Invitation
May I draw your attention to
The daily reading of the Gospel
This invitation seeks to convey the joy
of the Gospel. Everyone, without exception
can experience that joy by opening his or her heart
to the healing power of God’s word.
Available every day.
Consideration
Like Moses before him, Elijah goes through a deep valley. In that darkness, he meets God, who sends him to Horeb: to the source where it all began. There he will be satisfied and find new strength. If the great prophets of Scripture were already discouraged at times, we should not be surprised that we too are discouraged at times. May we recognise ourselves in Elijah and return to the source in times of despair. Then we will know again to whom and for what we are faithfully committed.
FIRST READING 1 Kings 19, 9a. 11-16
Go out and stand before the Lord on the mountain.
From the first book of Kings
When Elijah came to Mount Horeb
he entered a cave and spent the night there.
Then the word of the Lord came to him:
‘Go out and tread before the Lord on the mountain.’
Then the Lord passed by.
Before the Lord there was a very heavy storm
that caused the mountains to split and the rocks to shatter.
But the Lord was not in the storm.
The storm was followed by an earthquake.
But the Lord was not in the earthquake either.
The earthquake was followed by fire.
But even in the fire the Lord was not.
The fire was followed by the whisper of a gentle breeze.
As soon as Elijah heard it, he covered his face with his cloak,
and went out and stood at the entrance to the cave.
Then a voice was heard asking him:
‘What are you doing here, Elijah?
He replied:
‘I have been praying earnestly to the Lord, the God of heavenly powers.
‘The Israelites have trampled on your covenant ,
and have pulled down your altars and killed your prophets with the sword;
I alone am left
and now they too persecute me’.
Then the Lord said to him:
‘Retrace your steps
and go through the desert to Damascus;
When you arrive there, anoint Hazael, king of Aram.
Anoint Hazael, king of Aram.
‘Jehu, son of Nimshi, you shall anoint king over Israel,
and Elisha, son of Shaphat of Abel-Mechola,
you shall anoint as your successor as prophet’.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 27(26), 7-8a, 8b-9abc, 13-14
Your face, O Lord, I seek to see.
Hear, O Lord, my voice crying out,
Be merciful to me and hear me.
To You my heart speaks, to You I look.
Your face, Lord, I want to see.
Do not hide Your face from me,
reject me, Your servant, not in Your wrath,
for You are my helper, therefore do not turn me away.
I am still counting on it in my life
to experience the Lord’s benefits.
Wait on the Lord and stand boldly,
Be bold in heart and trust in the Lord.
HALLELUYA Ps. 95(94), 8ab
Alleluia.
Listen today to the voice of the Lord
And do not be stubborn.
Alleluia
GOSPEL Mt 5, 27-32
Anyone who looks at a woman to covet her
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples:
‘You have heard that it was said:
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
‘But I say to you
Anyone who looks at a woman to covet her
has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
‘If your right eye threatens to lead you to sin ,
then take it off and put it away from you;
For it is better for you
that one of the members of your body should be lost, than that your whole body should be cast into the pit
Than that thy whole body be cast into hell.
‘And if thy right hand threatens to lead thee into sin ,
cut it off and put it away from thee;
For it is better for thee
That one of the members of thy body should be destroyed
than that thy whole body should go to hell.
‘It has also been said:
Whoever rejects his wife must give her a letter of divorce.
‘But I say to you:
Whoever divorces his wife, except in case of fornication,
makes her an adulteress;
And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery’.
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APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION LAUDATE DEUM
FROM THE HOLY FATHER
PAUS FRANCISCO
TO ALL PEOPLE
OF GOOD WILL
69. I ask everyone to accompany this pilgrimage of reconciliation with the world that is our home.
Accompany it and do your part to make it more beautiful, because this devotion has to do with our personal dignity and our highest values.
has to do with our personal dignity and our highest values. At the same time
I do not deny the need to be honest and recognise that the most effective solutions will not only come from
effective solutions will not only come from individual efforts, but especially from important political decisions at the national and international level.
important political decisions at the national and international level.
Continued.
The Bible text in this issue is taken from The New Translation of the Bible,
The New Bible Translation, ©Nederlands Bijbelgenootschap 2004/2007.
Reflections on liturgical suggestions for the week and on Sundays
Laudato Deum Official English translation
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