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.
Consideración
Jesus and John the Baptist do not fit into the religious world of high priests and elders. They do not fit the expectation pattern, and are questioned, interpellated. It is the time of decisive choices: those who had an ear for John’s preaching will also prepare for Jesus’ coming.
We prepare for that coming by making time to reflect: on the small and bigger choices we make – or don’t make – every day. To consider which decisions bring me closer to Jesus, and which ones bar the way to Him. To question whether my prayers and actions are such that real deliverance comes at Christmas.
FIRST READING Num. 24, 2-7. 15-17a
A star rises from Jacob.
From the Book of Numbers
When Bileam lifted up his eyes and saw Israel
tribe by tribe encamped, the spirit of God came upon him.
He chanted the following song :
“This is the oracle of Bileam, son of Beor,
the oracle of the man who could see secrets,
the oracle of him who hears God speak,
who beholds what the Almighty reveals,
and receives revelations in ecstasy.
“How beautiful are thy tents, Jacob,
how beautiful are thy dwellings, Israel:
like valleys they are spread out,
like gardens along a river,
like aloe trees planted by the Lord,
like cedars standing by the water.
“His buckets overflow with water ;
what he sows is abundantly irrigated.
“His king comes higher than Agag ;
his kingship will be exalted.”
Then he chanted the following song :
“This is the oracle of Bileam, son of Beor,
the oracle of the man who could see secrets,
the oracle of him who hears God speak,
who knows what the Most High knows,
who beholds what the Almighty reveals
and receives revelations in ecstasy.
“I behold Him, but not in the present,
i behold him, but not closely ;
a star rises from Jacob,
a sceptre rises from Israel.”
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 25 (24) 4bc-5ab, 6-7bc, 8-9
Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me to know your paths.
Show me your ways, Lord,
teach me your paths.
Guide me according to Thy Word,
for Thou art my God and Redeemer.
Remember Your mercy, Lord,
your ever-given compassion.
Remember not the evil of my youth,
but remember me with mercy.
The Lord is good and righteous,
therefore He shows sinners the way.
ALLELUIA
Alleluia.
The Lord comes, go to meet Him ;
He is the Prince of peace.
Alleluia.
GOSPEL Mt 21:23-27
The baptism of John, where was it from ?
From the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
One day Jesus went to the temple
and while He was teaching there,
the high priests and the elders of the people
Asked Him the question :
“What authority hast Thou to do all this?
“And then who gave Thee this authority?”
Jesus answered them :
“I will also ask thee a question ,
and if thou answerst Me to it ,
i in turn will tell thee
under what authority I do all this.
“The baptism of John, where was that from?
“From heaven or from men?”
They deliberated among themselves :
“If we say : from heaven, He will say to us :
Why then hast thou not given him faith ?
“If we say : from men ,
then we have the people to fear,
for everyone holds John to be a prophet.”
So they answered Jesus :
“We do not know.”
Then He in turn said to them :
“Then neither do I tell you
by virtue of what authority I so act.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclical of
Pope Francis
On caring for the common home
215. In this context, “the relationship that exists between an appropriate aesthetic
education and the protection of a healthy environment … should not be
neglected”. Paying attention to beauty and nurturing it helps us
overcome a utilitarian pragmatism. When a person does not learn
to stand still to contemplate and admire the beautiful,
it is not strange that everything becomes an object that one may unscrupulously
may use or abuse. If one wants to achieve profound changes,
one must keep in mind that thought models really do
influence behaviour. Education will be ineffective and all power efforts
unfruitful, if care is not taken to also develop a
new view of man and a new vision of life,
society and relationship with nature. Otherwise, the consumption
oriented model transmitted through the means of communication and the effective
market mechanism, will continue to evolve.
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.
Laudato Si English translation