My other websites: Catholic, Prophets today, For Kids

Read Today’s Bible Verses following here:

Book of Ruth 1

Naomi in Moab.

1Once back in the time of the judges^* there was a famine in the land; so a man from Bethlehem of Judah left home with his wife and two sons to reside on the plateau of Moab.

2The man was named Elimelech, his wife Naomi, and his sons Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem of Judah. Some time after their arrival on the plateau of Moab,

3Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons.

4They married Moabite women, one named Orpah, the other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years,

5both Mahlon and Chilion died also, and the woman was left with neither her two boys^* nor her husband.

6She and her daughters-in-law then prepared to go back from the plateau of Moab because word had reached her there that the LORD had seen to his people’s needs^* and given them food.

7She and her two daughters-in-law left the place where they had been living. On the road back to the land of Judah,

8Naomi said to her daughters-in-law, “Go back, each of you to your mother’s house.^* May the LORD show you the same kindness as you have shown to the deceased and to me.

9^a May the LORD guide each of you to find a husband and a home in which you will be at rest.” She kissed them good-bye, but they wept aloud,

10crying, “No! We will go back with you, to your people.”

11Naomi replied, “Go back, my daughters. Why come with me? Have I other sons in my womb who could become your husbands?^*

12Go, my daughters, for I am too old to marry again. Even if I had any such hope, or if tonight I had a husband and were to bear sons,

13would you wait for them and deprive yourselves of husbands until those sons grew up? No, my daughters, my lot is too bitter for you, because the LORD has extended his hand against me.”

14Again they wept aloud; then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law good-bye, but Ruth clung to her.

15“See now,” she said, “your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and her god. Go back after your sister-in-law!”

16^* But Ruth said, “Do not press me to go back and abandon you!

Wherever you go I will go,

wherever you lodge I will lodge.

Your people shall be my people

and your God, my God.

17Where you die I will die,

and there be buried.

May the LORD do thus to me, and more, if even death separates me from you!”

18Naomi then ceased to urge her, for she saw she was determined to go with her.

The Return to Bethlehem.

19So they went on together until they reached Bethlehem. On their arrival there, the whole town was excited about them, and the women asked: “Can this be Naomi?”

20^b But she said to them, “Do not call me Naomi [‘Sweet’]. Call me Mara [‘Bitter’], for the Almighty has made my life very bitter.

21^{* c} I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why should you call me ‘Sweet,’ since the LORD has brought me to trial, and the Almighty has pronounced evil sentence on me.”

22Thus it was that Naomi came back with her Moabite daughter-in-law Ruth, who accompanied her back from the plateau of Moab. They arrived in Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.^*k

Ruth 2

The Meeting.

1^* Naomi had a powerful relative named Boaz,^a through the clan of her husband Elimelech.

2^* Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, “I would like to go and glean grain in the field of anyone who will allow me.” Naomi said to her, “Go ahead, my daughter.”

3So she went. The field she entered to glean after the harvesters happened to be the section belonging to Boaz, of the clan of Elimelech.

4^* Soon, along came Boaz from Bethlehem and said to the harvesters, “The LORD be with you,” and they replied, “The LORD bless you.”

5Boaz asked the young man overseeing his harvesters, “Whose young woman is this?”

6The young man overseeing the harvesters answered, “She is the young Moabite who came back with Naomi from the plateau of Moab.^b

7^* She said, ‘I would like to gather the gleanings into sheaves after the harvesters.’ Ever since she came this morning she has remained here until now, with scarcely a moment’s rest.”

8Boaz then spoke to Ruth, “Listen, my daughter. Do not go to glean in anyone else’s field; you are not to leave here. Stay here with my young women.

9Watch to see which field is to be harvested, and follow them. Have I not commanded the young men to do you no harm? When you are thirsty, go and drink from the vessels the young people have filled.”

10Casting herself prostrate upon the ground, she said to him, “Why should I, a foreigner, be favored with your attention?”

