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
Acts is very judiciously structured. Already in the first chapter we read the commission to witness in Jerusalem, in all Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. We began in Jerusalem. Church persecution scattered the first Christians outside Jerusalem and Judea. Philip went to Samaria, the half-pagan and then converted the first true pagan, the Ethiopian. Already the figure of Paul hovered over all this from the beginning of the persecution of the church. Now follows the conversion of the apostle of the Gentiles, of whom verse 15 says that he will be instrumental in upholding my name among Gentiles and kings. Step by step, the mission to the Gentiles grows and this is a great breakthrough.
FIRST READING Acts 9:1-20
This man is my chosen instrument to spread my Name among the Gentiles.
From the Acts of the Apostles
In those days Saul went,
who in seething anger
threatened the Lord’s disciples with death,
went to the high priest
to whom he requested letters for the synagogues in Damascus,
for all followers of the new teaching he would find there,
men as well as women,
be allowed to take prisoners to Jerusalem.
As he approached Damascus on his journey
suddenly a light from heaven enveloped him.
He fell to the ground
and heard a voice saying to him :
“Saul, Saul,
why persecutest thou Me?”
He spoke :
“Who art thou Lord ?”
He answered :
“I am Jesus ,
whom thou persecutest.
“But arise and go into the city ;
there someone will tell thee what thou must do.”
His travelling companions stood speechless,
for they heard the voice
but saw no one.
Saul rose from the ground,
but although his eyes were open he saw nothing.
So they took him by the hand
and brought him into Damascus.
For three days he could not see
and neither ate nor drank.
Now there lived in Damascus a disciple named Ananias
and to him the Lord spoke in a vision :
“Ananias”
He replied :
“Here I am, Lord.”
The Lord continued :
“Go to the Straight Street
and ask in the house of Judas for Saul of Tarsus ;
he is just at prayer.”
This one already saw in a vision
a man, Ananias, come in
and laid hands on him that he might see again.
But Ananias objected :
“Lord, I have heard from many
how much evil that man
has done to your saints in Jerusalem.
“Here, too, he has authority from the high priests
to put in chains all those who call on your Name.”
The Lord commanded him :
“Go!
for that man is my chosen instrument
to spread my Name among Gentiles and kings
and among the sons of Israel.
“I will show him
how much he must suffer for my Name’s sake.”
Then Ananias went to the house,
entered
and laid his hands on Saul with the words :
“Saul, brother,
the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way here,
that you may see again
and may be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
At the same moment
the scales fell from his eyes, as it were.
He saw again
and immediately he was baptised.
He took food
and regained his strength.
For some time he stayed with the disciples in Damascus.
Immediately he began to preach Jesus in the synagogue, saying :
“This is the Son of God.”
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 117(116), 1, 2
Go out into all the world
And proclaim the Gospel (Mk 16:15).
Now praise the Lord, all the nations of the earth,
hail the Lord, all nations around;
because He has shown His goodness with us ;
the faithfulness of the Lord endures for ever.
ALLELUIA Jn 10, 27
Alleluia.
My sheep listen to My voice, says the Lord,
and I know them and they follow Me.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Jn 6, 52-59
My flesh is real food and My blood is real drink.
From the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
John
In those days the Jews fell into strife with one another
and said :
“How can He give us His flesh to eat?”
Jesus thereupon spoke to them:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you ,
if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man
and drink not his blood ,
ye have not life in you.
“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
hath everlasting life
and I will raise him up at the last day.
“For my flesh is real food
and my blood is real drink.
“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood
abides in Me and I in him.
“As I was sent by the Father who lives
And live by the Father,
so also he who eats Me
live through Me.
“This is the bread that came down from heaven.
“It is not as with the fathers
Who ate and nevertheless died :
He who eats this bread will live forever.”
Jesus said this
at his teaching in the synagogue of Capernaum.
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APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION LAUDATE DEUM
OF THE HOLY FATHER
PAUS FRANCISCO
TO ALL PEOPLE
OF GOOD WILL
13. The link between these global climate phenomena and the accelerated increase in greenhouse gas emissions cannot be denied. The link between these global climate phenomena and the accelerated increase in greenhouse gas emissions, especially since the mid-20th century, cannot be denied. since the mid-20th century. The vast majority of
climate scientists support this link and only a very small percentage of them try to refute the evidence. of them try to refute the evidence. Unfortunately, the climate crisis is not exactly a matter of interest to the major powers. of interest to the great economic powers, who seek the highest possible profits at the lowest possible cost and in th profits at the lowest possible cost and in the shortest possible time.
Continued
The Bible text in this edition 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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