Belgian missionary sister in China. Born on 28/12/1872
and died on 9/7/1900. She and other
Christians during the Boxer Uprising in Taiyuan, China.
Invitation
May I draw your attention to
reading the gospel daily?
This invitation wants to share the joy
of the gospel with you. Everyone, without exception
can experience that joy by opening his or her heart
to the healing power of God’s word.
Available every day.
Consideratión
As with Amos, with Hosea we can imagine the profane history of the eighth century. Some oracles speak of a period of prosperity reflected in the luxury of sanctuaries, but they do not hide the contradiction between religious practices and moral life. Other texts – like today’s – clearly refer to the period of decadence in the second half of that century. The Northern Empire is coming to an end, has Samaria already fallen, has the king already been deposed? The text does not say it literally, but everything points to the fact that we are nearing the end (722-21).
FIRST READING Hos. 10, 1-3. 7-8.12
Now is the time to seek the Lord.
From the prophet Hosea
Israel is a lush vine
which also bears luscious fruit.
And the more numerous these fruits are ,
the more numerous Israel makes her altars.
The more beautiful her land is
the more beautiful she adorns her weeping stones.
Because they are so double-minded ,
they will now pay for their guilt.
The Lord Himself gives their altars the final blow
And breaks the stones of wisdom.
Yes, then we will say:
“We have no king ,
For if we do not fear the Lord
What good is a king to us?”
Samaria has been silenced,
its king is like a broken branch
floating on the water.
The heights of abomination – that sin of Israel – have been destroyed.
Have been destroyed.
Thorns and thistles overrun their altars.
Then they cry to the mountains, “Cover us!
and to the hills, “Fall on us!”.
Sow righteousness ,
and you will reap the good;
Reclaim the fallow land.
Now is the time to seek the Lord,
until He comes and rains justice on you.
INTERLUDIUM Psalm 105(104), 2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Always seek the Lord’s face.
Sing to Him and strike the chords for Him,
Tell of all His wondrous works.
Exalt the holy name of the Lord,
Rejoice, ye who follow Him.
Abide in Him, in His mighty arm,
Seek His face always.
Never forget the miracles He did,
His signs and His promises.
You, the descendants of His servant Abraham,
children of Jacob, His beloved.
The Lord, He is our only God,
what He ordains applies to the whole earth.
HALLELUYA Ps. 95(94), 8ab
Alleluia.
Listen today to the voice of the Lord
And do not be obstinate.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt. 10, 1-7
Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
From the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that time Jesus called his twelve disciples to him
and gave them power
to cast out unclean spirits
and to cure all diseases and infirmities.
These are the names of the 12 apostles:
First : Simon, called Peter
with his brother Andrew;
James, son of Zebedee, with his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector,
James, the son of Alphaeus,
Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot
and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.
These 12 sent Jesus with the command :
“Do not go among the Gentiles
and do not go into a city of the Samaritans ;
but you must go
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
“Proclaim on your way :
The kingdom of heaven is at hand”.
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Continued
Every morning at 1 am
The Bible text of this issue is taken from the Nieuwe Bijbelvertaling,
© Nederlands Bijbelgenootschap 2004/2007.
Considerations from liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays