Benedictine monk. Considered an apostle of the Anglo-Saxons
Born 525? Died 26 May 604
Invitation
May I hereby draw your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?
This invitation wants to make You partakers of 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
This week’s liturgy offers us the reading of the oldest Christian writing to come to us: The very first Pauline letter, from the year 52. We are then in a time when the belief is alive that the Lord will return, even before Paul or his Christians will have died. The letter exudes joy, its content is defined by continuous thanksgiving and bathed in an atmosphere of prayer. This is the state of mind to which Paul bears witness. Is it also ours? Even today, the apostle refers to the essence of our Christianity: An active life of faith translates into concrete acts of love, service to all, and bravely and hopefully enduring the trials that life brings. Christians persevere in faith, hope, and love. What about us?
FIRST READING I Thess. 1, 1-5. 8b-10
Ye have turned from idols to God
and you expect his Son
whom He raised from the dead.
Beginning of the holy apostle Paul’s first letter to the Christians of Thessalonica
From Paul, Silvánus, and Timothy
To the Christian congregation of Thessalonica,
which is in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace to you and peace!
We say thanks to God for you all,
whenever we mention your name in our prayers.
Unceasingly we remember
before the face of God our Father,
your active faith,
your untiring love
and your steadfast hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
We know, brothers and sisters,
that God loves you and that you have been chosen by Him,
for we have proclaimed the gospel to you,
not only with words,
but with power and Holy Spirit and full conviction.
By the way, ye yourselves know how our conduct with you has been:
It was aimed at your salvation.
Everywhere your faith in God was made known.
We need to say no more,
one tells how we came to you
and how we were received by thee:
How thou hast been converted from idols to God
to serve the living and true God,
and to expect from heaven His Son,
whom He raised from the dead,
Jesus, who saves us from the wrath to come.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 149, 1-2, 3-4, 5-6a, 9b
Our Lord who loves his people,
wreathes the afflicted with wreaths of victory.
Alleluia.
Sing to the Lord a new song,
His praise resounds amid His people.
Israel cheers its Creator,
let Zion’s sons salute their King.
Praise His Name in a holy dance,
play harp and zither before Him.
For our Lord, who loves His people,
wreathes the oppressed with wreaths of victory.
Rejoice, therefore, saints, for your triumph,
celebrate in your army places;
go with the song of God in thy mouth,
a task that honors His pious ones.
ALLELUIA I John 2, 5
Alleluia.
He who keeps the word of the Lord,
in Him truly is God’s love complete.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 23:13-22
Woe to you, blind leaders.
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
At that time Jesus spoke:
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
Ye shut off the kingdom of heaven from men;
ye yourselves enter not into it,
while you bar the entrance of those who want to enter.
Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
Ye cross sea and land to make one convert,
but when he has become one, ye make him a hell child,
twice worse than thyself!
Woe to you, blind leaders, who say:
If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing;
but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple,
then he is bound.
Fools and the blind!
Which then stands higher:
the gold, or the temple which makes the gold holy?
Or ye who also says:
If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing;
but if anyone swears by the sacrifice that is upon it,
then he is bound.
Blind!
Which stands higher:
The offering, or the altar that makes the offering holy?
So whoever swears by the altar,
swears by it, and by everything on it.
And whoever swears by the temple,
swears by it, and by Him who dwells in it.
And whoever swears by heaven,
swears by the throne of God, and by Him who sits on it.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclic by
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
28. Clean drinking water is an issue of primary importance because it is indispensable for human life and to maintain the ecosystems of land and water. Freshwater resources supply the sectors of health, agriculture, and industry. Water availability has remained relatively constant for a long time, but now in many places, demand exceeds sustainable supply with serious short- and long-term consequences. Large cities, which depend on important water resources, suffer from periods of lack of a resource that is not always adequately and impartially managed at critical times. The lack of public water for all is particularly familiar in Africa, where large sectors of the population lack access to safe drinking water or suffer from periods of drought that hamper food production. Some countries have regions with an abundance of water, while others suffer from severe shortages.
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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