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
Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus makes it clear how great God’s love for people is. These are not randomly chosen words meant only for Nicodemus, Jesus’ words are always meant for all people of all times, and thus also for us. He asks humans to direct their own lives towards God. If we do not, we render God powerless to make his love known. If we turn away from the light Jesus wants to shine in the world, the light cannot reach us. Not because it would not be effective enough, but because by building obstacles we prevent it from coming to us. This gives man a certain responsibility, which he can freely take up or refuse. He can make choices, for better or for worse.
FIRST READING Acts 5:17-26
The men whom you put in the dungeon are in the temple teaching the people.
From the Acts of the Apostles
In those days the high priest and all his entourage,
who formed the party of the Sadducees
were filled with fierce envy.
They seized the apostles and put them in the city prison.
But in the night
an angel of the Lord unlocked the doors of the prison,
led them out and said :
“Go,
reappear in the temple
and preach to the people all these words of Life.”
They complied,
went to the temple towards morning
and gave instruction there.
Now when the high priest came with his men
they called together the Sanhedrin,
the council of the elders of the people of Israel
and sent servants to the prison to fetch them.
But on arrival, the servants found them no longer in the dungeon.
They returned with the message :
“We found the prison firmly locked
and the guards at the doors at their posts,
but when we opened we found no one there.”
When they learnt this
asked the temple commander and the high priests,
– worried about it –
wondered what consequences this might have.
But someone came to report to them :
“The men whom thou hast put in the dungeon ,
are in the temple teaching the people.”
Thereupon the commander went with his servants to fetch them
– but without using force,
for fear of being stoned by the people.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 34(33), 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
Who cry out in distress, to them the Lord listens.
Or : Alleluia.
The Lord I will praise every day,
His praise is always on my lips.
My spirit is proud of the Lord’s favour,
let every one who hears it rejoice.
Glorify the Lord together with me
And let us worship His Name in unison.
I went to the Lord and He heard me,
He saved me from all that I feared.
Indulge in Him, then you will become happy,
for He will not fail you.
Those crying out in distress, to them the Lord listens
And rescues them from their misery.
The angel of God puts a bulwark around them,
to protect every one who fears God.
Observe and notice how gracious the Lord is,
happy is he who seeks salvation with Him.
ALLELUIA Col 3, 1
Alleluia.
If then ye be raised to life with Christ
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Jn 3:16-21
God sent his Son into the world that the world might be saved through him.
From the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
John
At that time, Jesus said to Nicodemus :
“So much did God love the world
That He gave His only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish
but shall have eternal life.
“God did not send his Son
not sent into the world to judge the world ,
but that the world might be saved through Him.
“Whoever believes in Him will not be judged,
but he who does not believe has already been judged,
because he has not believed
in the Name of the only-begotten Son of God.
“Herein consists the judgment :
The light has come into the world ,
but men loved darkness more than light,
because their deeds were evil.
“Every one who acts wickedly has an abhorrence of the light
and does not go towards the light
for fear that his works will be made public.
“But he who does the truth goes to the light ,
that his deeds may be shown to have been done in God.”
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APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION LAUDATE DEUM
FROM THE HOLY FATHER
POPE FRANCISCUS
TO ALL PEOPLE
OF GOOD WILL
3. This is a global social problem closely linked to the dignity of human life. The bishops of the United States have articulated very well this social meaning of our concern about climate change, which goes beyond a purely ecological approach, because “our concern for each other and our concern for the earth are intimately linked. Climate change is one of the most important challenges facing society and the global community. The consequences of climate change are borne by the most vulnerable people, both at home and around the world.” As the bishops gathered for the Amazon Synod said, “Attacks on nature affect people’s lives.” And to clearly express that this is no longer a secondary or ideological issue, but a tragedy that harms us all, the African bishops declared that climate change is “a tragic and striking example of a structural sin”.
4. The reflections and information we have been able to gather over the past eight years,
allow us to clarify and add to what we said some time ago
said. For this reason, and because the situation is even more urgent now, I wanted to share this text with you.
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 Deum Official English translation
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