11^c Boaz answered her: “I have had a complete account of what you have done for your mother-in-law after your husband’s death; you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom previously you did not know.

12^d May the LORD reward what you have done! May you receive a full reward from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.”

13She said, “May I prove worthy of your favor, my lord. You have comforted me. You have spoken to the heart of your servant^*—and I am not even one of your servants!”

14At mealtime Boaz said to her, “Come here and have something to eat; dip your bread in the sauce.” Then as she sat near the harvesters, he handed her some roasted grain and she ate her fill and had some left over.

15As she rose to glean, Boaz instructed his young people: “Let her glean among the sheaves themselves without scolding her,

16and even drop some handfuls and leave them for her to glean; do not rebuke her.”

17She gleaned in the field until evening, and when she beat out what she had gleaned it came to about an ephah^* of barley,

18which she took into the town and showed to her mother-in-law. Next she brought out what she had left over from the meal and gave it to her.

19So her mother-in-law said to her, “Where did you glean today? Where did you go to work? May the one who took notice of you be blessed!” Then she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked. “The man at whose place I worked today is named Boaz,” she said.

20^e “May he be blessed by the LORD, who never fails to show kindness to the living and to the dead,” Naomi exclaimed to her daughter-in-law. She continued, “This man is a near relative of ours, one of our redeemers.”^*

21“He even told me,” added Ruth the Moabite, “Stay with my young people until they complete my entire harvest.”

22“You would do well, my daughter,” Naomi rejoined, “to work with his young women; in someone else’s field you might be insulted.”

23So she stayed gleaning with Boaz’s young women until the end of the barley and wheat harvests.

Ruth 3

Ruth Again Presents Herself. When Ruth was back with her mother-in-law,

1Naomi said to her, “My daughter, should I not be seeking a pleasing home for you?^a

2^* Now! Is not Boaz,^b whose young women you were working with, a relative of ours? This very night he will be winnowing barley at the threshing floor.

3Now, go bathe and anoint yourself; then put on your best attire and go down to the threshing floor. Do not make yourself known to the man before he has finished eating and drinking.

4But when he lies down, take note of the place where he lies; then go uncover a place at his feet^* and you lie down. He will then tell you what to do.”

5“I will do whatever you say,” Ruth replied.

6She went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her.

7Boaz ate and drank to his heart’s content, and went to lie down at the edge of the pile of grain. She crept up, uncovered a place at his feet, and lay down.

8Midway through the night, the man gave a start and groped about, only to find a woman lying at his feet.

9“Who are you?” he asked. She replied, “I am your servant Ruth. Spread the wing of your cloak^* over your servant, for you are a redeemer.”

10He said, “May the LORD bless you, my daughter! You have been even more loyal now than before in not going after the young men, whether poor or rich.

11Now rest assured, my daughter, I will do for you whatever you say; all my townspeople know you to be a worthy woman.^*

12^c Now, I am in fact a redeemer, but there is another redeemer closer than I.^*

13Stay where you are for tonight, and tomorrow, if he will act as redeemer for you, good. But if he will not, as the LORD lives, I will do it myself. Lie there until morning.”^d

14So she lay at his feet until morning, but rose before anyone could recognize another, for Boaz had said, “Let it not be known that this woman came to the threshing floor.”

15Then he said to her, “Take off the shawl you are wearing; hold it firmly.” When she did so, he poured out six measures of barley and helped her lift the bundle; then he himself left for the town.

16She, meanwhile, went home to her mother-in-law, who asked, “How did things go, my daughter?” So she told her all the man had done for her,

17and concluded, “He gave me these six measures of barley and said, ‘Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty.’”^e

18Naomi then said, “Wait here, my daughter, until you learn what happens, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.”

Ruth 4

Boaz Marries Ruth.

1Boaz went to the gate^* and took a seat there. Along came the other redeemer^a of whom he had spoken. Boaz called to him by name, “Come, sit here.” And he did so.

