one is father as God is Father.

Ps 124, 8 LORD the maker of heaven and earth

(Ps 124, 8) LORD the maker of heaven and earth

[8] Our help is the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

(CCC 287) The truth about creation is so important for all of human life that God in his tenderness wanted to reveal to his People everything that is salutary to know on the subject. Beyond the natural knowledge that every man can have of the Creator (Cf. Acts 17:24-29; Rom 1:19-20), God progressively revealed to Israel the mystery of creation. He who chose the patriarchs, who brought Israel out of Egypt, and who by choosing Israel created and formed it, this same God reveals himself as the One to whom belong all the peoples of the earth, and the whole earth itself; he is the One who alone "made heaven and earth" (Cf. Isa 43:1; Pss 115:15; 124:8; 134:3).

Ps 121, 2 My help comes from the LORD

(Ps 121, 2) My help comes from the LORD

[2] My help comes from the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

(CCC 1605) Holy Scripture affirms that man and woman were created for one another: "It is not good that the man should be alone" (Gen 2:18). The woman, "flesh of his flesh," his equal, his nearest in all things, is given to him by God as a "helpmate"; she thus represents God from whom comes our help (Cf. Gen 2:18-25). "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh" (Gen 2:24). The Lord himself shows that this signifies an unbreakable union of their two lives by recalling what the plan of the Creator had been "in the beginning": "So they are no longer two, but one flesh" (Mt 19:6).

Ps 119, 160 Your every word is enduring

(Ps 119, 160) Your every word is enduring

[160] Your every word is enduring; all your just edicts are forever.

(CCC 215) "The sum of your word is truth; and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever" (Ps 119:160) "and now, O LORD God, you are God, and your words are true" (2 Sam 7:28); this is why God's promises always come true (Cf. Dt 7:9). God is Truth itself, whose words cannot deceive. This is why one can abandon oneself in full trust to the truth and faithfulness of his word in all things. The beginning of sin and of man's fall was due to a lie of the tempter who induced doubt of God's word, kindness and faithfulness.

Ps 119, 142 Your justice is forever right

(Ps 119, 142) Your justice is forever right

[142] Your justice is forever right, your teaching forever true.

(CCC 271) God's almighty power is in no way arbitrary: "In God, power, essence, will, intellect, wisdom, and justice are all identical. Nothing therefore can be in God's power which could not be in his just will or his wise intellect" (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh I, 25, 5, ad I).

Ps 119, 105 Your word is a lamp for my feet

(Ps 119, 105) Your word is a lamp for my feet

[105] Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my path.

(CCC 141) "The Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord" (DV 21): both nourish and govern the whole Christian life. "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps 119:105; cf. Isa 50:4).

Ps 119. 30. 90 Through all generations your truth

(Ps 119. 30. 90) Through all generations your truth

[30] The way of loyalty I have chosen; I have set your edicts before me. I cling to your decrees, LORD; do not let me come to shame. [90] Through all generations your truth endures; fixed to stand firm like the earth.

(CCC 2465) The Old Testament attests that God is the source of all truth. His Word is truth. His Law is truth. His "faithfulness endures to all generations" (Ps 119:90; Cf. Prov 8:7; 2 Sam 7:28; Ps 119:142; Lk 1:50). Since God is "true," the members of his people are called to live in the truth (Rom 3:4; cf. Ps 119:30).

Ps 118, 26 Blessed is he who comes

(Ps 118, 26) Blessed is he who comes

[26] Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. We bless you from the LORD'S house.

(CCC 560) Jesus' entry into Jerusalem manifested the coming of the kingdom that the King-Messiah was going to accomplish by the Passover of his Death and Resurrection. It is with the celebration of that entry on Palm Sunday that the Church's liturgy solemnly opens Holy Week.