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
As servants, we are no better than the Master. It is inevitable that we too will face opposition and suffering for the sake of the gospel. Realising this may make us uncomfortable or worried. But it does not help. We can count on the witness of the Spirit. Jesus chooses a powerful image. He speaks of sheep and wolves. The contrast could not be greater. God’s power works in meekness and weakness, not in violence and malice.
FIRST READING Hos. 14, 2-10
To the work of our hands we never say, “You are our God:
You are our God.
From the prophet Hosea
Thus speaks the Lord
“Repent, O Israel, before the Lord your God,
for you have stumbled over your guilt.
“Come with your words as a gift,
repent before the Lord and say to Him:
Surely you forgive every fault;
Accept also our good will:
We will give our words as sacrificial animals.
“Assur cannot save us
we shall ride no more on horseback
And to the making of our hands
we shall no more say, Thou art our God.
“You, O Lord, are truly the one
With whom the fatherless find mercy.
I want to heal them of their unfaithfulness,” says the Lord, “and give them my love with all my heart .
And give them my love with all my heart.
“My wrath has turned away from them.
“I will be to Israel as the dew:
Like a lily it will bloom
And it shall take root, as in Lebanon.
“Her shoots shall sprout,
its splendour like that of the olive tree,
its fragrance like the scent of Lebanon.
“They shall sit again in its shade;
“They shall be able to grow corn,
they shall flourish like the vine
and they shall be renowned like the wine of Lebanon.
“Then what do I have to do with idols, Ephraim?
“It is I who listen to him
and who takes care of them.
“I am like an evergreen cypress:
To Me come its fruit.”
Who is so wise to realise this?
Who is so wise to realise this?
Truly, straight are the ways of the Lord:
The righteous walk in them,
But the rebellious fall into it.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 51(50), 3-4, 8-9, 12-13, 14, 17
Lord, loosen my lips
That my mouth may sing your praise.
God, have mercy on me in Your mercy,
Deliver me from my sinfulness in Your mercy.
Wash my guilt completely from me,
Cleanse me from all my sins.
For Thou art pleased with sincerity,
Thou hast taught me to see into my own heart.
Sprinkle me with hyssop to cleanse me,
wash me whiter than snow.
Create in me a pure heart, my God,
give me a resolute spirit again.
Do not keep me away from Your face
Do not take Your Holy Spirit away from me.
Give me again the opulence of Your blessing,
make me strong in generosity.
Lord, loosen my lips
That my mouth may sing Your praise.
Alleluia Ps. 119(118), 18
Alleluia.
Open my eyes to see, Lord
the glory of your law.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 10, 16-23
Not you speak
but the Spirit of the Father speaks through you.
From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that time, Jesus said to the 12:
“Behold, I am sending you out like sheep in the midst of wolves.
“Be wise like serpents and careless like doves.
“Beware of men.
They will hand you over to the courts
and flog you in their synagogues.
“You will be brought before governors and kings
for my sake,
“so that before them and the gentiles
and the pagans to testify.
“However, when you are handed over
then do not worry about the how or what of what you speak:
At that time it will become clear to you what to say.
“For it is not you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaks through you.
“One brother will betray the other to be killed,
the father his son;
children will rebel against their parents
and kill them.
“You will be an object of hatred to everyone ,
because of my name.
“But whoever perseveres to the end ,
will be saved.
“When they persecute you in one city
then flee to another.
“Truly, I say to you:
You will not have done away with the cities of Israel
when the Son of Man comes.
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To be continued
Every morning at 1 am
The Bible text in this issue is taken from The New Bible Translation,
Netherlands Bible Society 2004/2007.
Reflections on liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
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