A reading from the Book of Ruth 1: 8-17 passim

Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law,
"Go, return each of you to your mother's house.
May the Lord be kind to you,
as you have been kind to those who have died, and to me".
Then she kissed them, but they started to weep aloud.
Then Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

Naomi said to her:
"See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods;
you too must return, go after her".
But Ruth replied, "Do not ask me to leave you;
for wherever you go I will go,
and where you live I will live;
your people shall be my people,
and your God my God;
where you die I will die,
and there I will be buried.
And may the Lord deal severely with me
if even death should come between us".

This is the word of the Lord

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