A life lived for Jesus, God with us.

Welcome to my blog.

You will find here the daily readings from the Bible, chosen for us by the Catholic Church under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

If we set aside a regular time each day to read, meditate and pray over the readings, we will receive the fruits of peace and joy. The Holy Spirit who inspired the passage in the first place, will inspire you too as you read in faith.

A prayerful reflection is given. I hope you may find it helpful.

Monday 13 July 2020

A life lived for Jesus, God with us.

Cf. Ps 16:15

As for me, in justice I shall behold your face;

I shall be filled with the vision of your glory.

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Prayer

O God, who show the light of your truth

to those who go astray,

so that they may return to the right path,

give all who for the faith they profess

are accounted Christians

the grace to reject whatever is contrary to the name of Christ

and to strive after all that does it honour.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, for ever and ever.

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First reading

Isaiah 1:10-17 ·

Take your wrongdoing out of my sight

Hear the word of the Lord,

you rulers of Sodom;

listen to the command of our God,

you people of Gomorrah.

‘What are your endless sacrifices to me?

says the Lord.

I am sick of holocausts of rams

and the fat of calves.

The blood of bulls and of goats revolts me.

When you come to present yourselves before me,

who asked you to trample over my courts?

Bring me your worthless offerings no more,

the smoke of them fills me with disgust.

New Moons, sabbaths, assemblies –

I cannot endure festival and solemnity.

Your New Moons and your pilgrimages

I hate with all my soul.

They lie heavy on me,

I am tired of bearing them.

When you stretch out your hands

I turn my eyes away.

You may multiply your prayers,

I shall not listen.

Your hands are covered with blood,

wash, make yourselves clean.

‘Take your wrong-doing out of my sight.

Cease to do evil.

Learn to do good,

search for justice,

help the oppressed,

be just to the orphan,

plead for the widow.’

THE WORD OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

Basically, we can do nothing of ourselves. However, in the natural order God has given us, quietly freely and gratuitously, many gifts of body and mind. Apart from my physical abilities, I can think, decide and love. Since God has endowed me with these gifts at birth, I often think that they are what I myself have achieved. This of course is an illusion. They are his gifts. I should always be thankful and use them in accordance with his will.

Spiritually however I am totally impotent. “Without me, you can do nothing” Jesus said at the Last Supper. To do anything in the supernatural order, that is in my relationship with God directly I need God’s grace, namely the Holy Spirit to raise me to the level of friendship with God.

Why do we have rituals – the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, adoration, worship, prayer, feast days, pilgrimages and all our religious activity? On the one hand it is to thank God for all the gifts he has given us in both the natural and the supernatural orders. We acknowledge that he is a Creator, Father, giver of all we are and have. It is a joyful worship in thanksgiving offered through Jesus, his Son and our Mediator. On the other hand, it is a prayer for the help of the Holy Spirit, so that we may live lives truly pleasing to him.

Naturally, to be pleasing to God, we must do all this sincerely and from our hearts. Our sincere and wholehearted striving to keep the Commandments of God (which are for our good and happiness) and to live a life pleasing to God are the touchstones of true religion. This is the embodiment of our worship and all religious activity. We pray for this and we thank God when through his grace we live a life, in joy, pleasing to him

What is a life pleasing to God?

‘Take your wrong-doing out of my sight.

Cease to do evil.

Learn to do good,

search for justice,

help the oppressed,

be just to the orphan,

plead for the widow.’

The people of Jerusalem had no interest in doing this. Isaiah in the name of God condemns them.

What about you and me? Is this the object of our worship and prayer and is it the fruit of our worship and prayer?  We pray for our life and our life is the fruit of our prayer. Our life is our offering to God.

Psalm

Psalm 49(50):8-9,16-17,21,23

I will show God’s salvation to the upright.

‘I find no fault with your sacrifices,

your offerings are always before me.

I do not ask more bullocks from your farms,

nor goats from among your herds.

I will show God’s salvation to the upright.

.

‘But how can you recite my commandments

and take my covenant on your lips,

you who despise my law

and throw my words to the winds,

I will show God’s salvation to the upright.

‘You do this, and should I keep silence?

Do you think that I am like you?

A sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me

and I will show God’s salvation to the upright.’

I will show God’s salvation to the upright.

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.Ac16:14

Alleluia, alleluia!

Open our heart, O Lord,

to accept the words of your Son.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Matthew 10:34-11:1

It is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword

Jesus instructed the Twelve as follows: ‘Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth: it is not peace I have come to bring, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be those of his own household.

‘Anyone who prefers father or mother to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who prefers son or daughter to me is not worthy of me. Anyone who does not take his cross and follow in my footsteps is not worthy of me. Anyone who finds his life will lose it; anyone who loses his life for my sake will find it.

‘Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me; and those who welcome me welcome the one who sent me.

‘Anyone who welcomes a prophet will have a prophet’s reward; and anyone who welcomes a holy man will have a holy man’s reward.

‘If anyone gives so much as a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is a disciple, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.’

When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples he moved on from there to teach and preach in their towns. THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

This Gospel may sound harsh, at first sight. Jesus is not the gentle figure we often see in holy pictures. He knows what he is about. But so do we in most circumstances.

Before I get married, I make a decision. In my love for this particular woman I come to a decision to commit myself and all I have and am to her, for my whole life. This is a very positive active. But there is a very negative side to it also. When on my marriage day I say “yes” to her, I also say “no” to every other woman in the world. No other woman has a right to my heart and my life. If I do give my heart to another, I can rightly expect to be severely challenged.

It is the same with Jesus. Baptism is an act of total commitment to Jesus. Let us remember, it is also a total commitment of Jesus to us. Jesus gives his heart and life to us and we do the same for him. No one can come between us. If I allow this, then surely, he has a right to severely challenge me. ‘No one comes before me’. In him we love and serve everyone, but no one has a right to take me away from him and I have no right to allow this either. Even at the cost of my life.

Jesus has sent us into the world to be his witnesses and to try and bring others to know and love him. Through Baptism we are one Body with him. So those who accept us accept Jesus too. Those who welcome us, welcome him too.

Was Baptism just a ritual, or did you give your heart and soul and everything to Jesus?

Maybe you received Baptism as a child. When you came of age, particularly in the Sacrament of Confirmation, did you commit yourself completely to Jesus? If not, you can do it now. Do you renew your commitment every day?

 Ps 83: 4-5

The sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest for her young:

by your altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God.

Blessed are they who dwell in your house,

for ever singing your praise.

Prayer

Father in heaven, you shower us with gifts

at every moment. Grant that through them

we may grow in love for you.

We make our prayer through your Son,

Christ our Lord.