Welcome to my blog
and peace be with you!
You will find here, daily readings from the Scriptures with a
prayerful reflection. Reading slowly and prayerfully the Word of God is the way
to get into contact with Him. The reflection may help you turn to God, who has
revealed himself in his Son, Jesus, himself God.
We follow the sequential readings given us by the Catholic Church
for each day.
The Word of God is like the rain. As the rain bring fruitfulness to
the earth, may his Word bear abundant fruit in your life. God can make anything
of anyone. There’s hope for you and me.
I will be happy to receive your comments and also any question you
may have about the Scriptures or the Catholic Faith.
Saturday 1st
August 2020
Those who are
wise will shine brightly
like the
splendour of the firmament
and those who
lead the many to justice
shall be like
the stars for ever.
Prayer
Father in heaven, you protect all those who put
their hope in you.
Without you we are nothing. Pour down your
mercy upon us,
so that we may use the good things of this
world
in accordance with your will,
while keeping our minds on the eternal
treasures
that await us.
We make our prayer through your Son,
Christ Jesus our Lord.
First reading
Jeremiah 26:11-16,24
'This man has spoken to us in the name of the Lord'
The priests
and prophets addressed the officials and all the people, ‘This man deserves to
die, since he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own
ears.’ Jeremiah, however, replied to the people as follows:
‘The Lord himself sent me to say all the things
you have heard against this Temple and this city. So now amend your behaviour
and actions, listen to the voice of the Lord your God: if you do, he will
relent and not bring down on you the disaster he has pronounced against you.
For myself, I am as you see in your hands. Do whatever you please or think
right with me. But be sure of this, that if you put me to death, you will be
bringing innocent blood on yourselves, on this city and on its citizens, since
the Lord has truly sent me to you to say all these words in your hearing.’
The officials and all the people then said to the
priests and prophets, ‘This man does not deserve to die: he has spoken to us in
the name of the Lord our God.’
Jeremiah had a protector in Ahikam son of Shaphan,
so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death. THE WORD OF THE
LORD.
Prayerful reflection
Jeremiah is an image of Jesus. He has come to the people of Israel, as
the prophet of God, he speaks the truth. The leaders reject him and want to put
him to death. Be sure, he says, that you are bringing innocent blood on yourselves.
‘Let his blood be on us and our children’ the people will cry when they demand
the death of Jesus. The people however are on the side of Jeremiah and declare
he does not deserve to die. In the case of the Jesus, they will be influenced
by the priests and demand his death.
If we look carefully, we will see the New Testament hidden in the Old.
The Old Testament helps us understand the New.
We proclaim our stand regarding Jesus by the life we live and by the
actions we do. How do you stand?
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 68(69):15-16,30-31,33-34
In
your great love, answer me, O God.
Rescue me
from sinking in the mud;
save me from
my foes.
Save me from
the waters of the deep
lest the
waves overwhelm me.
Do not let
the deep engulf me
nor death
close its mouth on me.
In
your great love, answer me, O God.
.
As for me in
my poverty and pain
let your
help, O God, lift me up.
I will praise
God’s name with a song;
I will
glorify him with thanksgiving.
In
your great love, answer me, O God.
The poor when
they see it will be glad
and
God-seeking hearts will revive;
for the Lord
listens to the needy
and does not
spurn his servants in their chains.
In
your great love, answer me, O God.
____________________
.Lk8:15
Alleluia,
alleluia!
Blessed are
those who,
with a noble
and generous heart,
take the word
of God to themselves
and yield a
harvest through their perseverance.
Alleluia!
____________________
Gospel
Matthew 14:1-12
The beheading of John the Baptist
Herod the
tetrarch heard about the reputation of Jesus, and said to his court, ‘This is
John the Baptist himself; he has risen from the dead, and that is why
miraculous powers are at work in him.’
Now it was Herod who had arrested John, chained
him up and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife.
For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her.’ He had
wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a
prophet. Then, during the celebrations for Herod’s birthday, the daughter of
Herodias danced before the company, and so delighted Herod that he promised on
oath to give her anything she asked. Prompted by her mother she said, ‘Give me
John the Baptist’s head, here, on a dish.’ The king was distressed but,
thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered it to be given
her, and sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought in on a
dish and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. John’s disciples came
and took the body and buried it; then they went off to tell Jesus. THE GOSPEL
OF THE LORD
Prayerful reflection
John is a model of one who puts God first in his life. He lives for
God and will do his will under any circumstances. It was his duty to rebuke the
king for his immorality and so he did. As a result, John had to endure the
anger and wickedness of the king. He suffers death for his fidelity to God. Consequently,
Herod, his murderer, is forgotten. John is proclaimed the greatest person born
of a woman. When Jesus hears of John’s death, he realizes that this will be his
fate also. He retires to a quiet place to pray. It is the fate of all true prophets
in a world of sinful people.
How is John a model for you in your life?
1 Cor 1:
23-24
We proclaim
Christ crucified;
Christ, the
power of God and the wisdom of God.
____________________
Prayer
Father in heaven,
through your Word
you give us instruction and food for our life.
grant that we may not harden our hearts,
but listen to you daily. May your Word
bear fruit in our life.
We make our prayer through your Son,
Christ Jesus our Lord.
