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
The continuation of the Gospel reading points to the possible hardening in unbelief. One can close oneself to God. The first reading contrasts with this: reversal is always possible. Moses is the great intercessor here and he juxtaposes three motives with God’s wrath.
– Thou hast led the people out of Egypt. Will you now abandon it?
– The Egyptians will make merry and honour thee
(this also occurs elsewhere in the O.T.).
– Finally, he reminds God of His promise and the Covenant.
Conclusion: God always restarts with his people, past and present.
FIRST READING Ex. 32, 7-14
Behold, Lord, from the calamity with which Thou threatenest Thy people.
From the Book of Exodus
At that time the Lord spoke to Moses :
“Go down, for the people whom thou hast led out of Egypt
have fallen into sin.
“Already they have departed
From the way I had prescribed for them :
They have made an image of bulls ,
they bow down before it,
they carry sacrifices before it and shout :
Israel, this is the god who led you out of Egypt.”
Also, the Lord spoke to Moses :
“I now see how obstinate this people are.
“Let Me proceed ,
then I can destroy them in My burning wrath.
“But of you I will make a great people.”
Moses tried to favour the Lord, his God, and asked:
“Why Lord, let Thy wrath rage against the people
whom Thou hast led out of Egypt with great power and strong hand ?
“Why let the Egyptians be hated :
He let them go
with the evil intention of making them perish in the mountains
And wipe them from the earth ?
“Yet let not thy wrath rage against them any longer.
“Refrain from the calamity with which thou threatenest thy people.
“Remember Thy servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel,
to whom Thou hast promised on oath :
I will make thy posterity numerous as stars in the sky ,
and all the land of which I have spoken ,
will I give possession of thy descendants forever.
“It shall be their inheritance forever.”
Then the Lord renounced
from the calamity with which He had threatened His people.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 106(105), 19-20, 21-22, 23
Do not forget me, Lord, who is well pleased with your people.
They made a sacred calf by the Horeb
and threw themselves down before a casting of gold.
Their Glory they exchanged for an idol,
the image of a grass-eating ox.
They had forgotten that God had saved them,
He who had shown His power in Egypt ;
who had performed miracles in Cham
and at the Reed Sea did amazing things.
He was already thinking of letting them go
when Moses, his friend, intervened.
Who pleaded for them not to destroy them
and averted God’s wrath from them.
VERS FOR THE GOSPEL Mt 4:17
Repent, says the Lord,
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
GOSPEL Jn 5:31-47
Moses, in whom thou hast put thy hope, it is he who denounces thee.
From the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John
At that time Jesus spoke to the Jews :
“If I testify about Myself ,
then My testimony has no value.
“There is another who testifies about Me ,
and I know
that the testimony He gives about Me is credible.
“Thou hast sent an emissary to John
and this one testified for the truth.
“Though I do not need the testimony of any man ,
but I say this
that ye may be saved.
“He was the lamp, kindled to illuminate ,
and for a short time ye rejoiced in his light.
“The testimony, however, which I possess
Is more valuable than that of John :
For it is the very works
which the Father has given Me to accomplish
And which I also accomplish ,
which testify of Me, that I was sent by the Father.
“Also the Father himself who sent Me
hath borne witness concerning Me.
“His voice ye have never heard nor seen His stature,
and His Word ye have not permanently within you
Because ye believe not the One whom He sent.
“Ye examine the scriptures
thinking to find eternal life in them,
but these very ones testify about Me.
“And yet ye will not come to Me
to find life.
“I seek not to be honoured by men ,
but I know
that in your hearts ye have no love for God.
“I have come in the name of My Father
and yet ye accept Me not.
“Come another in his own name
then thou wilt accept him.
“But how could ye believe
if ye seek to obtain honour from one another,
while ye seek not the honour that cometh from the only God?
“Think not that I will accuse thee to the Father.
“There is already one who accuses you :
Moses, on whom ye have set your hopes.
“For if you believed Moses
Would ye also believe Me,
for it was about Me that he wrote.
“If you do not believe what he wrote
how then would ye believe what I speak?”
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Laudato Si
Encyclic of
POPE FRANCIS
On caring for the common home
226. We are talking about an attitude of the heart that experiences everything with serene attention, that knows to be fully there for someone without thinking what comes after, that gives itself in every moment as a divine gift to be lived to the full. Jesus taught us this attitude when he invited us to look at the lilies in the field and the birds in the sky or when, in the presence of a man who was searching, he “looked at him lovingly” (Mk 10:21) . Yes, He knew how to be fully there for every man and creature, and so He has shown us a way to overcome the pathological anxiety that makes us shallow, aggressive and unrestrained consumers.
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