Monday – St Maria Goretti, virgin and martyr.

Born in 1890 in Corinaldo, near Ancona.
She was the victim of a sexual assault at the age of 12.

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

Chronologically, Hosea follows Amos. He is his younger ally, also ministering in the Northern Kingdom. But his imagery is very different from that of Amos. He expresses the people’s unfaithfulness to Yahweh in terms of marital infidelity and adultery. This was not, however, far-fetched, as the Canaanite religion was strongly characterised by sexuality and fertility rites. At the same time, Hosea speaks of enduring love despite unfaithfulness. We have an example of this today.

FIRST READING                      Hos . 2:16, 17b–18, 21–22
I will take you as my bride, for ever.

From the Prophet Hosea

Thus says the Lord:
“My unfaithful bride,
soon I will draw her back to Me,
I will lead her into the wilderness,
and speak to her heart.
“There she will once more be willing,
as in the days of her youth,
when she came up out of Egypt.
“On that day – so says the Lord –
you will call out to Me: ‘My husband!’
“You will never again call to Me: ‘My Baal!’
“I will take you as my bride, for ever,
as my bride in righteousness and justice,
in kindness and compassion,
as my bride, in unbreakable faithfulness:
then you shall know the Lord.”

INTERLUDIUM                        Ps. 145(144), 2–3, 4–5, 6–7, 8–9

The Lord is full of love and compassion.

I will praise you, Lord, every day,
glorify your Name for ever.
The Lord is great and worthy of all praise,
his greatness is unfathomable.

Your deeds are recounted from generation to generation,
your power is proclaimed far and wide.
People speak of your splendour and majesty,
spreading the fame of your wondrous deeds.

Your awe-inspiring power is spoken of,
your greatness is praised by all.
They sing the praises of your great kindness
and rejoice in your righteousness.

The Lord is full of love and compassion,
long-suffering and most gracious.
The Lord cares for every person,
merciful to all He has made.

ALLELUIA                        Ps. 25(24), 4c, 5a

Alleluia.
Teach me your ways, Lord;
guide me according to your word.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL                              Mt . 9:18–26
‘My daughter has just died:
but come, and she will be restored to life.’

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

Whilst Jesus was speaking to the crowd,
a synagogue leader came up to Him,
fell at His feet and said:
‘My daughter has just died:
but come and lay your hand on her,
and she will live again.’
Jesus got up and went with him,
accompanied by his disciples.
Suddenly, a woman approached Him from behind,
who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years,
and touched the hem of His cloak.
For she said to herself:
“If I can only touch his cloak,
I shall be healed.”
But Jesus turned round,
and when He saw her, He said:
“Take heart, daughter;
your faith has healed you.”
And from that moment the woman was healed.
When Jesus entered the ruler’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion,
He said:
“Go away,
for the girl has not died but is asleep.”
But they laughed at Him.
When all those people had been sent out,
He went in,
took her by the hand,
and the girl got up.
The story of this spread throughout the whole region.

To be continued
Every morning at 7 am

___________________________________________________

Laudato Si

Encyclical of

POPE FRANCIS

On Care for Our Common Home

168. Among the positive examples, mention may be made, for instance,
of the Basel Convention on hazardous waste, with its notification system,
established thresholds and controls, as well as the binding Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which
provides for the sending of delegations to monitor actual implementation.
which provides for the dispatch of delegations to monitor its
effective implementation. Thanks to the Vienna Convention for the
Protection of the Ozone Layer and its implementation through the Montreal Protocol
and its amendments, the problem of the
thinning of this layer appears to have been resolved.

To be continued
Every day at 1 am