Invitation
May I hereby call 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 that joy by opening his heart
to the healing power of God’s word.
Available every day.
Consideration
Around the 19th century B.C., a devout Jew, Jesus ben Sirach was given a book that belongs to the wisdom literature. He is a devout man faithful to Jewish tradition. He is also open to the words of Hellenistic civilization. His grandson defects to Egypt after 134 BC and translates his grandfather’s book into Greek and writes a preface. Only part of the original Hebrew text has been preserved.
FIRST READING Sir. 1, 1-10
Before everything else wisdom was created.
Beginning of the Book of Ecclesiasticus
All wisdom comes from the Lord
And is with Him in eternity.
The sands of the seas, the drops of rain
And the days of eternity – who counts them ?
The height of the heavens and the breadth of the earth,
the abyss and wisdom – who searches them?
Before all else wisdom was created ;
insight and understanding are from eternity.
The source of wisdom is the word of God
in the highest heavens ; its ways are eternal commandments.
The root of wisdom – for whom was it uncovered ?
Its ends – who knows them ?
The knowledge of wisdom – to whom has it appeared ?
Its rich experience – who has understood it ?
Only One is wise and very formidable :
He who sits on His throne.
The Lord Himself created wisdom ;
He has seen it and dispensed it
and poured her out on all his works ;
she is with all that lives, according as He bestows them ;
He grants them to those who love Him.
Love of God is venerable wisdom ;
Those to whom it shows itself love it
At the sight of her great works.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 93(92), 1ab, 1c-2,5
The Lord is king, clothed with splendor.
The Lord is king, clothed with splendor,
with power the Lord has girded himself.
As firm as the earth, unshakable,
so firm is thy throne through the ages,
from everlasting, O God, art Thou!
Reliable is all that Thou dost testify,
thy house be holy forever.
ALLELUIA Ps. 119(118), 105
Alleluia.
Your Word is a lamp to my feet, Lord,
it is a light in my path.
Alleluia
GOSPEL Mk. 9, 14-29
I believe, come to the aid of my unbelief!
From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Mark
When Jesus, after being transformed on the mountain,
rejoined the disciples
He saw a great crowd standing around them,
among whom were scribes
who were arguing with the disciples.
As soon as all these people noticed Him
they were surprised and ran to greet Him.
He asked them :
“Why do you argue with them?”
One from the crowd answered Him :
“Master, I have brought my son to you
because he is in the power of a mute spirit.
“And where it overwhelms him
he throws him against the ground
and the boy gets the foam on his lips,
grits his teeth and becomes completely rigid.
“Now I asked your disciples to drive him out
but they did not have the strength.”
Jesus replied in reply :
“O unbelieving generation ,
how long must I be with you,
how long must I bear with you?
“Bring the boy to Me.”
They brought him closer,
but as soon as the spirit saw Jesus
he made the boy convulse ;
he fell down and rolled on the ground
with foam on his lips.
Jesus asked the father :
“How long has he had this?”
This one replied :
“From his childhood.
“The spirit has also thrown him many times
thrown into the fire and into the water to kill him.
“But if Thou canst do anything ,
have mercy and help us.”
Jesus answered him :
“As for that being able : everything is possible for those who believe.”
Instantly the boy’s father exclaimed :
“I believe ,
come to the aid of my unbelief!”
When Jesus saw that the people were running amok
He commanded in a stern tone to the unclean spirit :
“Dumb and deaf spirit,
I command you,
depart from him and never return to him.”
Under cries and violent convulsions
the spirit went out of him ;
the boy looked like a corpse
so that most thought he was dead.
But Jesus caught him by the hand and raised him up ;
and he rose to his feet.
When Jesus had come home
and his disciples were alone with him, they asked :
“Why have we not been able to cast him out ?”
He answered them :
“This kind cannot be driven out by anything else
than by prayer and fasting.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclic of
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
87. When one realizes the reflection of God in all that exists, the heart senses the desire to praise the Lord for all His creatures and to worship Him together with Him, as is visible in the very beautiful song of St. Francis of Assisi:
“Be praised, my Lord, with all Your creatures especially Sister Sun , who is the day, and by whom You illuminate us. And she is beautiful and radiant with great brilliance: of Thee, Most High, she is the symbol….
Be praised, my Lord, for brother moon and stars, in the heavens Thou hast formed them, bright and precious and beautiful.
Be praised, my Lord, for brother wind and for the sky and the clouds and the calm weather and every season, through which Thou givest support to Thy creatures.
Be praised, my Lord, for sister water, which is very useful and humble and precious and pure.
Be praised, my Lord, for brother fire, by which Thou dost illumine the night: and he is beautiful and cheerful and powerful and strong.”
To be continued
The Bible text in this issue is taken from The New Bible Translation,
©Dutch Bible Society 2004/2007.
Considerations from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official English translation
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