2Then Boaz picked out ten of the elders^* of the town and asked them to sit nearby. When they had done this,

3he said to the other redeemer: “Naomi, who has come back from the plateau of Moab, is putting up for sale the piece of land that belonged to our kinsman Elimelech.

4^* So I thought I would inform you. Before those here present, including the elders of my people, purchase the field; act as redeemer.^b But if you do not want to do it, tell me so, that I may know, for no one has a right of redemption prior to yours, and mine is next.” He answered, “I will act as redeemer.”

5^* Boaz continued, “When you acquire the field from Naomi, you also acquire responsibility for Ruth the Moabite,^c the widow of the late heir, to raise up a family for the deceased on his estate.”

6The redeemer replied, “I cannot exercise my right of redemption for that would endanger my own estate. You do it in my place, for I cannot.”

7^d Now it used to be the custom in Israel that, to make binding a contract of redemption or exchange, one party would take off a sandal^* and give it to the other. This was the form of attestation in Israel.

8So the other redeemer, in saying to Boaz, “Acquire it for yourself,” drew off his sandal.

9Boaz then said to the elders and to all the people, “You are witnesses today that I have acquired from Naomi all the holdings of Elimelech, Chilion and Mahlon.

10I also acquire Ruth the Moabite, the widow of Mahlon, as my wife, in order to raise up a family for her late husband on his estate, so that the name of the deceased may not perish from his people and his place. Do you witness this today?”

11^e All those at the gate, including the elders, said, “We do. May the LORD make this woman come into your house like Rachel and Leah, who between them built up the house of Israel. Prosper in Ephrathah! Bestow a name in Bethlehem!

12With the offspring the LORD will give you from this young woman, may your house become like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.”^*

13Boaz took Ruth. When they came together as husband and wife, the LORD enabled her to conceive and she bore a son.

14Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed is the LORD who has not failed to provide you today with a redeemer. May he become famous in Israel!

15He will restore your life and be the support of your old age, for his mother is the daughter-in-law who loves you. She is worth more to you than seven sons!”

16Naomi took the boy, cradled him^* against her breast, and cared for him.

17The neighbor women joined the celebration: “A son has been born to Naomi!”^f They named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.

18^g These are the descendants of Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron,^h

19Hezron was the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab,

20ⁱ Amminadab was the father of Nahshon, Nahshon was the father of Salma,

21Salma was the father of Boaz, Boaz was the father of Obed,

22^j Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse became the father of David.

1 Corinthians 8

Knowledge Insufficient.

1Now in regard to meat sacrificed to idols:^* we realize that “all of us have knowledge”; knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up.^a

2If anyone supposes he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

3But if one loves God, one is known by him.^b

4So about the eating of meat sacrificed to idols: we know that “there is no idol in the world,” and that “there is no God but one.”^c

5Indeed, even though there are so-called gods in heaven and on earth (there are, to be sure, many “gods” and many “lords”),

6^* yet for us there is

one God, the Father,

from whom all things are and for whom we exist,

and one Lord, Jesus Christ,

through whom all things are and through whom we exist.^d

Practical Rules.

7But not all have this knowledge. There are some who have been so used to idolatry up until now that, when they eat meat sacrificed to idols, their conscience, which is weak, is defiled.^e

8^* Now food will not bring us closer to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, nor are we better off if we do.^f

9But make sure that this liberty of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak.^g

10If someone sees you, with your knowledge, reclining at table in the temple of an idol, may not his conscience too, weak as it is, be “built up” to eat the meat sacrificed to idols?

11Thus through your knowledge, the weak person is brought to destruction, the brother for whom Christ died.^h

12When you sin in this way against your brothers and wound their consciences, weak as they are, you are sinning against Christ.

13^{* i} Therefore, if food causes my brother to sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I may not cause my brother to sin.

