Born in Lisbon on 15 August 1195
Died in Padua on 13 June 1231
Patron of lost causes
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
Those who love God but despise or scorn their fellow man cannot celebrate liturgy in a fruitful way. Indeed, for Jesus, true fraternity towards one’s neighbour takes precedence over liturgical life. Moreover, this love Jesus asks of us does go a long way: in the midst of a world often ruled by a harsh logic of judgement, punishment and retribution, Jesus pleads for reconciliation with our worst adversaries. However, are justice and reconciliation mutually exclusive? How hard do I struggle with Jesus’ call?
FIRST READING 1 Kings 18, 41-46
Elijah prayed again, and the heavens gave rain
From the first Book of Kings
In those days, the prophet Elijah said to King Ahab :
‘Now go and eat and drink ,
for I already hear the clattering of the torrential rain.’
As Ahab left to eat and drink ,
Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel,
bowed to the ground and put his head between his knees.
Thereupon he said to his servant :
‘Go a little higher still and look in the direction of the sea.’
The servant went up, looked and said:
‘I see nothing’.
Thereupon Elijah said :
‘Go again and again, up to seven times.’
And at the seventh time, the servant said :
‘Yes, I see a small cloud rising from the sea ,
as big as the palm of a hand.’
Then Elijah said :
‘Go and tell Ahab to strain and ride away,
otherwise the torrential rain will make it even more impossible for him.’
And gradually the sky turned black,
the wind rose and a heavy downpour fell.
Ahab climbed into his chariot and drove to Jezreel.
The hand of the Lord came upon Elijah ;
who tightened his belt around his loins
and rushed ahead of Ahab as far as Jezreel.
INTERLUDIUM Ps 65(64) 10, 11, 12-13
To Thee one must sing, God, on the Zion.
Thou hast tended and watered our land,
made it rich and fruitful.
The rainwater flows down on the fields :
Thus Thou preparest them for harvest.
Thou dost water the furrows and level the clods,
Thou dost soak them with rain and bless the seed.
Thus all the year is wreathed with Thy gifts,
on all thy paths lies fertility.
On lonely steppes the dew glistens,
a girdle of glory lies around the hills.
ALLELUIA 1 Sam. 3, 9; Jn 6, 69b
Alleluia.
Speak, Lord, your servant listens ;
your words are words of eternal life.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 5:20-26
All who are wroth with their brother ,
shall be punishable in court.
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that time Jesus said to his disciples :
‘I say to you : If your righteousness
does not far exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees ,
ye shall certainly not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
‘Ye have heard that to our forefathers it was said :
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 gifts to the altar
and there it occurs to thee that thy brother has something against thee ,
then leave your gifts before the altar,
first reconcile with your brother
and then return to offer your gifts.
‘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 then 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 penny.’
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APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION LAUDATE DEUM
FROM THE HOLY FATHER
POPE FRANCISCUS
TO ALL PEOPLE
OF GOOD WILL
68. This is not a product of our own will; its origin lies elsewhere, in the
depths of our being, because ‘God has linked us so closely to the world around us
connected that we can almost feel the desertification of the soil as a physical ailment
feel, and the extinction of a species as a painful deformity. ‘. [43] So let us
stop thinking of humans as autonomous, omnipotent and boundless, and let us
think of ourselves differently, in a more humble but more fruitful way.
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 Deum Official English translation
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