CATHOLIC
DAILY SCRIPTURE READING
Welcome to my blog. The Catholic Church under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit gives us each day at least two readings from the
Bible, plus several verses from a psalm which is an inspired response to one of
the readings, normally the first.
There is a cycle (a two year cycle for weekdays
and a three year cycle for Sundays) which covers the major parts of the Old
Testament, the Gospels and the New Testament writings.
Through these readings we can get our spiritual
nourishment. In my blog I will give the readings and the inspirations I have
received in my prayer. I want to share them with others. If they help some to
get in touch with God and his image in this world, Jesus the Christ, then my
purpose will be fulfilled. May God bless you through his Spirit.
Monday 11 May
2020
First reading
Acts 14:5-18
We have come with good news to turn you to the living God
Eventually
with the connivance of the authorities a move was made by pagans as well as
Jews to make attacks on the apostles and to stone them. When the apostles came
to hear of this, they went off for safety to Lycaonia where, in the towns of
Lystra and Derbe and in the surrounding country, they preached the Good News.
[Nothing is
going to stop them witnessing to Jesus. They go to those who are open to the
Good News. Let us remember that wherever we are, we are to witness by our life
and our words to the truth of Jesus.]
A man sat there who had never walked in his life,
because his feet were crippled from birth; and as he listened to Paul
preaching, he managed to catch his eye. Seeing that the man had the faith to be
cured, Paul said in a loud voice, ‘Get to your feet – stand up’, and the
cripple jumped up and began to walk.
[May be
Jesus does not work such miracles today. Nonetheless we should have the faith
and trust in Jesus to pray openly for the sick and expect Jesus to heal. Every sincere
prayer is answered for our good. We have a Father who will do anything for our
eternal good, even to the point of allowing his Only Son to undergo the
suffering of the Cross. Such is his love for us. To believe this is the key to
the Christian life].
When the crowd saw what Paul had done they
shouted in the language of Lycaonia, ‘These people are gods who have come down
to us disguised as men.’ They addressed Barnabas as Zeus, and since Paul was
the principal speaker they called him Hermes. The priests of
Zeus-outside-the-Gate, proposing that all the people should offer sacrifice
with them, brought garlanded oxen to the gates. When the apostles Barnabas and
Paul heard what was happening they tore their clothes, and rushed into the
crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human
beings like you. We have come with good news to make you turn from these empty
idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that
these hold. In the past he allowed each nation to go its own way; but even then
he did not leave you without evidence of himself in the good things he does for
you: he sends you rain from heaven, he makes your crops grow when they should,
he gives you food and makes you happy.’ Even this speech, however, was scarcely
enough to stop the crowd offering them sacrifice.
[Paul and Barnabas give us a example of the true
Christian response. It is so easy to take the glory for ourselves. That will
vitiate everything. We are nothing in ourselves and must never forget this. Everything
we ever do, is by his power and love. We must always sincerely and humbly
acknowledge this].
____________________
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 113B(115):1-4,15-16
Not to us,
Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or
Alleluia!
Not to us,
Lord, not to us,
but to your
name give the glory
for the sake
of your love and your truth,
lest the
heathen say: ‘Where is their God?’
Not to us,
Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or
Alleluia!
But our God
is in the heavens;
he does
whatever he wills.
Their idols
are silver and gold,
the work of
human hands.
Not to us,
Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or
Alleluia!
May you be
blessed by the Lord,
the maker of
heaven and earth.
The heavens
belong to the Lord
but the earth
he has given to men.
Not to us,
Lord, but to your name give the glory.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel
John 14:21-26
The Advocate, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you
everything
Jesus said to
his disciples:
‘Anybody
who receives my commandments and keeps them
will be one
who loves me;
and anybody
who loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I
shall love him and show myself to him.’
Judas –
this was not Judas Iscariot – said to him, ‘Lord, what is all this about?
Do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus replied:
‘If anyone
loves me he will keep my word,
and my Father
will love him,
and we shall
come to him and make our home with him.
Those who do
not love me do not keep my words.
And my word
is not my own:
it is the
word of the one who sent me.
I have said
these things to you while still with you;
but the
Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the
Father will send in my name,
will teach
you everything
and remind
you of all I have said to you.’
Do you
want to experience Jesus in your life – as really present? Do you want him to
come to you and reveal himself to you so that your life is overwhelmed with joy?
Then receive
his commandments with love and keep them with all your heart. Then, ‘I shall
love him and show myself to him.” His commandment is: love one another as I
have loved you. Love then with the love of the Cross – forgiveness, prayer,
gentleness. Give your life for others. “Your commandments are my delight”.
[psalm 119]
Therefore,
as far as you love, that is, as far as you keep his commandments, so far you
will see Jesus and experience his love.
The Father
will love you too and the three Persons will make their home with you. though
through faith Revelation 21:1-8 will be fulfilled in you. Experience then the
indwelling of God.
Through
the Holy Spirit, God will guide and teach you everything you need.
THIS
IS FOR NOW, NOT JUST IN HEAVEN.
____________________
s
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