Monday of the first week of Lent

Invitation

May I draw your attention to
the daily reading of the Gospel?

This invitation is intended to share with you the joy
of the Gospel. Everyone, without exception,
can experience that joy by opening their heart
to the healing power of God’s word.

Available every day

 

Consideration
Isaiah taught us from the beginning that fasting is not an individual matter. Fasting is focused on our fellow human beings, on the community. Today’s liturgy presents us with a number of important attitudes that determine our relationship with our neighbour. It is remarkable how these commandments in the first reading are based on God himself and not on rational consideration: ‘I am the Lord’: God wants us to love and care for our neighbour. In the Gospel, Jesus goes even further. He not only establishes a benevolent attitude towards our neighbour. He identifies with our neighbour, especially with the most vulnerable: ‘Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me’.

FIRST READING                      Lev. 19, 1-2, 11-18
Administer justice to your fellow countrymen.

From the Book of Leviticus

The Lord spoke to Moses:
“Say to the whole community of the Israelites:
Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy.
“You shall not steal from one another, nor lie to one another, nor deceive one another.
“You shall not use my name in false oaths,
for then you profane the name of your God.
“I am the Lord.
“You shall not exploit your neighbour or wrong him in any way.
“You shall not withhold the wages of a labourer until the next day.
“You shall not curse a deaf person
or put a stumbling block in front of a blind person.
“You shall revere your God.
“I am the Lord.
“Do not take justice into your own hands.
“Do not be partial in judging:
Do not favour the poor and do not look to the eyes of the rich.
“Judge your fellow countrymen fairly.
“Do not spread slander about one another
and do not seek the life of your neighbour.
“I am the Lord.
“Do not be hateful towards your brother.
“Rebuke one another:
Then you will not be guilty of another’s sin.
“Do not take revenge on a fellow countryman
and do not hold a grudge against him.
“Love your neighbour as yourself.
“I am the Lord.”

INTERLUDIUM                    Ps . 19(18), 8, 9, 10, 15

Your words, Lord, are spirit and life   (John 6, 64b)

The law of the Lord is perfect,
it strengthens the uncertain spirit.

His precepts are trustworthy,
they make the ignorant wise.

All his commands are just,
satisfying to the mind.

May all my words and thoughts
be acceptable to you, Lord,
to you, my rock and my redeemer.

VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL                2 Cor. 6:2b

Now is the favourable time,
today is the day of salvation.

GOSPEL                            Matthew 25, 31-46
Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine,
you did for me.

From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory
and accompanied by all the angels,
he will sit on his throne of glory.
“All nations will be gathered before him
and he will separate them into two groups,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
He will place the sheep on his right hand
and the goats on his left.
Then the King will say to those on his right hand:
Come, blessed of my Father,
and receive the Kingdom
prepared for you since the foundation of the world.
“For I was hungry, and you gave me food; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you welcomed me; I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.”
Then the righteous will answer him, saying, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?”
I was in prison, and ye visited Me.
“Then shall the righteous answer Him, saying:
Lord, when did we see You hungry
and feed You,
or thirsty and give You drink?
“And when did we see You a stranger
and take You in,
or naked and clothed You?
“And when did we see You sick or in prison
and come to visit You?
“The King will answer them:
Truly, I say to you:
whatever you did
for one of these least of my brothers,
you did for Me.
“And to those on his left hand he will say:
Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels.
“For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat,
I was thirsty, and you did not give me drink,
I was a stranger, and you did not take me in,
naked, and you did not clothe me,
I was sick and in prison,
and you did not visit Me.
“Then they too will answer and say,
‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty,
or a stranger, or naked,
or sick, or in prison,
and did not care for You?’
“Then He will answer them,
Truly, I say to you:
Whatever you did not do for one of these least ones,
you did not do for Me.
“And these will go away into eternal punishment,
but the righteous into eternal life.”

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Laudato Si

Encyclical of

POPE FRANCIS

On Care for Our Common Home

37. Some countries have made progress in effectively preserving certain places and areas – on land and in the oceans – where any human intervention that could affect their original composition is prohibited. In caring for biodiversity, experts insist on the need to pay particular attention
to those areas that are richest in a variety of species that
are less common or enjoy a lesser degree of effective protection.
There are places that require special care because of their enormous importance to the global ecosystem or because they form important water reserves and thus safeguard other forms of life.

To be continued
Every day at 1 am