Sermons Rosary Prayers Catholic Answers

Introduction to the

THE BOOK OF RUTH

The Book of Ruth is named for the Moabite woman who commits herself to the Israelite people by an oath to her mother-in-law Naomi and becomes the great-grandmother of David by marriage to Boaz of Bethlehem. Thus she is an ancestor in the messianic line that leads to Jesus (Mt 1:5).

The book portrays the love and loyalty of human beings in working their way through tragic circumstances to participation in the community of the faithful people of God. The key is responsible and loving decision-making: Ruth’s loyalty (2:11), her generosity (1:15–17; 2:2, 7) and her willingness to take risks for the sake of righteousness set in motion a chain of beneficial events, while behind the scenes God blesses each step in the developing drama. Ruth is so frequently designated “the Moabite” in the book that the audience of the story is constantly reminded of the universality of the embrace of salvation.

In the Greek and Latin canons, Ruth follows Judges, to which it is related by its opening time reference (“Once back in the time of the judges…”), and precedes Samuel, serving as transition from Israel as tribal union to monarchy. In the present sequence of the Hebrew canon it is placed among the “Writings” immediately after the Book of Proverbs, which ends with a powerful portrayal of “the woman of worth” (Prv 31:10–31; cf. Ru 3:11). Ruth is the primary liturgical text in Judaism for the celebration of the feast of Weeks (Shabuot).

The beauty of the story’s construction, its use of dialogue (nearly two thirds of the text), and the sheer drama of its content mark it as one of the classic short stories of world literature. Based on the recollection of an historical figure, a story is developed which grips its audience with profound insight into divine and human relationships. The story is presented from a point some time after the course of events, as is indicated by the explanation of an obscure custom in 4:7. Wherever and whenever it was told, its claim of God’s universal concern for humankind and the attractiveness of caring human responsibility shines forth.

The date of composition is disputed. Many authors date it early in the monarchy, and valid arguments can be presented for that position. Others argue for a postexilic date; they see the favorable presentation of a Moabite woman who became David’s grandmother as a counter to the stringent measures of Ezra and Nehemiah against marriage with Moabites and other non-Jews (Ezr 9–10; Neh 13:23–29).

The book of 1 Corinthians

THE FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

Paul’s first letter to the church of Corinth provides us with a fuller insight into the life of an early Christian community of the first generation than any other book of the New Testament. Through it we can glimpse both the strengths and the weaknesses of this small group in a great city of the ancient world, men and women who had accepted the good news of Christ and were now trying to realize in their lives the implications of their baptism. Paul, who had founded the community and continued to look after it as a father, responds both to questions addressed to him and to situations of which he had been informed. In doing so, he reveals much about himself, his teaching, and the way in which he conducted his work of apostleship. Some things are puzzling because we have the correspondence only in one direction. For the person studying this letter, it seems to raise as many questions as it answers, but without it our knowledge of church life in the middle of the first century would be much poorer.

Paul established a Christian community in Corinth about the year 51, on his second missionary journey. The city, a commercial crossroads, was a melting pot full of devotees of various pagan cults and marked by a measure of moral depravity not unusual in a great seaport. The Acts of the Apostles suggests that moderate success attended Paul’s efforts among the Jews in Corinth at first, but that they soon turned against him (Acts 18:1–8). More fruitful was his year and a half spent among the Gentiles (Acts 18:11), which won to the faith many of the city’s poor and underprivileged (1 Cor 1:26). After his departure the eloquent Apollos, an Alexandrian Jewish Christian, rendered great service to the community, expounding “from the scriptures that the Messiah is Jesus” (Acts 18:24–28).

While Paul was in Ephesus on his third journey (1 Cor 16:8; Acts 19:1–20), he received disquieting news about Corinth. The community there was displaying open factionalism, as certain members were identifying themselves exclusively with individual Christian leaders and interpreting Christian teaching as a superior wisdom for the initiated few (1 Cor 1:10–4:21). The community lacked the decisiveness to take appropriate action against one of its members who was living publicly in an incestuous union (1 Cor 5:1–13). Other members engaged in legal conflicts in pagan courts of law (1 Cor 6:1–11); still others may have participated in religious prostitution (1 Cor 6:12–20) or temple sacrifices (1 Cor 10:14–22).

