Saint Damasus I was born in Rome in 305 and died
died in 384
Pope from 366 – 384
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
‘He who watchfully looks forward to Christ is finely tuned, ardent and anxious in spirit; he is awake, alert, observant, full of zeal to seek and honour Him. In everything he seeks to discover Him no matter what, and he would not be surprised or overly excited or upset if he found that Christ came immediately. This, then, is watchful anticipation: being detached from what is now present and living in the unseen; living with the thought of Christ as He once came and as He will return; from our tender and grateful remembrance of His first coming longing for His second coming.’(John Henry Newman)
FIRST READING Isa 41:13-20
I, the Holy One of Israel, I am your redeemer, says the Lord.
From the prophet Isaiah
Thus speaks the LORD:
“I am the LORD your God ,
who has taken you by your right hand
and who says to you:
Do not be afraid; I am helping you.
Do not be afraid, little worm Jacob!
little people of Israel!
I Myself am your helper, says the LORD,
I am your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.
I will make you a threshing sledge,
new and well-sharpened, with sharp teeth.
Thou shalt thresh mountains and shatter them,
make hills into chaff;
thou castest them up; the wind carries them away,
the storm scatters them.
Ye yourselves, however, rejoice in the LORD
and praise yourselves for the sake of the Holy One of Israel.
The poor and needy seek for water
and it is not there:
their tongue is parched with thirst.
I, the LORD, I hear them,
I, the God of Israel, I will not forsake them!
On the barren lands I make rivers spring up
and springs in the rocky gorges.
From the desert I make a land of water,
of the thirsty soil a spring-field.
In the desert I make cedars grow,
acacias, myrtles and oleasters.
In the barren land I will put up cypresses
and ash trees and palms, a multitude of trees.
Then they will see and acknowledge,
fully understand and comprehend,
that the hand of the LORD has done that,
that Israel’s Holy One created that.”
Thus speaks Almighty God.
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 145(144), 1, 9, 10-11, 12-13ab
The Lord is full of love and compassion,
longsuffering and most gracious.
You I want to praise, my God and King,
glorifying your Name forever.
The Lord is concerned for every man,
merciful to all that He made.
Your works shall praise You, Lord,
thy pious shall praise thee.
They cry out the glory of Your rule,
thy power they proclaim.
They make Your power known to men,
the splendour of thy kingdom.
Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages,
your rule is for every generation.
ALLELUIA
Alleluia.
Come to us Lord, with your peace,
that with sincere hearts
may rejoice in You.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 11:11-15
No one has risen who is greater than John the Baptist.
From the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew
At that time Jesus said to the crowd:
“Verily, I say unto you:
Among those born of women
no one has risen who is greater than John the Baptist.
Nevertheless, the smallest in the kingdom of heaven is
greater than he.
From the days of John the Baptist until now
the Kingdom of heaven breaks forth with violence,
and violent men seize it.
For all the prophets and the Law, up to John,
have only foretold it:
‘but if ye will take it from Me:
This is the Elijah that was to come.
He who has ears, he listens!”
Laudato Si
Encyclical of
POPE FRANCISCUS
On caring for the common home
211. Yet this education towards “ecological citizenship” limits itself
sometimes to providing information and fails to develop new
behaviour. In the long run, the existence of laws and rules is
not enough to limit bad behaviour, even when there is a
proper control. If behavioural rules are to produce significant and lasting
effects, it is necessary that the majority of
members of society come to personal
behavioural change. Only by nurturing sound virtues
is an ecological commitment possible. If someone dresses a little fatter
instead of turning on the heating, even though his own economic
circumstances allow him to consume and spend more,
then this presupposes that he has acquired beliefs and a disposition
that are favourable to caring for the environment. It is very noble
to take up the task of caring for creation in small
daily actions and it is brilliant when the education leads
to a new lifestyle. Education towards responsibility for the
environment can encourage behaviour that has a direct and significant impact
for the environment, such as avoiding the use of plastic
or paper materials, reducing water consumption, separating
of waste, cooking only what one will reasonably eat, being
treating other living things carefully, using
public transport or carpooling, planting trees and senseless lighting
switching off. All these are part of a noble and dignified
creativity, showing the best of human beings. Reusing something instead
of throwing it away can be an act of love that expresses our dignity
expresses.
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