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.
Opening word
In every Eucharist, we celebrate Jesus’ suffering, death, and resurrection.
Through His death on the cross
He opened the way to paradise,
a road open and passable
for all those who turn to God and ask for his mercy,
for all who listen to His Word.
Open our hearts to receive this great grace of God
so that we can live as children of light.
FIRST READING Jer. 20, 10-13
He saved the life of the poor from the power of evildoers.
From the prophet Jeremiah
Jeremiah spoke:
“I hear many whispering:
‘There you have ‘Dismay over all'”.
“Bring him on.
“Yes, we bring him on.
“All my friends want nothing more
then to bring me down.
“They say:
Maybe he will be fooled;
then we’ll overpower him
and we can avenge ourselves on him.
“The Lord is with me as a mighty warrior.
“My pursuers are falling down,
they will not overcome.
“They become deeply ashamed
and never achieve anything.
“Their shame lasts forever,
they are never forgotten!
“Lord of heavenly powers, who justly examines all,
who searches hearts and minds,
show me how Thou dost avenge Thyself on them.
“For I have placed my cause in Your hands.
“Sing a song, and song of praise to the Lord,
for He has delivered the life of the poor
from the power of the wicked.”
Responsorial Ps 69(68), 8-10, 1 and 17, 33-35
Refrain
Lord, hear me because Thou art merciful.
For Thy sake, I have endured every reproach,
though my shame rose to my face.
A stranger I became to my kin,
my own brothers no longer know me.
Caring for Your house has worn me out,
on me came down the scorn of those who hate You.
But my prayer, Lord, I address to Thee,
now is the time of mercy.
Hear me because Thou art merciful
and faithful in giving help.
Hear me, Lord, for mild is thy blessing,
assist me with all Your mercy.
Behold, ye humble ones, and rejoice,
take courage, all of you who seek God.
God listens to what a poor person asks Him,
and does not forget His prisoners.
Let heaven and earth praise Him,
the sea with all that lives there.
SECOND READING Rom 5:12-15
Grace cannot be measured according to sin.
From the letter of the holy apostle Paul to the Christians of
Rome
Brothers and sisters,
Through one man sin entered the world
and with sin death;
and so death has come upon all men,
since all have sinned.
After all, there was sin in the world
before the law existed.
But sin is not charged,
where there is no law.
Yet death has reigned as king
in the time from Adam to Moses,
so also over those
who had not been guilty in the manner of Adam
of breaking a commandment.
Adam now is the image of Him who was to come.
But the grace of God
cannot be measured by any transgression of Adam.
The mistake of one man brought death to all,
but God gave rich recompense to all
through the great gift of His grace:
The one man Jesus Christ.
Verse for the Gospel John 15, 26b.27a
Alleluia.
The Spirit of truth will bear witness about Me, says the Lord,
but ye also must bear witness.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 10:26-33
Be not afraid of those who can kill the body…
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that time, Jesus said to his apostles:
“Do not be afraid of men.
“Nothing is covered or it will be revealed,
nothing is hidden or it will be known.
“What I say to you in darkness, speak it out in the light,
and what thou hearest whispered to thee in the ear,
proclaim that from the rooftops.
“Be not afraid of those who can kill the body
but not the soul;
rather fear Him
who can plunge both soul and body into destruction in hell.
“Doesn’t one sell two sparrows for a penny?
“And yet outside the will of your Father,
not one sparrow will fall to the ground.
“With you, however, even every hair of your head has been counted.
“So be not afraid;
You are worth more than a swarm of sparrows.
“Everyone that confesses Me by men,
I also will confess myself to my Father who is in heaven.
“But everyone who will deny Me before men,
shall also I deny
before My Father who is in heaven.”
________________________________________________________
Laudato Si
Encyclic by
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
211. Yet this education, aimed at creating an “ecological citizenship”, is at times limited to providing information, and fails to instill good habits. The existence of laws and regulations is insufficient in the long run to curb bad conduct, even when effective means of enforcement are present. If the laws are to bring about significant, long-lasting effects, the majority of the members of society must be adequately motivated to accept them, and personally transformed to respond. Only by cultivating sound virtues will people be able to make a selfless ecological commitment. A person who could afford to spend and consume more but regularly uses less heating and wears warmer clothes, shows the kind of convictions and attitudes which help to protect the environment. There is a nobility in the duty to care for creation through little daily actions, and it is wonderful how education can bring about real changes in lifestyle. Education in environmental responsibility can encourage ways of acting that directly and significantly affect the world around us, such as avoiding the use of plastic and paper, reducing water consumption, separating refuse, cooking only what can reasonably be consumed, showing care for other living beings, using public transport or car-pooling, planting trees, turning off unnecessary lights, or any number of other practices. All of these reflect a generous and worthy creativity that brings out the best in human beings. Reusing something instead of immediately discarding it, when done for the right reasons, can be an act of love that expresses our own dignity.
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
_____________________________________________________________________________