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
Considerations
Once again, today’s first reading seems to be an anticipation of words of Jesus: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself. .’I was hungry and thou gavest me food . . . .I was thirsty and thou gavest me to drink. . . . : Ruth marries a man who is righteous and good. The child she will give to the world is perceived by Israel as a blessing from God – even though the Moabite Ruth originally belongs to a tribe hated by that same Israel. But God’s ways are not ours: He is working through every human being, whatever colour, nationality or background. Is our affection for people we do not know unconditional? Do we offer our friendship to everyone regardless? What does God want to achieve through us? Are we open to his plan of salvation?
FIRST READING Ruth 2, 1-3, 8-11; 4, 13-17
Blessed be the Lord,
who has now given you an heir;
he is the father of Isaiah, the father of David.
From the Book of Ruth
Noömi was on her husband’s side
related to a certain Boaz,
a wealthy man from the family of Elimelech.
Ruth, the Moabite, said to Noömi :
“I would like to go to the country to find somewhere
behind a reaper who would allow me to do so, to read ears of corn.”
Noömi replied :
“Do so, my daughter.”
So she went to the land to read ears behind the mowers.
Coincidentally, she ended up in the field of Boaz,
that man from Elimelek’s family.
Boaz then turned to Ruth and said :
“Hear, my daughter,
you must not go and read ears in another field.
“Don’t go away from here
and join my maidens.
“Follow them closely and keep your eyes fixed
on the field being mown.
“I have instructed my servants to let you go.
“And if you get thirsty, go to the water jars
and drink from the water the servants have drawn.”
Ruth threw herself flat to the earth and said :
“To what have I deserved that thou art so good to me?
“Surely I am only a stranger.”
Boaz answered her in reply :
“I have been told at length what you did after the death of your husband
all you did for your mother-in-law ;
father, mother and homeland you left
to go to a people previously unknown to you.”
Later, Boaz took Ruth to wife.
He had intercourse with her; by the favour of the Lord
she became pregnant and gave birth to a son.
Then the women said to Noömi :
“Blessed be the Lord,
who has yet given you an heir,
whose name will be established in Israel.
“He will revive you and be a support to you
in your old age,
for your daughter-in-law, who loves you so much,
has given birth to him: She means more to you than seven sons.”
Noömi took the child on her lap and nursed it.
The neighbouring women named the child and said :
“Noömi is born a son.”
They named the child Obed.
He is the father of Isaï, the father of David.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 128(127), 1-2, 3, 4, 5
Every man is blessed
Who gives honour to the Lord.
Happy who fear God,
go the way of the Lord.
Ye shall eat the fruit of your own labour,
content and prosperous shalt thou be.
Thy wife within thy house
Is like a richly laden vine.
And like olive branches around the trunk
so are thy sons around thy table.
Yes, so is every man blessed
who gives honour to the Lord.
You bless the Lord from Zion;
May thou see Jerusalem prosperous
as long as thy days last.
ALLELUIA I Petr. 1, 25
Alleluia.
The word of the Lord remains forever;
and this word is the message
proclaimed to you in the gospel.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 23:1-12
They 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 :
“In the chair of Moses
the scribes and Pharisees took their seats.
“Therefore do and keep all that they say to you,
but do not act according to their works ;
for they do not act according to their words.
“They make bundles of heavy, almost unbearable burdens
and lay them upon men’s shoulders,
but they will not lift a finger at it.
“Everything they do, they do to catch the people’s eye ;
for they make their prayer belts wide
and their tassels large,
they lust for the place of honour at meals
and the principal seats in the synagogues,
they like to be greeted in the marketplace
and want to be called rabbi by the people.
“But ye must not let yourselves be called 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 one.
“Nor be called a teacher ;
ye have but one teacher, the Christ.
“Whoever is the greatest among you
must be thy servant.
“All who exalt themselves shall be humbled
and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.
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Laudato Si
Encyclic by
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
26. Many of those who hold the most resources and economic or political power seem to concentrate mainly on covering up the problems or hiding their symptoms by merely trying to reduce some of the negative effects of climate change. But many symptoms suggest that these effects could get worse and worse if we continue with current production and consumption models. It has therefore become urgent to develop policies to drastically reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other highly polluting gases in the coming years by, for example, replacing fossil fuels and developing sources of renewable energy. There is a very low level of access to clean and renewable energy in the world. One also needs to develop technologies suitable for energy storage. However, there have been advances in some countries that are starting to become important, although they are far from reaching a substantial scale. There have been some investments in ways of production and transport that consume less energy and require fewer resources, as well as in ways of constructing and converting buildings that improve energy use efficiency. But these good practices are far from becoming widespread.
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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