St Carolus Borromeo was bishop of Milan.
Born 2 October 1538 and died 4 November 1584
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 excepted,
can experience this joy by opening their hearts
to the healing effect of God’s word.
Available every day
CONSIDERATION
Paul continues to wrestle with his theological problem concerning Judaism: “Has God then cast out his people?” No, that is not possible. The Old Testament teaches us that God is faithful despite human infidelity. This situation can only be temporary. Their transgression – meaning the rejection of Jesus – has enriched the world, brought the Gentiles into the Church. So they will return one day (Paul quotes Jeremiah quite freely) because the core of the covenant is “God does not repent of his gifts of grace nor of his calling” (verse 29).
FIRST READING Rom. 11, 1-2a. 11-12. 25-29
God has not rejected His people whom He has chosen.
From the Letter of the Holy Apostle Paul to the Christians of Rome
Brothers and sisters,
Has God then cast out His people?
Not at all.
I myself am an Israelite,
of the lineage of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
No, God has not cast out His chosen people.
Have the others then so disowned themselves
that they have fallen?
Not so, but as a result of their error
salvation went to the Gentiles
so that they themselves might become jealous.
If their transgression enriched the world
and their failure means abundance for the Gentiles,
what can we not expect
when they will make good their deficiency!
Do not overestimate yourselves, brethren.
I must reveal to you a secret :
The hardening that has come over a part of Israel
will only last
until the mass of the heathen nations has entered.
And so, in the end, all Israel will be saved,
according to the words of Scripture:
“Out of Zion will come the Saviour
and He will remove the wickedness from Jacob.
“And this is the covenant that I will make with them
when I have taken away their sins.”
Though they are hostile to the gospel
– but that is your gain –
yet they remain God’s friends by virtue of His election,
for the sake of the patriarchs.
For God knows no repentance for his gifts of grace
nor of his calling.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 94(93), 12-13a, 14-15, 17-18
Never will the Lord cast out his people.
Blessed is the man whom thou givest wisdom, O Lord,
whom Thou dost teach in Thy law.
After evil days thou givest him rest
when the grave is dug for the sinner.
For the Lord will never cast out his people,
He will not give up His inheritance.
One day the judges shall rule justly
and all the righteous shall fall by it.
My soul would soon, if God did not support me,
be in the place of silence forever.
When I already think: Now I am surely stumbling,
then your grace, Lord, keeps me going.
ALLELUIA cf. Lk 8, 15
Alleluia.
Blessed are those who keep the word of God which they have heard
in a godly and noble heart
and bring forth fruit by their steadfastness.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Lk. 14, 1, 7-11
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Luke
When Jesus entered the house of one of the chief Pharisees on a Sabbath,
they were watching him constantly.
As He observed
how the guests were choosing the most important places at the table,
He told them the following parable:
“When someone invites you to a wedding,
do not lie down in the prominent place.
“It may be that your host has invited someone
who is more honourable than thou,
and the one who invited you and him comes and says to you:
Give him your place.
“Then you should take the least seat, full of shame.
“But when you are invited,
lie down in the least place possible.
“When the one who invited you comes
he will say to you, “Friend, go up a little higher.
“So you will be honoured
in the sight of all those who recline with you.
“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled,
and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclic of
POPE FRANCIS
On the Care of the Common Home
THE GAZE OF JESUS
96. Jesus took up the biblical faith in God the Creator, emphasizing a fundamental truth: God is Father (cf. Mt 11:25). In talking with his disciples, Jesus would invite them to recognize the paternal relationship God has with all his creatures. With moving tenderness he would remind them that each one of them is important in God’s eyes: “Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God” (Lk 12:6). “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them” (Mt 6:26).
To be continued
The Bible text in this edition is taken from De Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling,
©Nederlands Bijbelgenootschap 2004/2007.
Contemplations from Liturgical Suggestions for the Weeks
Laudato Si Official English translation
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