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 that joy by opening their hearts
to the healing power of God’s word.
Available every day
Consideration
Isaiah taught us from the beginning that fasting is not an individual thing. Fasting is about fellow human beings, about community. The liturgy today holds out to us some important attitudes that define our relationship with our neighbour. It is remarkable how in the first reading these commandments are founded on God himself and not on consideration of reason: ‘I am the Lord’: God wants us to have love and consideration for our neighbour. In the gospel, Jesus goes even further. He not only founds the benevolent attitude towards the neighbour. He identifies with the neighbour, especially the most vulnerable: “All that you have done for one of these least of these, you have done for Me”.
FIRST READING Lev. 19, 1-2. 11-18
Speak righteous justice over your fellow citizens.
From the Book of Leviticus
The Lord spoke to Moses :
“Say to all the community of the Israelites :
Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.
“Thou shalt not rob one another, nor lie or deceive.
“Thou shalt not use My name for perjury,
for then you dishonour the name of your God.
“I am the Lord.
“Thou shalt not exploit thy neighbour, nor fail him in anything.
“What a day labourer earns
Thou must not keep till the next morning.
“Thou shalt not curse a deaf man
And put nothing in the way of a blind man,
over which he may stumble.
“Thou must be in awe of thy God.
“I am the Lord.
“Do not be partial in judging :
Do not favour the poor and do not look the rich man in the eye.
“Speak righteous justice over your people.
“Do not spread slander about one another
And do not take your neighbour’s life.
“I am the Lord.
“Do not be hateful to your brother.
“Judge one another :
Then do not be guilty of another’s sin.
“Do not take revenge on a fellow citizen
And do not bear a grudge against him.
“Love thy neighbour as thyself.
“I am the Lord.”
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 19(18), 8, 9, 10, 15
Your words, Lord, are spirit and life (John 6:64b)
The law of the Lord is perfect,
it strengthens the uncertain spirit.
His precepts are trustworthy,
they make the ignorant wise.
Lawful are all his commands,
satisfying the mind.
Let all my speaking and thinking
be acceptable to You, Lord,
before You, my rock and saviour.
VERS FOR THE GOSPEL 2 Cor. 6, 2b
Now is the auspicious time,
today is the day of salvation.
GOSPEL Mt 25, 31-46
All that you did for one of the least of my brethren
ye have done for Me.
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples :
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory
and accompanied by all the angels ,
then He will take His seat on His throne of glory.
“All nations will be gathered before Him
and He will separate them into two groups,
as the shepherd separates
between sheep and goats.
“The sheep He will place at His right hand
but the goats on His left.
“Then the King will say to those on His right hand :
Come, blessed ones of my Father,
and receive the kingdom
which is ready for you from the foundation of the world.
“For I was hungry, and ye gave Me food,
I was thirsty, and ye gave Me drink,
I was a stranger, and ye took Me in,
I was naked, and ye clothed Me,
I was sick, and ye visited me,
I was in prison, and ye visited Me.
“Then the righteous will answer Him and say :
Lord, when did we see thee hungry
And fed Thee ,
or thirsty and given Thee to drink ?
“And when did we see thee as a stranger
And have taken thee in ,
or naked and clothed Thee ?
“And when did we see Thee sick or in prison
And have come to visit thee ?
“The King will answer them in reply :
Verily, I say unto thee :
all that thou hast done
for one of the least of my brethren
thou hast done for Me.
“And to those on His left hand He will then say :
Depart from Me, cursed ones, into everlasting fire
Which is prepared for the devil and his henchmen.
“For I was hungry, and ye did not feed Me,
I was thirsty, and ye gave Me not to drink,
I was a stranger, and ye took Me not in,
naked, and ye clothed Me not,
I was sick and in prison
And ye came not to visit Me.
“Then they too will answer and say :
Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty
or a stranger, or naked
or sick, or in prison ,
and have we not cared for Thee?
“To this He will answer them :
Verily, I say unto thee :
All that ye have not done for one of these least of these
have ye also not done for Me.
“And these shall go away to eternal punishment,
but the righteous to eternal life.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclic by
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
Ecological education and spirituality
202. In many things the course needs to be redetermined, but before all else this applies to humanity, which is in need of change. It lacks the awareness of a common origin, a belonging to each other and a future shared by all. This basic awareness should enable the development of new beliefs, new behaviours and lifestyles. Thus a great cultural, spiritual and educational challenge is emerging that will involve long regeneration processes.
To be continued
The Bible text in this issue is taken from The New Translation of the Bible,
©Dutch Bible Society 2004/2007.
Considerations from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official English translation
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