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
First reading, response psalm and gospel deal with radical forgiveness of guilt. The parable of the prodigal son is a parable for all times and for every sinner. Yet the introduction places the parable in a context where Pharisees and scribes are inevitably identified with the elder son. They do not accept God’s mercy for the sinner. But do we ourselves accept that mercy so readily when we ourselves are asked to grant forgiveness? Do we follow the Father’s example?
FIRST READING Mic. 7:14-15,18-20
God will refer our sins to the bottom of the sea.
From the prophet Micah
Take your shepherd’s staff and pasture your people, Lord,
the sheep that are your inheritance;
among the trees, in the midst of the forest ,
they are so lonely.
Let them graze in Bazan and Gilead,
as in former days.
I show wonders,
as in the days when thou wentest out of Egypt.
Which God is like unto thee, who forgiveth guilt,
who passes over sin,
committed by the rest of his inheritance ;
Who leteth not his wrath endure for ever ,
but finds his joy in goodness ?
He will have mercy on us again,
He will crush our guilt
crush under His feet.
All their sins He will
to the bottom of the sea.
To Jacob Thou wilt show Thy faithfulness,
to Abraham Thy goodness,
as Thou hast sworn it to our fathers,
in the days of old.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 103(102), 1-3, 3-4,9-10, 11-12
The Lord is merciful and benevolent.
Glorify, my soul, the Lord,
His holy Name from the depths of your being!
Glorify, my soul, the Lord,
forget not his benefits !
It is He who forgives you your debts,
who heals thee from thy afflictions.
It is He who saves thee from destruction,
who surrounds you with his favour and mercy.
He does not constantly keep reproaching you,
He is not forever wroth.
He does not deal with us as we deserve,
does not repay us our guilt.
As wide as the heavens span the earth,
so all-encompassing is His mercy.
As far as the distance from east to west,
so He expels from us sin.
VERS FOR THE GOSPEL Lk 15, 18
I will go again to my father
And I will tell him :
Father, I have transgressed against heaven and against you.
GOSPEL Lk. 15, 1-3.11-32
Your brother was dead and became alive.
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Luke
In those days, again and again
tax collectors and sinners of all kinds came to Jesus
to listen to Him.
The Pharisees and scribes grumbled about this and said :
“That man receives sinners and eats with them.”
He held out this parable to them :
“A man had two sons.
“Now the youngest of them said to his father.
Father give me the share of the property to which I am entitled.
“And he divided his wealth among them.
“Not long after, the youngest son packed everything together
and left for a distant land.
“There he squandered his property in a life of debauchery.
“When he had used up everything
a terrible famine came over that land
and he began to suffer want.
“Now he went into the service of one of the inhabitants of that country
who sent him into the field to herd pigs.
“And though he would have liked to fill his belly
with the husks the pigs ate,
no one gave them to him.
“Then he came to his senses and said :
How many of my father’s day labourers have food in abundance,
and I am starving here.
“I will go to my father again
And I will tell him :
Father, I have done wrong against heaven and against you;
I am no longer worthy to be called your son
but accept me as one of your day labourers.
“So he went on his way to his father.
“His father already saw him approaching in the distance
and he was moved by pity ;
he rushed up to him
fell around his neck and kissed him warmly.
“But the son said to him :
Father, I have transgressed against heaven and against thee;
I am no longer worthy to be called your son.
“But the father ordered his servants :
Quickly fetch the most beautiful robe and put it on him,
put a ring on his finger and put sandals on him.
Fetch the fattened calf and slaughter it ; let us eat and feast,
for this son of mine was dead and has become alive again,
he was lost and has been found again.
“So they began to celebrate.
“Meanwhile, his eldest son was in the country.
“However, when he returned and approached the house
he heard music and dancing.
“He called one of the servants
and asked what this meant.
“This one replied :
Your brother has come home
and your father has had the fattened calf slaughtered
because he got him back safe and sound.
“But he got angry and would not go in.
“When his father came out and urged him
he answered his father :
For so many years I have served thee and never have I transgressed thy commandments,
yet thou hast never given me a buck
Once to celebrate with my friends.
“And now that son of thine has come
who hath squandered thy fortune with wicked women,
you have had the fatted calf slaughtered for him.
“Then the father replied :
Boy, you are always with me
and everything that is mine is also yours.
“But there must be celebration and merriment,
because that brother of yours was dead and has become alive,
was lost and has been found again.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclic by
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
214. Politics and the various associations are entitled to make efforts for the formation of conscience. It is also due to the Church. All Christian communities have an important role to play in this education. Similarly, I hope that in our seminaries and in the religious houses of formation people are educated to responsible sobriety, to an appreciative contemplation of the world, to concern for the fragility of the poor and the environment. Since the stakes are high, as there are institutions with power to impose fines against attacks on the environment, we equally need to check ourselves and educate each other.
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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