Thursday in the eleventh week of the year

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Invitation

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

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

Available every day.

Consideration

The liturgy concludes the Elijah cycle with a eulogy to Elijah from Jesus Sirach. In Sirach’s time, the figure of Elijah already had such a legendary aura that people attached greater importance to him than to the great prophets such as Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Jesus Sirach summarises almost everything the Old Testament tells us about Elijah. His ascension to heaven is something exceptional in this context. According to other texts, the dead went to the realm of the dead from which there was no return. This does not apply to Elijah, therefore. The idea of resurrection is of late origin in Judaism.

FIRST READING            Sir . 48:1-14

Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind,
but Elisha was filled with his spirit.

From the Book of Ecclesiasticus

Elijah the prophet arose like a fire;
his word burned like a torch;
he brought famine upon the people
and in his zeal for the Lord he reduced their numbers.
By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens,
and likewise he caused fire to fall three times.

How glorious you became, Elijah, through your wondrous deeds:
who may boast as you do?
You, who raised a dead man from the dead,
from the realm of the dead, by the word of the Most High;
who led kings to their ruin,
and the mighty from their beds to death;
who heard a rebuke on Sinai
and judgments of vengeance on Horeb;
who anointed kings to carry out retribution
and prophets as your successors;
who was taken up in a whirlwind of fire
on a chariot of fiery horses;
of whom it is written that he is destined for the time
when he will appease the wrath of God before it flares up,
the hearts of the fathers shall turn to the son,
and the tribes of Jacob shall be restored.
Blessed are those who have seen you
and have fallen asleep in love.
For we too shall surely live.
This was Elijah, who was taken from sight in a whirlwind.

But Elisha was filled with his spirit;
in his days he trembled before no ruler
and no one in the world overpowered him.
Nothing was beyond his power;
and even in the sleep of death his body prophesied;
in life he performed miracles;
and at his death his works were marvellous.

INTERLUDIUM              Ps. 97(96), 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7

Rejoice in the Lord, you who are godly.

The Lord is King; let the earth rejoice,
righteousness and justice uphold his throne.

Flaming fire races ahead,
the ruler of the whole world.
The heavens proclaim his holiness
and all nations behold his glory.

Those who worship idols are put to shame,
those who boast in their false gods.
Before him all gods bow down.

ALLELUIA                 Ps . 111 (110), 8ab

Alleluia.
The work of the Lord is good and trustworthy,
all that He decrees stands firm and unshakeable.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL                 Mt. 6, 7-15

You must pray thus.

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

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples:
“When you pray,
do not use vain repetitions, as the pagans do;
for they think
that by their many words they will be heard.
“Do not be like them, then,
for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.
“You should therefore pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be Your name;
Your kingdom come,
and thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
“Give us this day our daily bread.
“And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
“And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
“For if you forgive people their faults,
your heavenly Father will also forgive you;
but if you do not forgive people,
your heavenly Father will not forgive your faults either.”
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To be continued
Daily at 1 am

 

Laudato Si

Encyclical of

POPE FRANCIS

On Care for Our Common Home

150. Given the interrelationship between urban space and human behaviour,
those who design buildings, neighbourhoods, public spaces and cities
need the input of various disciplines that make it possible to understand the processes,
the symbolism and the behaviour of people.
The search for beauty in design is not sufficient, because serving a different kind of beauty
holds greater value: people’s quality of life, their harmony with the environment,
encounters and mutual aid. This is another reason why it is so important that
the views of the local population always contribute to the analysis of urban planning.