Thursday – H. Beda, the Venerable, pr. and clgm – Saint Gregory VII, pope – Saint Mary Magdalene de ‘Pazzi, virg..

 

 

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 except,
can experience that joy by opening their hearts
to the healing power of God’s word.

Available every day.

Consideration

In Jerusalem, turmoil arises around Paul. He is imprisoned and brought before the Sanhedrin. Two things are of great importance here. As with Gamaliael at the time, the Sanhedrin was now divided between Pharisees (who accept the resurrection) and Sadducees (who deny it). Paul knows how to make clever use of those divisions. But there is more. As then before the judgment seat of Gallio in Corinth, Luke underlines that Christianity is not dangerous to the Roman state system and that disputes between Jews and Christians are entirely irrelevant to Roman Law.

 

FIRST READING          Acts 22:30; 23:6-11

You shall bear witness for my cause in Rome.

From the Acts of the Apostles

In those days, the commander wanted to know accurately
what Paul was accused of by the Jews,
therefore had him brought out of prison the next day
and gave orders
that the high priests and all the Sanhedrin should assemble.
Then he had Paul bring there
and take his seat before them.
Knowing that the Sanhedrin was partly made up of Sadducees
and partly of Pharisees,
Paul now exclaimed to the Sanhedrin:
“Men brothers,
I am a Pharisee and a son of Pharisees.
“For the sake of the expectation and resurrection of the dead, I am on trial.”
When he had said this
contention arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees
and the assembly became divided.
After all, the Sadducees held that there is no resurrection
and that there are no angels or spirits,
while the Pharisees assume both.
Thus a great tumult arose
and some scribes from the party of the Pharisees
assured with great vehemence:
“We find nothing wrong in this man!
“If once a spirit or an angel spoke to him?”
As the disagreement grew worse
and the commander began to fear
that they would tear Paul apart,
he ordered the soldiers to come down
to hastily remove him from their midst
and bring him to the barracks.
The next night, the Lord stood before him and spoke:
“Keep good courage ;
for as thou hast testified for my cause in Jerusalem,
so shall ye have to do also in Rome.”

INTERLUDIUM        Ps. 16(15), 1-2a, 5, 7-8, 9-10, 11

Protect me, God, to You I take refuge.
Alleluia.

Protect me, God, to Thee do I take refuge ;
Thou art my Lord, I acknowledge it.
The Lord is my inheritance, my drink from the cup,
He holds my destiny in His hand.

I thank the Lord who has always guided me,
He speaks into my heart even at night.
Always I keep my eyes on the Lord,
I do not fall, for He is beside me.

Therefore I am cheerful and happy in spirit,
therefore I can sleep peacefully.
My soul Thou dost not leave to the kingdom of the dead,
Thou dost not deliver Thy servant to the grave.

Thou wilt show me the way of life
to find all my joy with Thee,
everlasting happiness at Thy side.

 

Alleluia        John 16:7 and 13

Alleluia.
The Spirit of truth will I send unto you, saith the Lord,
and He will bring you to the full truth.
Alleluia.

 

GOSPEL         Jn 17:20-26

That they may be perfectly one!

From the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John

At that time Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and prayed:
“Holy Father,
not for them alone do I pray
but also for those who believe in Me through their word,
that they may all be one
as Thou, Father, art in Me and I in Thee:
That they also may be in Us that the world may believe
that Thou hast sent Me.
“I have given them the glory which Thou hast given Me,
that they may be one as We are one:
I in them and Thou in Me, that they may be perfectly one
and that the world may acknowledge that Thou hast sent Me
and loved them as Thou hast loved Me.
“Father, I want those whom You have given Me
maybe with Me where I am,
that they may behold My glory,
which Thou hast given Me
since Thou hast loved Me
before the foundation of the world.
“Righteous Father, though the world has not recognized Thee,
I have acknowledged Thee,
and these here have acknowledged that Thou hast sent Me.
“Thy Name have I revealed to them
and I will continue to do so,
so that the love with which Thou hast loved Me
maybe in them and I in them.”

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Laudato Si

Encyclic by

POPE FRANCIS

On caring for the common home

180. One cannot think of uniform recipes because there are specific problems and limitations of each country and region. Indeed, political realism can also call for transitional measures and transitional technologies, provided they are accompanied by planning and an acceptance of gradual binding commitments, but at the same time, there is always much to be done at the national and local level, for example promoting forms of energy saving. This involves favoring ways of industrial production with the greatest energy efficiency and lower consumption of raw materials, removing from the market products that are inefficient or more polluting from an energy point of view. We can also mention here good transport management or construction and conversion techniques in buildings, which reduce energy consumption and the level of pollution. On the other hand, local politics can focus on a change in consumption, the development of a waste and recycling economy, on the protection of certain species, and the programming of diversified agriculture with an alternation of cultures. It is possible to favor an agricultural improvement of poor regions through investments in rural infrastructures, in the organization of the local or national market, in irrigation systems, and in the development of sustainable agricultural techniques. One can facilitate forms of cooperation and communal organization that protect the interests of small producers and save local ecosystems from looting. There is much one can do!

To be continued

 

The Bible text in this issue is taken from The New Translation of the Bible,
©Dutch Bible Society 2004/2007.
Considerations from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official English translation
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