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 except,
can experience that joy by opening his heart
to the healing power of God’s word.
Available every day
Consideration
Once again in the reading we find information about the construction of the tent of meeting and of the ark, which bears traces of Egyptian influences. This gilded chest was made according to Egyptian models. Egyptian priests carried such chests on carrying poles in the processions. The rings (verse 17) and the shape of the tent also seem to be of Egyptian origin. At the end of the book of Exodus, just before the beginning of the further desert journey, it is additionally underlined that God is present and travels with his people. Do we dwell on this in our everyday activities? What would our days look like if we built in moments where we look very consciously at God’s presence?
FIRST READING Ex. 40, 16-21. 34-38
The cloud covered the tent of meeting
and the glory of the Lord filled the dwelling.
From the Book of Exodus
In those days, Moses carried out everything
as the Lord had prescribed.
The dwelling, the tent of meeting, was set up
in the first month of the second year,
on the first of the month.
Moses had the dwelling set up :
one placed the bases, attached the partitions,
attached the connecting slats and erected the poles.
The tent was stretched over the house
and the tent roof was laid over it,
as the Lord had commanded Moses.
Moses laid the covenant deed in the ark,
slid the supporting rods onto the ark and laid the cover plate on it.
He brought the ark into the dwelling place,
hung up the veil
so that the ark with the covenant deed
according to the commandment of the Lord
was hidden from view.
Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting
and the glory of the Lord filled the dwelling place.
And Moses could not enter the tent ,
for the cloud rested above it,
and the glory of the Lord filled the dwelling.
Throughout their journey, the Israelites did not move on until
when the cloud lifted from the dwelling.
If the cloud did not lift, they waited.
Throughout their journey
the cloud of the Lord rested above the dwelling,
but at night there was a blaze of fire,
which was visible to all the Israelites.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 84(83), 3, 4, 5-6a, 8a, 11
How sweet to me is your dwelling, Lord of heavenly powers.
My soul longs and yearns for your sanctuary.
My heart and all my being
go forth rejoicing to You, the God who lives.
For even the sparrows do find shelter,
the swallows a nest for their brood ;
to me that is Your altar, Lord of heavenly powers,
my King and my God!
Happy they who dwell in thy house, O Lord,
who may praise Thee there always;
happy he who may lean upon Thee
and continue his way with renewed strength.
For me, one day in Your courts is better
than a thousand days elsewhere.
Much rather I stand on the threshold of God’s house
than to be a guest in the tent of sinners.
Mt. 11, 25
Alleluia.
I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because You
have revealed this to children.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt. 13, 47-53
The good fish were picked out and put into baskets,
the bad were cast away.
From the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that time Jesus said to the crowd :
“The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet
which, thrown into the sea,
gathered together fish of all kinds.
“When it was full one pulled it onto the beach ;
one sat down
to pick out the good fish and put them in baskets,
the bad ones, however, were thrown away.
“So shall it be at the end of the world :
The angels will go out
to seek out the wicked among the righteous
and cast them into the furnace of fire.
“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“Have ye understood all this ?”
They answered Him :
“Yes.”
He said to them :
“Therefore every scribe
who is taught in the kingdom of heaven ,
is like a householder
who brings out of his treasure new and old.”
When Jesus had finished these parables
He went away from there.
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Laudato Si
Encyclic of
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
Nothing in this world leaves us indifferent
3. More than fifty years ago, when the world was teetering on the brink of a nuclear crisis, Saint Pope John XXIII wrote an encyclical by which he not only limited himself to rejecting war, but also sought to make a proposal for peace. He addressed his message Pacem in Terris to all the “Catholic world,” but added “and to all men of good will.” Now, in the face of global environmental degradation, I want to address all who inhabit this planet. In my apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, I wrote to the members of the Church to initiate a process of missionary reform that has yet to be completed. In this encyclical, my goal is to enter into dialogue with all concerning our common home.
To be continued
The Bible text in this issue is taken from The New Translation of the Bible,
©Nederlands Bijbelgenootschap 2004/2007.
Considerations from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official English translation
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