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
We listen to the first reading as a message of hope addressed to us. Whatever we have done, says Ezekiel, repent, and you shall live. Those who were righteous but turn away from the right path will be condemned and cannot invoke their past good deeds. The well-known Psalm 130 responds to the reading: Out of the depths I cry to you, Lord… For the Lord is always merciful, his mercy is boundless.
FIRST READING Ezekiel 18, 21-28
Would I take pleasure in the death of a wicked person, rather than in his turning from his ways and living?
From the Prophet Ezekiel
Thus says the Lord God:
“When the wicked man turns away
from all the sins he has committed,
when he keeps all my commandments
and acts according to justice and law,
he shall live, surely live,
and he shall not die.
None of the transgressions he has committed will be remembered against him,
and because of the righteousness he has practised,
he will live.
Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked,
declares the Lord God,
rather than in his turning from his ways
and living?
“But when a righteous man turns away
from his righteousness
and does wrong,
when he commits all the abominations
that the wicked man commits,
shall he live?
“No, for all the righteous deeds
he has done,
none of them will be remembered,
and because of the unfaithfulness he has shown,
because of the sin he has committed,
he shall die.
“You say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right!’
“House of Israel, listen!
“Is it really my way that is not right?
“Are not your own ways rather not right?
“When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness
and does evil,
he shall die for it,
die for the evil he has done.
“And when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness
and does what is right and good,
he shall live.
“If he comes to his senses and turns away from his evil deeds,
he will surely live,
he will not die.”
INTERLUDIUM Ps. 130(129), 1-2, 3-4ab, 4c-6, 7-8
If You remember sins, Lord, who can stand?
From the depths I cry, Lord, hear my voice.
Listen attentively to my supplication.
If You remember sins, Lord, who can stand?
But with You I find forgiveness,
therefore my heart seeks You.
I put my hope in the Lord,
I trust in His word.
I eagerly look forward to Him,
more than watchmen look for the morning.
therefore my heart seeks You.
I put my hope in the Lord,
I trust in His word.
I eagerly look to Him
more than watchmen to the morning.
For the Lord is always merciful,
His grace is unlimited.
He will deliver Israel
from its iniquity.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL Joel, 2, 12–13
Repent to Me with all your heart, says the Lord,
for I am gracious and merciful.
GOSPEL Mt. 5, 20-26
First be reconciled to your brother.
From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to
Matthew
At that time, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Unless your righteousness
surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees,
you will certainly not enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
“You have heard that it was said to our ancestors:
‘You shall not kill.
Whoever kills shall be liable to judgement.
“But I say to you:
Whoever is angry with his brother
shall be liable to judgement.
“And whoever says to his brother, ‘raka’,
shall be liable to the Sanhedrin;
and whoever says, ‘fool,’
shall be liable to the fire of hell.
“When you come to bring your gift to the altar
and there you remember that your brother has something against you,
leave your gift before the altar,
go first and be reconciled with your brother,
and then come back and offer your gift.
“Hurry to agree with your opponent
while you are still on the way with him;
otherwise your opponent
may hand you over to the judge,
and the judge to the bailiff,
and you will be thrown into prison.
“Truly, I say to you:
You will not get out of there
until you have paid the last penny.”
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Laudato Si
Encyclical of
Pope Francis
On Care for Our Common Home
41. When we venture into tropical and subtropical seas,
we encounter coral reefs, which are equivalent to the great forests of
the mainland, as they are home to around a million species, including fish,
crabs, molluscs, sponges and algae. Many of the world’s coral reefs
are now barren or in constant decline.
“Who has turned the wonderful world of the sea into underground cemeteries without life and colour?” This phenomenon is largely due to the pollution that reaches the sea as a result of deforestation,
monocultures in agriculture, industrial waste and destructive fishing methods, especially those that use cyanide and dynamite.
It is exacerbated by the increase in the temperature of the oceans.
All this helps us to realise how any intervention in nature can have consequences that we do not see at first glance,
and that certain forms of exploitation of resources are achieved at the expense
of a decline that ultimately reaches the bottom of the oceans.
To be continued
Every day at 1 am
The Bible text in this edition is taken fromThe New Bible Translation,
©Nederlands Bijbelgenootschap 2004/2007.
Reflections from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official English translation