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 effect of God’s word.
Available every day.
Consideration
The gospel contains two parts. How not to do it and how to do it. How it should be done: In community, together as brothers. But is this an anarchic view? A community without authority? A resistance to any form of hierarchy? And are we then no longer allowed to say ‘father’ here on earth? It is, of course, an Eastern mode of expression. All honour that can accrue to those in charge here on earth (civil or ecclesiastical) is founded on the one fatherhood of God, who bears all things. And all teaching must be founded on the one Christ and not on all too human forms of knowledge, popularity or human talent.
FIRST READING Isa. 1, 10. 16-20
Learn to do good and uphold justice.
From the Prophet Isaiah
Listen ! the word of the Lord !
“Go wash yourselves, go cleanse yourselves ;
out of my sight with your evil deeds !
“Cease to do evil, learn to do good,
uphold the law, help the oppressed,
defend the orphan, plead for the widow.
“Come then – says the Lord – let’s talk it out :
Though thy sins be red as scarlet ,
they shall become white as snow;
though they be as purple so red,
they shall become white as wool.
“If you will be willing and listen
you will enjoy the good things of this earth,
but if you continue to refuse and resist
the sword will destroy you.”
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 50(49), 8-9, 16bc-17, 21, 23
He that goeth straight paths findeth the salvation of God.
I do not reproach you about sacrifices :
Your sacrificial animals I see burning all the time.
I will have no more bull from your houses
and rams from your sheepfold I will not ask.
How often do you speak about my commandments
and have my covenant always on your tongue?
You who dislike discipline
and never heedeth my words.
Should I be silent when you do this?
Or do you think that I am like you?
I accuse you, I put everything before you.
He that offereth sacrifice of praise honoureth me truly,
he who walks in the right path finds the salvation of God.
VERSE FOR THE GOSPEL Ez. 18, 31
Cast away all the transgressions which ye have committed,
from you, says the Lord,
and renew your hearts and your minds.
GOSPEL Mt 23, 1-12
They themselves do not act on 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 :
“At the chair of Moses
the scribes and Pharisees have taken their seats.
“Therefore do and observe all 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 be noticed by the people ;
for they make their prayer belts wide
and their tassels big,
they are anxious to have the place of honor 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 thou must not allow thyself to be called a rabbi.
“Ye have but one Master
and ye are all brethren.
“And call none of you on earth ‘father’;
ye have but one Father, the heavenly.
“Nor let any of you be called ’teacher’ ;
ye have but one teacher, the Christ.
“He that is greatest among you
must be thy servant.
“Whosoever exalts himself shall be humbled
and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclic by
POPE FRANCIS
On the care of the common home
Technology: Creativity and power
102. Humanity has entered a new era in which the power of technology presents us with a fork in the road. We are the inheritors of two centuries of tremendous waves of change: the steam engine, the railway, the telegraph, electricity, the automobile, the aeroplane, the chemical industries, modern medicine, computing and, more recently, the digital revolution, robotics, biotechnologies and nanotechnologies. It is right to rejoice at these advances and get excited towards the vast possibilities that these ongoing novelties open up for us, because “science and technology are a magnificent product of human creativity, which is a gift from God”. The modification of nature for utilitarian purposes has been a feature of the human race from the beginning and thus technology “expresses” the “excitement of the human spirit in incrementally overcoming certain material limitations”. Technology has fought numerous evils that afflicted and limited the human being. We cannot but appreciate and be grateful for the progress achieved, especially in medicine, engineering and in the field of communication. And how would we not be grateful for all the efforts of many scientists and technicians who have worked out alternatives for sustainable development?
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