On hot summer days, we need to be careful with fire.
After all, fire can be very destructive
to forests and natural areas.
However, there is another fire:
the fire of inspiration and enthusiasm.
That fire, too, is expanding rapidly.
Just think of the fire of Jesus’love,
which flares up in every corner of the world.
Even today this fire is contagious
and fills us with great joy.

FIRST READING           Jer. 38:4-6,8-10

I was born a man with whom the whole world wants to argue.

From the prophet Jeremiah

In those days the nobles said to the king:
“Let that prophet Jeremiah be put to death.
By his words he discourages the soldiers
who are still in the city
and the whole population.
That man does not want the good of the people, but his downfall.”
King Sídkiah replied:
“Very well, he is in your power; I cannot stand up to you anyway.”
Then they seized Jeremiah
and threw him into Prince Málkiah’s well
near the guardhouse;
with ropes they lowered him down.
In the well there was no water, only mud,
so that Jeremiah sank into it.
While the king was sitting in the Benjamin Gate,
ebed-Melek left the palace,
went to the king and said:
“Lord king, these men have committed a crime
against the prophet Jeremiah,
by throwing him into the pit.”
So the king ordered the Ethiopian Ebed-Melek to:
“Take three men with you
and get the prophet Jeremiah out of the well before he dies.”

Answer Psalm Ps. 40(39) 2, 3, 4, 18

Refrain
Lord, come to my aid in a hurry.

With great confidence I hoped in the Lord
and He heeded me.

He listened to my cries,
rescued me from the mire of suffering.
My feet He put on solid ground,
He gave my steps strength.

He put in my mouth a new song,
a song to our God.
Now all who see it will fear God
and hope in the Lord.

Though I too am miserable and destitute,
the Lord cares for me.
Surely Thou art my helper and deliverer;
my God, do not tarry!

SECOND READING           Hebrews 12, 1-4
Let us run with determination the race for which we have entered.

From the letter to the Hebrews

Brothers and sisters,

Let us join that crowd of witnesses of faith,
and shake off every burden and obstacle of sin, to run with determination the race
for which we have signed up.
Behold Jesus,
the captain and finisher of our faith.
Instead of the joy that was His due
he took upon Himself a cross
and did not count the shame:
now He sits at the right side of God’s throne.
Think of Him
who had to endure so much opposition from sinners;
that will help you not to fall out and give up.
Your battle against sin has not yet cost you blood.

Gospel verse       John 10.27

Alleluia.
My sheep listen to My voice, says the Lord;
and I know them and they follow Me.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL              Lk 12:49-53
I have not come to bring peace, but division.

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

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Fire have I come to bring on earth ,
and how I desire that it should already blaze!
I must undergo a baptism ,
and how constricted I feel until it is accomplished.
Do you think I have come to bring peace on earth?
Nay I tell you, on the contrary, division.
For from now on five shall be divided into one house;
three shall stand against two
and two against three;
the father to the son and the son to the father;
the mother to the daughter
and the daughter toward the mother,
the mother-in-law versus the daughter-in-law
and the daughter-in-law towards the mother-in-law.”
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Laudato Si

Encyclical of

POPE FRANCISCUS

On caring for the common home

85. God has written a magnificent book “whose letters are the
crowd of creatures present in the universe”. The bishops
of Canada have expressed well that no creature is
is outside this manifestation of God: “From the grandest panoramas
to the faintest forms of life, nature is a constant source of
wonder and reverence. She is, moreover, a constant revelation
of the divine”. For their part, the bishops of Japan said something
very appealing: “To observe that every creature sings the praises of
sings its existence, means living with joy in the love of God and the
hope”. This contemplation of creation allows us to discover in
every thing a wise lesson that God wants to communicate to us, because
“for a believer, looking at creation is also listening to a
message, hearing a paradoxical and silent voice”. We can
say that “in addition to the actual revelation contained in the Holy
Scripture, there is also a divine manifestation in the shining of the sun and
the falling of the night”. When man pays attention to this
manifestation, he learns to see himself in relation to the other creatures:
“I express myself, when I express the world; I examine my
sacredness, when I decipher that of the world”.

To be continued
Every day at 7 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
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