Monday – St Henry

 

Emperor Henry the Good of Bavaria. Born in 973.
Crowned Emperor in 1014 and died in 1024

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
It seems contradictory. God, who laid down meticulous rules (Lev 1:1–17), who proclaimed horrific punishments for those who did not observe the rites of worship (Lev 26:14), this very God now says that He can no longer tolerate the sacrifices of His people? The shock would be no greater if Jesus were to say to us today: ‘Stop coming to church and celebrating the Eucharist!’ And yet Jesus does say something along those lines: if we approach the altar whilst harbouring resentment towards someone, then we too must leave, to seek reconciliation first before returning (Matt 5:24). The true sacrifice that God expects of his children is that they should serve their fellow human beings in their daily lives, especially the most vulnerable.

FIRST READING                    Isa . 1:11–17
Go and purify yourselves! Remove your evil deeds from my sight!

From the Prophet Isaiah

Thus says the Lord, your God:
“What use are your many sacrifices?
“I have had enough of your burnt offerings of rams
and the fat of fattened calves.
“The blood of bulls, sheep and goats
no longer pleases Me.
“When you appear before me –
who has asked this of you,
that you should trample my courtyards?
“Cease, then, these meaningless sacrifices!
“I am sickened by their smell!
“New Moon, Sabbath and feast days,
they no longer please Me:
I desire no festivals accompanied by misconduct!
“Your new moon festivals and your feast days,
they weigh heavily upon My heart
and I will bear that burden no longer!
“When you lift up your hands,
I close My eyes.
“You may pray as much as you like, I no longer listen.
“Your hands are full of blood.
“Go and wash yourselves, go and cleanse yourselves!
“Get your wicked deeds out of my sight!
“Stop doing evil, learn to do good,
uphold justice, help the oppressed,
defend the orphan, plead for the widow”,
says the Almighty Lord.

INTERLUDE                          Ps . 50(49), 8–9, 16bc–17, 21, 23

Whoever walks in the ways of righteousness finds God’s salvation.

I do not reproach you for your sacrifices:
I see your sacrificial animals burning continually.
I no longer want a bull from your houses,
nor do I ask for rams from your sheepfold.

Why do you keep speaking of my commandments,
and do you always have my covenant on your lips?
You who detest discipline
and never heed my words.

Should I then remain silent whilst you do such things?
Or do you perhaps think that I am like you?
I accuse you. I lay everything before you.

Whoever offers sacrifices of praise truly honours Me,
whoever walks in the ways of righteousness finds God’s salvation.

ALLELUIA                            Ps . 119(118), 34

Alleluia.
Grant me understanding to keep your law, O Lord,
to follow it with all my heart.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL                           Mt . 10:34–11:1
I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.

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

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples:
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth;
I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
“I have come to bring division
between a man and his father, between a daughter and her mother,
between a daughter-in-law and her mother-in-law;
and a man’s own household will be his enemies.
“Whoever loves father or mother more than Me,
is not worthy of Me;
whoever loves son or daughter more than Me,
is not worthy of Me.
“And whoever does not take up their cross and follow Me,
is not worthy of Me.
“Whoever finds their life will lose it,
and whoever loses their life for My sake will find it.
“Whoever receives you receives Me;
and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.
“Whoever receives a prophet because he is a prophet,
shall also receive a prophet’s reward;
and whoever receives a righteous person,
because he is a righteous person,
shall also receive a righteous person’s reward.
“And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones,
simply because he is my disciple,
truly, I tell you:
his reward will certainly not be lost on him.”
When Jesus had finished teaching his twelve disciples,
He set out from there
to teach and preach in their towns.
__________________________________________________________

To be continued
Every morning at 1 am

Laudato Si

Encyclical of

POPE FRANCIS

On Care for Our Common Home

175. The same logic that makes it difficult to take drastic decisions
to curb global warming also makes it impossible to achieve the
eradication of poverty. We need a global, more responsible response,
which simultaneously involves reducing
pollution and promoting the development of poor countries and regions.
Whilst the 21st century maintains a system of governance characteristic of
by-gone eras, it is witnessing a loss of power by nation states,
primarily because the economy and the financial world possess a transnational
character that tends to dominate politics. In this context,
the development of stronger and more efficiently organised institutions
becomes indispensable, with powers defined impartially
through agreements between national governments and the authority
to impose sanctions. As Benedict XVI stated, in line with the approach already developed by the Church’s social teaching: “To steer the global economy, to restore the economies affected by the crisis,
to prevent a worsening of the crisis and the resulting imbalances,
to bring about appropriate comprehensive disarmament, security and peace, to ensure the protection of the environment and to regulate migration flows, a genuine global political authority is necessary, as already outlined by my predecessor, the Blessed Pope John XXIII”. In this context, diplomacy takes on unprecedented importance in promoting international strategies that ensure the protection of the environment and regulate migration flows,
as my predecessor, the late Pope John XXIII, has already
outlined”. From this perspective, diplomacy takes on unprecedented importance in order to promote international strategies that prevent serious problems, which will ultimately affect us all.