Symbolising her inner life, her joys and sorrows,
her virtues and hidden perfections and her love.

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

The Gospel does talk about Mary’s heart. She kept God’s Word in her heart. That means as much as: she lived from God’s Word. She let it speak to her, considered it and prayed with it. Mary cherished the mystery of her covenant with God. It was her secret of life, the source from which she could speak and act. In another place in the gospel, Mary’s heart is said to be pierced by a sword. Sorrow and suffering will not be spared her. She will bear it faithfully and keep that too in her heart.

FIRST READING            Isa 61:9-11

I want to rejoice and rejoice in the Lord.

From the Prophet Isaiah

Your descendants will be known among the nations,
your descendants among all the nations.
And all who see them will know
that they are the people whom the Lord has blessed.
I want to rejoice and rejoice in the Lord,
my soul wants to rejoice in my God,
for He has clothed me with the garment of salvation
and put on me the mantle of righteousness,
like a bridegroom wrapping his head festively
or like a bride adorning herself with her ornaments.
For as the earth brings forth its fruit
and as a garden matures its seed,
so the Lord makes righteousness blossom
and his glory before the eyes of the nations.

INTERLUDIUM          1 Sam. 2, 1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

The Lord makes my heart beat with joy.

The Lord makes my heart beat with joy,
my God has lifted up my head.
Now I stand my contenders
because I enjoy His assistance.

The bows of the brave are broken,
the weak are girded with strength.
The rich must go and earn their bread,
those starving no longer have to do any work.
The childless gives birth seven times,
the mother’s womb withers.

The Lord disposes of death and life,
He leads to death and He calls again.
The Lord bestows poverty as well as riches,
humiliation He brings and honour.

He raises the powerless from the dust,
raises from the dirt the lowly;
He gives him a seat among princes,
grants him an honourable place.
For He is the Lord of the pillars of the earth
on which He once placed the earth’s disk.
GOSPEL          Lk. 2, 41-52

Think with what pain
your father and I have looked for You.

From the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Luke

Every year Jesus’ parents travelled
to Jerusalem on the occasion of the Feast of Easter.
And according to the custom at this feast
they went there again when He had turned twelve.
But at the end of those days, they returned home.
The child Jesus, however, remained behind in Jerusalem
without His parents knowing it.
Thinking He was with the caravan,
they went a day’s journey far,
and then searched for Him among relatives and acquaintances.
As they did not find Him
they returned to Jerusalem while searching.
Only after three days did they find Him in the temple,
where He was sitting among the teachers
to whom He listened and to whom He asked questions.
All who heard Him
were amazed at His insight and His answers.
When His parents noticed Him there, they stood defeated.
His mother said to Him :
“Child, why hast Thou done this to us?
“Just think with what pain
thy father and I have sought Thee.”
But He replied :
“What have you been looking for Me?
“Did you not know that I should be in My Father’s house?”
However, they did not understand what He meant by that.
He went with them to Nazareth
and was submissive to them.
His mother kept everything that had happened in her heart.
And over the years Jesus increased in wisdom and agreeableness
with God and men.

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