Living in exile

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Take courage, my people,
who perpetuate Israel’s name!
It was not for destruction
that you were sold to the nations,
but you were handed over to your enemies
because you angered God.
For you provoked the one who made you
by sacrificing to demons and not to God.
You forgot the everlasting God, who brought you up,
and you grieved Jerusalem, who reared you.
For she saw the wrath that came upon you from God,
and she said:
Listen, you neighbours of Zion,
God has brought great sorrow upon me;
for I have seen the exile of my sons and daughters,
which the Everlasting brought upon them.
With joy I nurtured them,
but I sent them away with weeping and sorrow.
Let no one rejoice over me, a widow
and bereaved of many;
I was left desolate because of the sins of my children,
because they turned away from the law of God.
Take courage, my children, and cry to God,
for you will be remembered by the one who brought this upon you.
For just as you were disposed to go astray from God,
return with tenfold zeal to seek him.
For the one who brought these calamities upon you
will bring you everlasting joy with your salvation.

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Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.