Cyril was a monk and patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444.
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
On the path one wants to take, relying purely on God’s promise, trials are never lacking. These can be very diverse. Abraham had severed all family ties. Only his cousin Lot had gone with him. But even that was too much. That separation too must be carried through. In friendship, they will each go their separate ways.
FIRST READING Gen. 13, 2. 5-18
Let us not quarrel with each other;
we are brothers to each other after all.
From the Book of Genesis
Abram was a rich man who owned very many cattle,
silver and gold.
Lot too, who had come with Abram,
owned sheep, cattle and tents.
However, the land did not allow them to stay together,
for their possessions were so extensive
that they could not stay together.
This caused clashes
between Abram’s shepherds and Lot’s.
Moreover, at that time the Canaanites
and the Perizzites still lived in the land.
Therefore, Abram said to Lot :
“Let us not quarrel with each other, nor our shepherds ;
we are brothers to each other after all.
“The whole land is before you.
“It is really better that you go away;
you go left, I’ll go right ;
you go right, then I go left.”
Then Lot let his gaze wander around ;
he saw, how rich in water the land along the Jordan was.
For before God the Lord had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah,
this region, as far as Soar,
as the garden of the Lord, was as rich in water as Egypt.
Because of this, Lot chose all the land along Jordan
and went eastward.
Thus the two brothers separated.
Abram continued to live in Canaan,
but Lot sought a dwelling place
near the cities in the Jordan region
and pitched his tent near Sodom.
The Sodomites committed much evil
and sinned against the Lord.
After Lot had gone away, God the Lord said to Abram :
“Let thy gaze go round
and look from the place where thou standest
to the north and the south,
the east and the west.
“All the land which thou seest, I give to thee
and to your descendants forever.
“I will make your descendants like the sand of the earth.
“Only one who can count the sands of the earth
will be able to count your descendants.
“Go through the whole land length and breadth,
for I am giving it to you!”
Then Abram pitched his tent
and went to dwell by the oak of More at Hebron ;
there he set up an altar in honour of the Lord.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 15(14), 2-3ab, 3cd-4ab, 5
Lord, who may be a guest in your tent?
He who is righteous and lives honourably,
harbours no evil plans in his heart,
does not deceive with his tongue.
Who does not harm his neighbour?
And puts his neighbours to shame.
Who despises the evildoer,
But honours the servants of the Lord.
Who fulfils promises to his own detriment yet,
does not lend his property against usury,
is not corruptible as a witness.
He who behaves in this way
shall not falter forever.
ALLELUIA 2 Cor. 5, 19
Alleluia.
It was God who in Christ
reconciled the world to Himself,
and He gave us the message of reconciliation.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 7:6. 12-14
Everything that you want men to do for you,
do for them also.
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples :
“Give not the holy to the dogs
and do not cast your pearls before swine,
lest they trample with their paws,
turn around and tear you to pieces.
“Everything you want people to do for you
do for them also.
“That is Law and Prophets.
“Enter in through the narrow gate;
for the way that leads to destruction is wide and broad,
and many there are that enter it.
“How narrow yet is the gate
and how narrow the way
that leads to life,
and few are there that find it.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclic by
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
213. Ecological education can take place in a variety of settings: at school, in families, in the media, in catechesis and elsewhere. Good education plants seeds when we are young, and these continue to bear fruit throughout life. Here, though, I would stress the great importance of the family, which is “the place in which life – the gift of God – can be properly welcomed and protected against the many attacks to which it is exposed, and can develop in accordance with what constitutes authentic human growth. In the face of the so-called culture of death, the family is the heart of the culture of life”. In the family we first learn how to show love and respect for life; we are taught the proper use of things, order and cleanliness, respect for the local ecosystem and care for all creatures. In the family, we receive an integral education, which enables us to grow harmoniously in personal maturity. In the family we learn to ask without demanding, to say “thank you” as an expression of genuine gratitude for what we have been given, to control our aggressivity and greed, and to ask forgiveness when we have caused harm. These simple gestures of heartfelt courtesy help to create a culture of shared life and respect for our surroundings.
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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