Monday – H. Johannes Maria Vianney, pr.

Saint Pastoor of Ars
Born 8 May 1786
Died 4 August 1859

Invitation

May I hereby call your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?

This invitation wishes 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
Numbers is the book of numbers, so called because of the two census of the people it contains, at the beginning of the journey through the desert, and at the end. We read today from the second part, the recurring theme of the moribund people. We highlight the figure of Moses. Like Elijah, the Old Testament looks up to Moses as one of the greatest. Like Elijah, he can become deeply discouraged and long for death. This in particular is encouraging for us because it is so recognisable. Don’t things happen by trial and error in our lives too?

 

FIRST READING         Num. 11, 4b-15

I cannot bear the burden of all that people alone.

From the Book of Numbers

In those days, the Israelites began to wail again.
They said :
“Who can help us get meat!
We are homesick for the fish that we got in Egypt
to eat for nothing, for the cucumbers and melons,
for the leeks, onions and garlic.
“We are drying out ! There is nothing !
“We are only shown manna.”
The manna looked like coriander seeds
and looked like balsam resin.
The people scattered to gather it.
Then they ground it with a hand mill
or pounded it finely in a mortar.
They boiled it in a pot and made cakes out of it,
so that it tasted like oil cake.
With the dew at night, the manna also fell down on the camp.
When Moses heard, how the people, family by family,
were wailing at the entrance of the tents,
and when the Lord arose in fierce wrath, he became displeased.
He asked the Lord :
“Why dost Thou do this grief to Thy servant?
“Art Thou so little pleased with me ,
that Thou letst me bear the burden of all those people?
“It seems that I have been pregnant with all that people
and brought it into the world, that Thou sayest to me :
Carry it to thy heart, as a nurse carries an infant ,
and that Thou dost command me
to take it to the land
that Thou hast promised its fathers on oath.
“Where shall I get meat for all that people ?
“It wails against me : Surely give us meat to eat !
“I cannot bear the burden of all that people alone.
“It is too heavy for me!
“If thou continuest to do so with me ,
then kill me, if Thou wilt have mercy on me.
“Then I need not see my misery any longer.”

INTERLUDIUM       Ps. 81(80), 12-13, 14-15, 16-17

Homage to the Lord, our strength!

Israel did not hear my voice, says the Lord,
my people did not obey.
Then I let them go with their hard minds,
they went their own ways.

Ah, now if only my people listened to Me,
if only Israel walked in My ways;
i would overthrow their enemies by stealth
and I would turn My hand against their tormentors.

Then God’s enemies would look at them at the mouth
and so it would remain for ever.
Then I would feed my people with wheat flour,
saturate them with honey from the rock.

ALLELUIA               John 8, 12

Alleluia.
I am the light of the world, says the Lord ;
he who follows Me shall possess the light of life.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL              Mt 14:13-21

After saying the blessing, Jesus broke the loaves.

From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
MatthewWhenJesus heard the news of John’s murder
he sailed away from there in a boat to a lonely place
to be alone.
But the rumour of this penetrated the people
and it pursued Him on foot from their cities.
Consequently, when on His landing He saw a large crowd
he took deep pity on them, and He healed their sick.
Towards nightfall
his disciples came to Him and said :
“So send the people away to go and buy food in the villages.”
“There is no need for them to go away
-said Jesus to them -, just give them food.”
Yet they replied :
“We have no more than five loaves and two fish here.”
Whereupon Jesus spoke : “Then bring those here.”
And He ordered that the people should sit down on the grass.
He took the five loaves and the two fish,
lifted up His eyes to heaven,
and after saying the blessing
he broke the loaves, which He gave to His disciples
and the disciples gave them again to the people.
All ate until they were satiated
and of remaining loaves
they collected another twelve full baskets.
It was about five thousand men who had eaten,
not counting women and children.

________________________________________________________

Laudato Si

Encyclical of

POPE FRANCISCUS

On caring for the common home

72. The psalms repeatedly invite man to praise God the Creator
praise, He who “stretched out the earth over the waters, for everlasting is His
mercy” (Ps. 136:6). But the other creatures also invite to
praise: “Sun and moon, glorify Him, praise Him, shining stars.
Praise Him, highest heavens, waters that are above the firmament.
Let them now praise the name of the Lord, for his command has created them all
created” (Ps 148:3-5). We exist not only by the power of God,
but before Him and with Him. That is why we worship Him.

To be continued
Every day at 1 am