H. Romualdus was an abbot and was born c 952 and died in 1027
He brought Emperor Otto III to repentance.
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 gifts we receive from God are not just for ourselves. They are given to us so that we share from them with others. But this presupposes that we do so quietly. Sincere generosity does not draw attention to itself: all honour belongs to God alone: with him, the well of generosity never dries up. It gives fertility to our generosity. This applies, by the way, to everything we do for God, including prayer and fasting. After all, intimacy with God grows above all in the secrecy of the inner room. And there nothing goes unnoticed by God.
FIRST READING 2 Kings 2, 1.6-14
Suddenly a chariot of fire came
And Elijah was taken up to heaven.
From the second Book of Kings
Shortly before the Lord
Elijah was to be taken up into heaven in a stormy wind ,
the latter left Gilgal with Elisha.
Elijah spoke to Elisha :
‘Stay here, for the Lord is sending me to the Jordan.’
Elisha replied :
‘As the Lord lives and as you live :
I will not leave thee.’
Then they went on together.
Fifty members of the guild of prophets followed them,
but remained at some distance,
when Elijah and Elisha stopped together at the Jordan River.
Now Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up
and struck the water with it.
The water divided to the left and right
and both walked through the dry bed to the other side.
Once there, Elijah said to Elisha :
‘Make one last request before I am taken away from you.’
Elisha replied :
‘Give me a double portion of your spirit.’
Elijah replied :
‘Thou askest something difficult ,
but if you will see me when I am taken up,
your prayer will be answered;
wilt thou not see me ,
then your prayer will not be heard.’
As they continued talking now,
suddenly there came a chariot of fire with horses of fire,
which separated them,
and in a stormy wind Elijah was taken up to heaven.
Elisha saw it and exclaimed :
‘Father, father, Israel’s chariots and its cavalry!’
When he no longer saw him ,
he grabbed his clothes and tore them in half.
Then he picked up the cloak that Elijah had dropped,
returned and remained standing on the bank of the Jordan ;
he took the cloak from Elijah,
struck the water with it and exclaimed :
‘So where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?’
Again Elisha struck the water ,
and now it divided to the left and to the right,
so that he could cross over.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 31(30), 20, 21, 24
Take courage and be fearless
all of you who hope in the Lord.
How great are thy benefits, Lord,
which Thou hast destined for those who fear Thee.
Thou givest them to every one who comes to Thee,
perceptible to all men.
The radiance of Thy Face protects him always
when people turn against him.
Thou takest him into Thy tent,
sheltering him from evil tongues.
Love therefore the Lord, all his pious ones,
the Lord protects all who remain faithful to Him.
But he who turns against Him in pride
He repays with usury.
ALLELUIA Ps 119(118), 27
Alleluia;
Lead me in the way of your commands, Lord,
then I will be mindful of your deeds.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 6, 1-6. 16-18
Your Father who sees in secret will repay you.
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples :
‘Remember :
Do not practice your righteousness before the eyes of men ,
in order to attract attention;
otherwise you will have no reward
with your Father who is in heaven.
‘When therefore ye give alms ,
do not trumpet it before you
as the hypocrites do in the synagogue and in the streets,
that they may be praised by men.
‘Verily, I say to you :
They have already received their reward.
‘When ye give alms
then let not thy left hand know what thy right does
That thy alms may remain in secret;
and your Father who sees in secret will repay it to you.
‘When ye pray ,
do not behave like the hypocrites
who like to stand in the synagogues
and on the corners of the streets to pray
in order to be noticed by the people.
‘Verily, I say unto you :
They have already received their reward!
‘But when ye pray ,
go into thy inner chamber,
shut the door behind thee,
and pray to your Father, who is in secret;
and thy Father, who seeth in secret, shall repay it unto thee.
‘When ye fast ,
put not a gloomy face like the hypocrites ;
they tighten their faces
To show people that they are fasting.
‘Verily, I say unto you :
They have already received their reward.
‘But if ye fast ,
anoint thy head and wash thy face
so as not to show men that ye are fasting,
but fast for your Father who is in secret
and your Father, who sees in secret, will repay you.’
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To be continued
Daily at 1 am
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