Friday – St Ignatius of Loyola

St Ignatius of Loyola was the founder of the Society of Jesus.
Born in 1491 and died in 1556

Invitation

May I take this opportunity to 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 day.

Consideration

Once again today we hear criticism of a worship that is too formalistic. Jeremiah will be rebuked for predicting the destruction of the temple – just as will happen to Jesus. Yet God’s aim is not to threaten the people, but to bring them to repentance. Ezekiel will say in the name of God: ‘I do not desire the death of the sinner, but that he may turn from his ways and live. Why should you die, O people of Israel?’ (Ezek. 33:11). In this sense, we are also reminded of Jesus’ words: ‘I tell you, there will be more joy over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who have no need of repentance.’

FIRST READING                 Jer. 26:1–9
They all rushed at Jeremiah at once in the temple of the Lord.

From the Prophet Jeremiah

At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim,
son of Josiah, king of Judah,
this word came from the Lord to Jeremiah:
“Thus says the Lord:
Go to the temple of the Lord and speak in the courtyard
to those who come from the towns of Judah to the temple
to worship the Lord, everything I command you,
without omitting a single word.
“Perhaps they will listen and turn back,
so that I may relent from the disasters
which I have planned against them because of their sinful ways.
“Therefore, say to them:
Thus says the Lord:
If you do not listen to Me
and do not live according to the law I have given you,
if you do not listen to my servants, the prophets
whom I have sent to you time and again, but in vain,
then I will do to this house just as I did to Shiloh,
and I will make this city a curse
among all the nations of the earth.”

The priests, the prophets and all those present
heard the speech that Jeremiah delivered in the temple.
No sooner had Jeremiah finished
he had delivered
before all those present,
when the priests, the prophets and all those present
seized him and shouted:
‘You shall die!
‘How dare you, as a prophet of the Lord, say:
‘This temple will meet the same fate as the temple at Shiloh,
and this city will become a heap of rubble, without inhabitants.”
And they all rushed at Jeremiah at once
in the temple of the Lord.

ANTIPHON              69 (68), 5, 8–10, 14

Hear me, for You are merciful, O Lord.

As numerous as the hairs on my head
are those who hate me without cause.
Those who torment me are powerful;
they demand injustice from me.
Must I repay
what I have never stolen?

For Your sake I have endured every insult,
even as the flush of shame rose to my cheeks.
I have become a stranger to my own kin;
my own brothers no longer recognise me.
Caring for Your house has worn me out,
and the scorn of those who scorn You has fallen upon me.

But my prayer, Lord, I direct to You;
for now is the time of grace.
Hear me, for You are merciful
and faithful in granting help.

ALLELUIA               Ps . 119(118), 135

Alleluia.
Let Your face shine upon Your servant, O Lord,
let me see your decrees.
Alleluia.

GOSPEL                   13 :54–58
Is he not the carpenter’s son?
Where did he get all this from?

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

At that time, Jesus went to his hometown
and taught them in their synagogue, so that they were amazed and said:
‘Where has He got this wisdom from
and the power to perform miracles?
‘Isn’t he the carpenter’s son?
‘Isn’t his mother called Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
“Do not all his sisters live here with us?
“Where did He get all this from?”
And they took offence at this.
But Jesus said to them:
“A prophet is honoured everywhere
except in his own town and amongst his own people.”
And because of their unbelief, He did not perform many miracles there.

____________________________________________________________________