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
Introduction
Faith is a choice
that we can make freely
and which we deepen every day.
Although some may question this choice
we can feel and experience
that faith gives us power and strength.
Jesus’ words are food for the road.
His words are words of eternal life.
Like Peter in the gospel,
let us turn to him with confidence.
FIRST READING Josh. 24, 1-2a,15-17,18b
We want to serve the Lord, he is our God.
From the book of Joshua
In those days Joshua called together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem
gathered
with the elders of Israel, the heads of the families of the fathers,
the judges and the scribes.
As they stood before God, Joshua addressed the people and
and spoke:
“Thus speaks the Lord, the God of Israel:
If you want to serve the Lord
choose now whom you will serve:
the gods your ancestors on the other side of the river
worshipped
or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.
“I and my family serve the Lord.”
The people replied:
“We do not intend to leave the Lord
and worship other gods.
“The LORD our God has brought us and our fathers out of Egypt, led us and our fathers out of Egypt
led,
“out of the land of slavery.
“He has performed great signs before our eyes
and has protected us on all our journeys
and against all the peoples we have come into contact with.
“We also want to serve the Lord,
He is our God.
Responsorial Ps 34(33) Ps 2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23
Refrain
Taste and notice how gentle the Lord is.
I will praise the Lord every day,
His praise is always on my lips.
My spirit is proud of the Lord’s favour,
Let all who hear it rejoice.
The eye of the Lord is on the godly,
His ear is on their supplications.
He turns His face away from the wicked,
They are forgotten on earth.
The Lord hears the cries of the godly, He hears them
And delivers them from every distress.
The Lord is close to sorrowful hearts,
He helps those who acknowledge their guilt.
Many calamities will threaten the godly,
From each the Lord saves him.
The Lord will watch over his bones
That none of them be broken.
The evil of sin ends in death,
Whoever despises godliness will be punished.
The Lord saves the lives of those who serve Him,
whoever flees to Him has no punishment to fear.
SECOND READING Ephesians 5:21-32
This mystery has deep meaning. I relate it to Christ and the Church.
From the letter of the holy apostle Paul to the Christians in
Ephesus
Brothers and sisters,
be submissive to one another for the fear of Christ.
Wives, be submissive to your husbands as to the Lord.
For the husband is the head of the wife
as Christ is the head of the church.
He is also the Saviour of His body;
But just as the church is subject to Christ,
so also the wife must submit to her husband in everything.
Husbands,
love your wife as Christ loved the church:
He gave Himself for her, to sanctify her,
by cleansing her with the bath of the word.
He took the Church to Himself as a glorious bride,
without spot or wrinkle or blemish,
holy and without blemish.
In the same way, men should love their wives as their own bodies.
As their own bodies.
He who loves his wife loves himself.
No man has ever hated his own flesh;
On the contrary, he nurtures and cares for it.
And Christ does the same with the Church
because we are members of His body.
“Therefore a man shall leave father and mother
to unite himself to his wife
and the two shall become one flesh”.
This secret has deep meaning.
I relate it to Christ and the Church.
Gospel verse Cf. John 6:63c,68c
Alleluia.
Your words, Lord, are spirit and life;
You have the words of eternal life.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Jn 6:60-69
To whom shall we go? Your words are words of eternal life.
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
John
In those days, many disciples of Jesus said:
“This language is repugnant to everyone.
“Who is still able to listen to him?”.
But Jesus
who himself knew that his disciples were grumbling about this
asked them:
“Does this offend you?
“If you then see the Son of Man going up
To where He was beforehand…?
“It is the spirit that gives life,
the flesh avails not.
“The words I have spoken to you,
are spirit and life.
“But there are some among you
who have no faith.”
-Jesus knew from the beginning
who were those who did not believe
and who would betray him.
And he added:
“That is why I told you
that no one can come to me
unless the Father has given it to him”.
As a result
many of his disciples withdrew
and left his company.
Then Jesus asked the 12:
“Do you also want to leave sometime?”
Simon Peter answered him.
“Lord, to whom shall we go?
“Your words are words of eternal life
and we believe and know that you are the Christ, the Son of God”.
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Fratelli tutti
Encyclic of
POPE FRANCIS
On brotherhood and social friendship
16. In this clash of interests, which pits everyone against each other, in places where
places, where conquest becomes synonymous with destruction,
is it possible to raise one’s head to acknowledge one’s neighbour,
or to assist those who have fallen?
A project with great goals for the
development of all humanity sounds like madness today.
The distances between us are widening and the difficult and slow road
to a united and more just world is undergoing a new and drastic setback.
To be continued
Every day at 1 am
The Bible text in this issue is taken from The New Translation of the Bible,
©Dutch Bible Society 2004/2007.
Reflections on liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Fratelli tutti Official English translation
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