The Lord is truly risen
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
We listen to the second part of Paul’s farewell address to the elders of Ephesus in Miletus. This part contains personal and moving elements, but as Paul’s ’testament’ it is intended by Luke for the whole Church. It calls those responsible in the Church to take great care of those entrusted to them. The Church is God’s Work and even today all these recommendations remain valid.
First Reading Acts 20, 28-38
I entrust you to God, who has the power to build you up and grant you the inheritance.
In those days, Paul said to the superiors of the church at Ephesus:
“Take heed to yourselves, and to all the flock
over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you leaders
to shepherd God’s Church
which He acquired through the blood of His own Son.
“I know that after my departure
grim wolves will move in on you,
who will not spare the flock
and that also from among yourselves men will arise
who will proclaim wrong things
to get the disciples along.
“Therefore be vigilant
and remember, that incessantly
– for three years, day and night –
have been holding out good things to each of you under tears.
“And now I entrust you to God ,
and to the word of his grace
which has the power to build up
and to grant thee the inheritance with all the sanctified.
“Silver, gold or clothing I have not required from anyone.
“Thou thyself knowest
that these hands have provided for my needs
and those of my companions.
“In everything I have shown thee
that by so laboring one should come to the aid of the weak,
and that thou must be mindful of the words of the Lord Jesus.
“After all, He said:
It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
After these words, he knelt down with all of them and prayed.
All began to weep loudly,
fell around Paul’s neck and kissed him,
especially grieved because he had said
that they would not see him again.
Then they led him out to the ship.
Interludium Ps. 68(67), 29-30, 33-35a, 35b-36c
Sing now to God, kingdoms of the earth.
Alleluia.
Let all, O God, experience Thy power,
the power with which Thou dost stand up for us.
Let kings adorn with their gifts
your sanctuary in Jerusalem.
Sing now to God, kingdoms of the earth :
He draws near along the firmament of heaven.
There His voice sounds with mighty sound :
Acknowledge now God’s reign.
His greatness appears above Israel’s fields,
in threatening clouds His power.
Fearful is God in his holy domain,
He grants his people renown and strength:
Blessed be Israel’s God!
Alleluia Col 3:1
Alleluia.
If then ye have been raised to life with Christ
seek what is above,
where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.
Alleluia.
Gospel John 17, 11b-19
That they may be one like Us !
From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John
“Holy Father,
keep in Your Name those whom You have given Me,
that they may be one like Us.
“When I was with them
i kept in Your Name those whom You gave Me.
“I watched over them
and none of them was lost
except the man of destruction,
for the Scriptures had to be fulfilled.
“But now I come to Thee
and still in the world I say this,
that they may possess my joy fully in them.
“I have communicated Your word to them ,
but the world hated them
because they are not of the world
as I am not of the world.
“I pray not that Thou takest them out of the world ,
but that Thou preserve them from evil.
“They are not of the world
as I am not of the world.
“Consecrate them to Thee in truth.
“Thy word is truth.
“As Thou hast sent Me into the world
so I send them into the world,
and for their sake I consecrate Myself to Thee,
that they too may be devoted to Thee in truth.”
________________________________________________________
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION LAUDATE SI
OF THE HOLY FATHER
POPE FRANCISCUS
TO ALL PEOPLE
OF GOOD WILL
11. His testimony also shows us that an integral ecology requires
an openness to categories that transcend the language of the exact sciences
or of biology and connecting us to the essence of
human beings. As it happens when we fall in love with someone, was
Francis’ reaction, whenever he looked at the sun, the moon, the smallest
animals, singing, and in doing so he included in his praise all other creatures.
He connected with all creation and even preached to the
flowers and “he invited them to praise and love God, as creatures endowed with
reason endowed beings”. His response was much more than an intellectual
appreciation or economic calculation, because for him every creature
was a sister, bound to him by ties of affection. Therefore
he felt called to care for all that exists. His disciple
saint Bonaventure said that, “considering that all things have a
common origin, felt even more filled with
compassion and called the creatures, however small they were, brother and sister
called them brother and sister”. This conviction should not be despised as irrational
romanticism, because it influences the choices that shape our behaviour.
If, without this openness to wonder and amazement, we approach nature
and the environment, if we no longer speak the language of brotherhood
and beauty in our relationship with the world, our behaviours will be
be those of a dominator, a consumer or a pure
exploiter of natural resources, unable to put limits on
his immediate interests. Conversely, austerity and care will
arise spontaneously, if we feel an inner connection with everything that
exists. The poverty and austerity of St Francis was not just
merely outward asceticism, but something much more radical: refraining from making the
reality a pure object of use and domination.
To be continued
Every day 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
Laudato Si Official English translation
_____________________________________________________________________________