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 the Word of God.
Available every day
Consideration
Someone offers to follow Jesus. He wants to share the life of Jesus. Jesus makes demands that not everyone can meet. We don’t know how the two characters in this gospel responded to Jesus’ answer. But we too have heard these words from Jesus. The question is: how will we respond to them?
FIRST READING Amos 2:6-10,13-16
The humble are trampled like the dust of the earth.
From the prophet Amos
Thus speaks the Lord:
“After the repeated crimes of Israel
I will not go back on my decision
“For they sell the righteous for money,
the poor for a pair of shoes,
for they trample the poor like the dust of the earth.
And violate the right of the poor.
“Father and son go to the same maidservant
and so they desecrate my holy name.
“On the garments they have taken as collateral, they throw themselves down
at the altars
and drink wine paid for with fine money
in the house of their God.
“And verily, I, even I, have before their eyes
destroyed the Amorite,
as great as a cedar,
strong as an oak;
Surely I exterminated him
from bottom to top, root and branch!
“I, I brought you out of Egypt,
“I led you through the desert for forty years,
and gave you the land of the Amorites.
“Well, I will make it totter under your feet ,
as a chariot totters
that is overloaded with sheaves.
“Then even the swift runner will have no chance to flee,
the strong will not be able to use his strength
and the brave man will not save his life.
“The archer offers no resistance
the runner does not flee
and no horseman saves his life.
“Even the bravest of warriors
will have to flee naked that day.”
Thus speaks the Lord Almighty.
INTERLUDIUM Psalm 50(49), 16bc-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23
But understand, ye who think not of God.
Who continually speak of my commandments
And always have my covenant on your tongue?
You who do not love discipline
And never heed my words.
If you see a thief, you will steal with him,
You will associate with those who commit adultery.
You open your mouth to wickedness,
You clap your tongue to deceive.
You sit down to speak evil of your brother,
You slander your mother’s son.
Would I remain silent if you did such a thing?
Or do you think I am equal to you?
I accuse you. I submit everything to you.
Understand, you who do not think of God,
otherwise I will seize you and no one will save you.
He who offers praise sacrifices truly honours Me,
he who walks the right paths finds salvation with God.
HALLELUYA Hebr. 4, 12
Alleluia.
The word of God is alive and powerful
and penetrates the depths of soul and spirit.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 8, 18-22
Follow me.
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that moment
Jesus saw a large crowd around him
and gave orders to go to the other side.
A scribe came to Him and said
“Teacher ,
I will follow you wherever you go”.
Jesus said to him
“The foxes have their dens
and the birds of the air have their nests
but the Son of Man
has nothing to lay his head on.
Another of his disciples said to him:
“Lord, let me go and bury my father first”.
Jesus said to him:
“Follow me ;
Let the dead bury their own dead”.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Continued
Every morning at 1am
This edition’s Bible text is from the New Bible Translation,
The Bible text of this edition is from the Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling,
© Nederlands Bijbelgenootschap 2004/2007.
Reflections on liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
_____________________________________________________________________________