Old Testament: Jeremiah 2:4-13

⁴Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. ⁵Thus says the Lord: What wrong did your ancestors find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves? ⁶They did not say, “Where is the Lord who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that no one passes through, where no one lives?” ⁷I brought you into a plentiful land to eat its fruits and its good things. But when you entered you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination. ⁸The priests did not say, “Where is the Lord?” Those who handle the law did not know me; the rulers transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after things that do not profit.

⁹Therefore once more I accuse you, says the Lord, and I accuse your children’s children. ¹⁰Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has ever been such a thing.¹¹Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for something that does not profit. ¹²Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked, be utterly desolate, says the Lord, ¹³for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water.

Psalm: Psalm 81:1, 10-16

¹ Sing with joy to God our strength *
        and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.

¹⁰ I am the Lord your God,
       who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said, *
      “Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.”
¹¹ And yet my people did not hear my voice, *
       and Israel would not obey me.
¹² So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts, *
       to follow their own devices.
¹³ Oh, that my people would listen to me! *
       that Israel would walk in my ways!
¹⁴ I should soon subdue their enemies *
       and turn my hand against their foes.
¹⁵ Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, *
       and their punishment would last for ever.
¹⁶ But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat *
       and satisfy him with honey from the rock.

Old Testament: Sirach 10:12-18 or Proverbs 25:6-7

¹² The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;
   the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.
¹³ For the beginning of pride is sin,
   and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.
Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities,
   and destroys them completely.
¹⁴ The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers,
   and enthrones the lowly in their place.
¹⁵ The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations,
   and plants the humble in their place.
¹⁶ The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations,
   and destroys them to the foundations of the earth.
¹⁷ He removes some of them and destroys them,
   and erases the memory of them from the earth.
¹⁸ Pride was not created for human beings,
   or violent anger for those born of women.

or

⁶Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence
or stand in the place of the great;
⁷for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. What your eyes have seen

Psalm: Psalm 112

¹ Hallelujah!
  Happy are they who fear the Lord *
        and have great delight in his commandments!
² Their descendants will be mighty in the land; *
        the generation of the upright will be blessed.
³ Wealth and riches will be in their house, *
        and their righteousness will last for ever.
⁴ Light shines in the darkness for the upright; *
        the righteous are merciful and full of compassion.
⁵ It is good for them to be generous in lending *
        and to manage their affairs with justice.
⁶ For they will never be shaken; *
        the righteous will be kept in everlasting remembrance.
⁷ They will not be afraid of any evil rumors; *
        their heart is right;
        they put their trust in the Lord.
⁸ Their heart is established and will not shrink, *
        until they see their desire upon their enemies.
⁹ They have given freely to the poor, *
        and their righteousness stands fast for ever;
        they will hold up their head with honor.
¹⁰ The wicked will see it and be angry;
    they will gnash their teeth and pine away; *
        the desires of the wicked will perish.