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 morning from 7 a.m.
Consideration
Listen today to the voice of the Lord and do not be stubborn. This is the refrain of the responsorial psalm. This psalm refers primarily to the desert and to the unwillingness of the people. This theme not only characterises the journey through the desert, but is repeatedly taken up by the prophets, such as Jeremiah today: “they remain stubborn in their wickedness“. Jesus repeatedly takes up this reproach. People do not listen, they do not see the signs, they are not open to God speaking in their hearts. Now we too are faced with that question: am I open to the whisperings of God’s Spirit in my heart?
FIRST READING Jer. 7, 23-28
This is a people who do not want to listen to the Lord, their God.
From the Prophet Jeremiah
Thus says the Lord:
“This alone I have commanded them:
Listen to Me, and I will be your God,
and you shall be My people.
Follow the way I show you,
and you shall prosper.
But they have not listened or obeyed Me.
They remain stubborn in their wickedness.
“The longer they turned away from Me.
“Since the exodus of your forefathers from Egypt,
to this day,
I have sent you My servants the prophets, time and time again.
“But they did not listen to Me
and did not obey Me.
“They remained stubborn, even more so than their forefathers.
“Tell them all this, but they will not listen; call out to them, but they will not answer.
“Then you must say to them:
Here are the people
who will not listen to the Lord their God,
who will not be taught.
“Sincerity is gone,
it no longer passes their lips.”
INTERLUDIUM Ps . 95(94), 1-2, 6-7, 8-9
Listen today to the voice of the Lord
and do not be stubborn.
Come, let us greet the Lord with jubilation,
let us cheer the Rock of our salvation.
Let us appear before Him with a song of praise,
honour Him with songs.
Come, let us fall down in worship,
kneel before Him who created us.
He is our God and we are His people,
He is the shepherd and we are His flock.
Listen today to His voice:
Do not be stubborn as once in Meribah,
as in Massah in the wilderness;
where your fathers wanted to defy Me
even though they had seen My deeds.
VERSES BEFORE THE GOSPEL Mt. 4, 17
Repent, says the Lord,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.
GOSPEL Lk. 11,14-23
Whoever is not with Me is against Me.
From the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christaccordingto
Luke
Once Jesus cast out a demon that was mute.
As soon as the demon had gone out, the mute man could speak again.
The people were amazed.
But some of them said,
“He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the prince of demons.”
Others, to test Him,
asked Him for a sign from heaven.
But He knew their thoughts and said to them:
“Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste;
one house will fall upon another.
“If Satan is also divided against himself,
how can his kingdom stand?
“For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebub.
“If I drive out demons by Beelzebub,
by whom do your sons drive them out?
“Therefore, they will be your judges.
“But if I drive out demons by the finger of God,
then indeed the Kingdom of God has come upon you.
“When a strong man, well armed, guards his house and courtyard,
his possessions are safe.
“But if someone stronger than he comes and overcomes him,
he takes away his full equipment,
in which he trusted,
and divides his possessions as spoils.
“Whoever is not with Me is against Me,
and whoever does not gather with Me scatters.”
Laudato Si
Encyclical of
POPE FRANCIS
On Care for Our Common Home
54. The weakness of the international political response is striking.
The subjugation of politics to technology and the financial world
is evident in the failure of global summits on the environment.
There are too many vested interests, and economic interests very easily prevail over the common good,
and information is manipulated so as not to jeopardise one’s own plans. In this vein, the
Aparecida Document calls for “the management of natural resources not to be dominated by the interests
of economic groups that irrationally destroy the sources of life”.
The alliance between economics and technology ultimately excludes everything that is not part of their direct interests.
Thus, one might only expect a few superficial statements, isolated philanthropic actions and efforts to show sensitivity to the environment, while in reality every attempt by civil society organisations to change things is met with resistance.
The isolated philanthropic actions and efforts to show sensitivity to the environment,
while in reality any attempt by civil society organisations to change things will be seen
as a disruption caused by romantic dreamers, or an obstacle to be avoided.
To be continued
Every day at 1 am
This translation is taken from The New Bible Translation,
©British and Foreign Bible Society 2004/2007.
Reflections from Liturgical suggestions for weekdays and Sundays
Laudato Si Official British and Foreign Bible Society translation
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