Saturday – H. Pius X, Pope
Invitation
May I hereby draw your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?
This invitation wants to share with you the joy of the Gospel.
Everyone, no one excepted,
can experience this joy by opening his heart
to the healing effect of God’s word.
Available every day
Consideration
Once again, today’s first reading seems to be an anticipation of words of Jesus: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself . .’I was hungry and you gave me food . . I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. . . Ruth marries a man who is righteous and good. The child she will give to the world is experienced by Israel as a blessing from God – even though the Moabite Ruth originally belongs to a tribe that was hated by that same Israel. But God’s ways are not our ways: He is at work through every human being, whatever colour, nationality or background they have. Is our affection for people we do not know as unconditional? Do we offer our friendship to everyone, regardless? What does God want to achieve through us? Are we open to his plan of salvation?
FIRST READING Ruth 2, 1-3, 8-11 ; 4, 13-17
Blessed be the Lord,
who has given you yet another heir;
he is the father of Isaiah, the father of David.
From the Book of Ruth
Noömi was on her husband’s side
related to a certain Boaz,
a wealthy man from the family of Elimelek.
Ruth, the Moabite, said to Noömi:
“I would like to go into the country and find a reaper
who allows me to read ears.
Noömi replied :
“Do so, my daughter.”
So she went to the fields to pick up ears behind the mowers.
By chance she ended up in the field of Boaz,
that man from Elimelek’s family.
Boaz then turned to Ruth and said :
“Listen, my daughter,
You must not go and pick up ears in another field.
“Don’t go from here
and join my girls.
“Follow them closely and keep your eyes
on the field that is being mown.
“I have told my servants to leave you alone.
“And if you are thirsty, go to the water jars
and drink of the water the servants have drawn.”
Ruth threw herself flat on the earth and said :
“What have I done to deserve that you are so good to me?
“I am only a stranger.”
Boaz answered her:
“I have been told at length what you did for your mother-in-law after your husband’s death.
You left your father and mother and the land of your birth
to go to a people who were unknown to you before.”
Later Boaz took Ruth as his wife.
He had intercourse with her; by the Lord’s grace she became pregnant and gave birth to a son.
Then the women said to Noömi:
“Blessed be the Lord!
who has given you yet another heir,
whose name shall be established in Israel.
“He will revive you and sustain you in your old age,
for your daughter-in-law, who loves you so much,
has borne him, and she is more to you than seven sons.”
Noömi took the child on her lap and nursed it.
The neighbouring women gave the child a name and said :
“Noömi a son has been born.”
They named the child Obed.
He is the father of Isai, the father of David.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 128(127), 1-2, 3, 4, 5
Every man is blessed
Who gives honour to the Lord.
Happy are those who fear God,
that walketh in the way of the Lord.
You shall eat the fruit of your own labour,
and thou shalt be content and prosperous.
Thy wife within thy house
is like a richly laden vine.
And as olive branches round about the stem
so are thy sons round thy table.
Yea, so shall every man be blessed
who gives glory to the Lord.
Bless the Lord from Zion;
may ye see Jerusalem prosperous
as long as thy days shall last.
ALLELUIA I Pet. 1, 25
Alleluia.
The word of the Lord endures forever ;
and this word is the message
which was preached to you in the Gospel.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 23, 1-12
They themselves do not act according to their words.
From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that time Jesus spoke to the people and to his disciples :
“On the chair of Moses
the scribes and the Pharisees took their seats.”
“Therefore do and observe everything that they say to you,
but do not act according to their works ;
for they themselves do not act according to their words.
“They make bundles of heavy, almost unbearable burdens
and lay them on men’s shoulders,
but they themselves will not lift a finger.
“Everything they do, they do to attract the attention of the people ;
for they make their prayer belts wide
and their tassels large.
They are anxious to have the place of honour at meals
and the most important seats in the synagogues,
they like to be greeted at the market
and want to be called rabbi by the people.
“But ye must not be called rabbis.
“Ye have but one Master
and ye are all brothers.
“And call none of you on earth father;
ye have but one Father, the heavenly.
“Neither be ye called teachers;
Ye have but one teacher, the Christ.
“He that is greatest among you
must be thy servant.
“He that exalts himself shall be humbled
and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
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Laudato Si
Encyclic of
POPE FRANCIS
On Care of the Common Home
26. Many of those who hold the most resources and economic or political power seem to concentrate on covering up the problems or hiding the symptoms by only trying to reduce some of the negative effects of climate change. But many symptoms indicate that these effects may become worse and worse if we continue with the current production and consumption models. Therefore, it has become urgent to develop a policy to drastically reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gases in the coming years by, for example, replacing fossil fuels and developing sources of renewable energy. There is a very low level of access to clean and renewable energy in the world. Technologies suitable for storing energy also need to be developed. In some countries, however, progress has been made and is beginning to be significant, although it is still far from reaching substantial proportions. There have been some investments in ways of producing and transporting goods that consume less energy and require fewer raw materials, and in ways of constructing and rebuilding buildings that improve efficiency in terms of energy use. But these good practices are still far from becoming commonplace.
To be continued
The Bible text in this edition is taken from De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling, ©Nederlands Bijbelgenootschap 2004/2007.
Recitals from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official English translation
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