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
Imagine the penitents in the ancient Church. They listened to this first reading as a message of hope. Whatever ye have done, repent, says Ezekiel, and ye shall live…The others present, who were not among the penitents, could take the other part of the reading for themselves. Those who were righteous but fall away from the right path are condemned and cannot invoke past good deeds. The well-known psalm 130 responds to the reading. From the depths I cry Lord…For the Lord is ever merciful, his mercy unlimited.
FIRST READING Ez. 18, 21-28
Would I sometimes find pleasure in the death of an evildoer,
and not rather in that he should turn from his ways and remain alive!
From the Prophet Ezekiel
Thus speaks God the Lord :
“When the evildoer turns away
from all the sins he has committed,
if he keeps all my commandments
and acts according to right and law ,
then he shall live, surely live
and he will not die.
“Of all the misdeeds he has committed
None more shall be imputed to him
and because of the righteousness he has practised
he will live.
“Would I sometimes find pleasure
In the death of an evildoer
-so speaks God the Lord –
and not rather in this,
that he turn from his ways
and remain alive?
“But when a righteous man turns away
from his righteousness
and starts doing wrong things,
when he commits all the abominations
which the evildoer commits ,
should he then remain alive?
“Nay, from all the righteous deeds ,
which he has done,
no more shall be imputed to him,
and because of the infidelity he has shown,
because of the sin, which he has committed,
he will have to die.
“Ye claim : ‘The way of the Lord is not straight!
“House of Israel, listen!
“Would it really be my way, which is not straight ?
“Are not rather thy own ways not straight ?
“If a righteous person
turns away from his own righteousness
and starts doing evil ,
then he will die to it,
die because of the evil he has done.
“And if the evildoer turns away from his evil deeds
and starts acting according to righteousness and virtue ,
then he will live.
“If he comes to understanding and turns away from his evil deeds ,
then he will surely remain alive,
then he will not die.”
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 130(129), 1-2, 3-4ab, 4c-6, 7-8
If thou continue to remember sins,
Lord, who will stand?
Out of the depths I cry, Lord,
listen to my voice.
Will attentively hear
To my supplication.
If You continue to remember sins,
Lord, who will stand?
But with Thee I find forgiveness,
Therefore my heart seeks Thee.
In the Lord I put my hope,
In His Word I trust.
Eagerly I look forward to Him
More than watchmen to the morning.
For the Lord is ever merciful,
his mercy unlimited.
He will deliver Israel
from his iniquity.
VERS FOR THE GOSPEL Joel, 2, 12-13
Turn to Me with all your heart, says the Lord,
for I am gracious and merciful.
GOSPEL Mt 5, 20-26
Go and reconcile yourselves to your brother first.
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples :
“If your righteousness
far exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees ,
you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to our ancestors :
Thou shalt not kill.
Whoever kills shall be punishable in court.
“But I say to you :
All who are wroth with their brother ,
shall be punishable in court.
“And whoever says to his brother : Raka,
shall be punishable before the Sanhedrin;
And whoever says : Fool,
shall be punishable with the fire of hell.
“If ye come to bring your gift to the altar
and there it occurs to thee that thy brother has something against thee ,
then leave thy gift before the altar,
first reconcile with your brother
and then return to offer your gift.
“Make haste to agree with your opponent
while you are still on the road with him ;
Otherwise your opponent
may well turn you over to the judge,
and the judge to the bailiff,
and thou wouldst be cast into prison.
“Verily, I say unto thee :
Ye shall not come out of there
Until thou hast paid to the last token.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclic by
POPE FRANCIS
On the care of the common home
206. A change in lifestyle could begin to exert healthy pressure on those who hold political, economic and social power. This happens, when consumer groups succeed in ensuring that by boycotting certain products, the behaviour of companies is effectively changed by forcing them to consider the impact on the environment and production models. The fact is that when social habits affect the profits of companies, they are forced to produce in a different way. This reminds us of the consumer’s social responsibility. “Buying is at all times not only an economic but also a moral act”. Therefore, the theme of environmental degradation challenges the behaviour of each of us.”
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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