The community’s ills were reflected in its liturgy. In the celebration of the Eucharist certain members discriminated against others, drank too freely at the agape, or fellowship meal, and denied Christian social courtesies to the poor among the membership (1 Cor 11:17–22). Charisms such as ecstatic prayer, attributed freely to the impulse of the holy Spirit, were more highly prized than works of charity (1 Cor 13:1–2, 8), and were used at times in a disorderly way (1 Cor 14:1–40). Women appeared at the assembly without the customary head-covering (1 Cor 11:3–16), and perhaps were quarreling over their right to address the assembly (1 Cor 14:34–35).

Still other problems with which Paul had to deal concerned matters of conscience discussed among the faithful members of the community: the eating of meat that had been sacrificed to idols (1 Cor 8:1–13), the use of sex in marriage (1 Cor 7:1–7), and the attitude to be taken by the unmarried toward marriage in view of the possible proximity of Christ’s second coming (1 Cor 7:25–40). There was also a doctrinal matter that called for Paul’s attention, for some members of the community, despite their belief in the resurrection of Christ, were denying the possibility of general bodily resurrection.

To treat this wide spectrum of questions, Paul wrote this letter from Ephesus about the year 56. The majority of the Corinthian Christians may well have been quite faithful. Paul writes on their behalf to guard against the threats posed to the community by the views and conduct of various minorities. He writes with confidence in the authority of his apostolic mission, and he presumes that the Corinthians, despite their deficiencies, will recognize and accept it. On the other hand, he does not hesitate to exercise his authority as his judgment dictates in each situation, even going so far as to promise a direct confrontation with recalcitrants, should the abuses he scores remain uncorrected (1 Cor 4:18–21).

The letter illustrates well the mind and character of Paul. Although he is impelled to insist on his office as founder of the community, he recognizes that he is only one servant of God among many and generously acknowledges the labors of Apollos (1 Cor 3:5–8). He provides us in this letter with many valuable examples of his method of theological reflection and exposition. He always treats the questions at issue on the level of the purity of Christian teaching and conduct. Certain passages of the letter are of the greatest importance for the understanding of early Christian teaching on the Eucharist (1 Cor 10:14–22; 11:17–34) and on the resurrection of the body (1 Cor 15:1–58).

Paul’s authorship of 1 Corinthians, apart from a few verses that some regard as later interpolations, has never been seriously questioned. Some scholars have proposed, however, that the letter as we have it contains portions of more than one original Pauline letter. We know that Paul wrote at least two other letters to Corinth (see 1 Cor 5:9; 2 Cor 2:3–4) in addition to the two that we now have; this theory holds that the additional letters are actually contained within the two canonical ones. Most commentators, however, find 1 Corinthians quite understandable as a single coherent work.

The principal divisions of the First Letter to the Corinthians are the following:

1. Address (1:1–9)
2. Disorders in the Corinthian Community (1:10–6:20)
   1. Divisions in the Church (1:10–4:21)
   2. Moral Disorders (5:1–6:20)
3. Answers to the Corinthians’ Questions (7:1–11:1)
   1. Marriage and Virginity (7:1–40)
   2. Offerings to Idols (8:1–11:1)
4. Problems in Liturgical Assemblies (11:2–14:40)
   1. Women’s Headdresses (11:3–16)
   2. The Lord’s Supper (11:17–34)
   3. Spiritual Gifts (12:1–14:40)
5. The Resurrection (15:1–58)
   1. The Resurrection of Christ (15:1–11)
   2. The Resurrection of the Dead (15:12–34)
   3. The Manner of the Resurrection (15:35–58)
6. Conclusion (16:1–24)