Wednesday – St Bonaventure, Bishop and teacher of the Church

Consideration
Once again, history shines through the reading. When Assyria destroys nations, it is in fact, without realising it, carrying out God’s punishment. In other words, Assyria is an instrument in God’s hands. But even in the deepest distress, God will save, and Jerusalem will be spared. Do we see this reflected in our own life stories? In what ways are we instruments in God’s hands?

FIRST READING                  Isaiah 10:5–7, 13–16
Can the axe perhaps rise up against the man who wields it?

From the Prophet Isaiah

Thus says the Lord:
“Assyria is the rod of my wrath,
the staff wielded by my fury!
“I am sending him against a faithless people;
I am sending him forth
against the people against whom I am angry,
to plunder and pillage there,
and to trample that people down,
like mud in the streets.
“Assyria itself, however, does not mean it that way,
it does not see it that way in its heart:
its heart is set only on destruction,
on the extermination of many nations,
for he has said:
‘By my own strength I have done this,
and by my own wisdom,
for I know well what I am doing.’
“I have shifted the boundaries of the nations,
and plundered their treasures.
“Like a mighty hero,
I have brought down those in high places.
“My hand has seized the wealth of the nations,
as one seizes a bird’s nest,
and I have taken hold of the whole earth,
just as one gathers abandoned eggs:
No one stirred a wing,
opened its beak or chirped!
“For – so says the oracle –
does the axe ever rise up
against the man who wields it?
“Or will the saw imagine itself to be something
against the one who wields it?
“It would be
as if a staff were to swing the one who grasps it,
as if a stick were to lift up someone
who is not made of wood!
“Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts,
will send leprosy into the flesh of the king of Assyria,
and a fire will break out amidst his splendour,
a blazing flame.”

INTERLUDE                       Ps . 94(93), 5–6, 7–8, 9–10, 14–15

Never will the Lord cast off his people.

The arrogant trample upon your people, O Lord,
your inheritance is grievously mistreated.
They strike down strangers and widows,
they slay orphans.

They say: ‘Surely the Lord does not see it,
He does not even notice, the God of Jacob.’
Use your understanding, short-sighted people,
you fools, when will you become wise?

Would He who gave us ears not hear,
would He who formed the eye not see?
He who judges the nations, would He not punish,
would He who instructs us know nothing?

Never will the Lord cast off his people,
he will not forsake his inheritance.
One day the judges will rule justly,
and all the righteous will agree.

ALLELUIA                    Ps . 119(118), 88

Alleluia.
Have mercy on me and let me live, O Lord,
then I shall remain faithful to what You have ordained.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL                     Mt. 11:25–27

These things, Father,
you havekept hidden from the wise and the learned,
but revealed to little children.

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

At that time, Jesus spoke, saying:
“I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
because You have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned,
but revealed them to little children.
“Yes, Father, for such was Your good pleasure.
“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father.
“No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son,
and he to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”

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