Act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with God

Welcome to my blog.

You will find here, daily readings from the Scriptures with a prayerful reflexion. Reading slowly and prayerfully the Word of God is the way to get into contact with Him. The reflexion may help you turn to God, who has revealed himself in the man Jesus, himself God.

I 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.

Monday 20 July 2020

Act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with God

Ps 53: 6, 8

See, I have God for my help.

The Lord sustains my soul.

I will sacrifice to you with willing heart,

and praise your name, O Lord, for it is good.

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Prayer

Father in heaven, give us your Holy Spirit

so that on fire with faith, hope and love

we may always keep your commandments.

We make our prayer through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

First reading

Micah 6:1-4,6-8 ·

The Lord asks only this: to act justly, to love tenderly, to walk humbly

Listen to what the Lord is saying:

Stand up and let the case begin in the hearing of the mountains

and let the hills hear what you say.

Listen, you mountains, to the Lord’s accusation,

give ear, you foundations of the earth,

for the Lord is accusing his people,

pleading against Israel:

My people, what have I done to you,

how have I been a burden to you? Answer me.

I brought you out of the land of Egypt,

I rescued you from the house of slavery;

I sent Moses to lead you,

with Aaron and Miriam.

– ‘With what gift shall I come into the Lord’s presence

and bow down before God on high?

Shall I come with holocausts,

with calves one year old?

Will he be pleased with rams by the thousand,

with libations of oil in torrents?

Must I give my first-born for what I have done wrong,

the fruit of my body for my own sin?’

– What is good has been explained to you, man;

this is what the Lord asks of you:

only this, to act justly,

to love tenderly

and to walk humbly with your God.

THE WORD OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflexion

God pleads with Israel as a lover with the beloved. “My people, what have I done to you,

how have I been a burden to you? Answer me.” Though we are actually nothing, he pleads with us too. This is  the mystery of God’s love and humility. Would that we had some of his love and some of his humility. God is lovingly humble towards us, though he has the right to treat us as our sins and indifference deserve. Day and night, he waits for us in the Holy Eucharist in our churches. He comes to us in Holy Communion and we hardly notice.

Let us, like Israel in today’s reading, realise that we are respond to our loving God. What is the response he is looking for? It is not for gifts – after all, they are already his. He looks for what comes from our heart, that which is truly ours. “To act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with him”

What a fine description of a person if true: ‘he always acted justly, he loved tenderly and walked humbly.’

May be it said of us.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 49(50):5-6,8-9,16-17,21,23

I will show God’s salvation to the upright.

‘Summon before me my people

who made covenant with me by sacrifice.’

The heavens proclaim his justice,

for he, God, is the judge.

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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Ps94:8

Alleluia, alleluia!

Harden not your hearts today,

but listen to the voice of the Lord.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Matthew 12:38-42

There is something greater than Solomon here

Some of the scribes and Pharisees spoke up. ‘Master,’ they said ‘we should like to see a sign from you.’ He replied, ‘It is an evil and unfaithful generation that asks for a sign! The only sign it will be given is the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the sea-monster for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. On Judgement day the men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation and condemn it, because when Jonah preached they repented; and there is something greater than Jonah here. On Judgement day the Queen of the South will rise up with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and there is something greater than Solomon here.’ THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflexion

The scribes and the Pharisees are asking Jesus for the kind of sensational sign with which Satan tempted Jesus at the beginning of his ministry. Satan asked Jesus to jump from the pinnacle of the Temple. ‘Everyone will see how God’s angels preserved you from any harm. They will realise who you are and follow you’. We don’t know whether the Pharisees would, even after that. Satan is the father of lies. Jesus rejected the temptation. He was not going to force God’s hand. Obedience to his Father in trust and love was his chosen way. Neither will he yield to the temptation now.

His life will be the proof that he is the Messiah, Saviour and Son of God. He pours himself out in love and service for all without any thought for himself. He obeys his Father even in the face of the opposition of the whole of the priestly and ruling class of the Jews. He suffers at their hands the barbaric death on the Cross. Yet he died without anger and desire for revenge. On the contrary he prayed ‘Father forgive them’. Buried in the tomb, he conquered death and rose in the glory of God. He is with us and those who believe know this from their life experience. Not only is he greater than Solomon or the Queen of the south, he is Lord of all creation.

Do you know him?

Ps 110: 4-5

The Lord, the gracious, the merciful,

has made a memorial of his wonders;

he gives food to those who fear him.

Father in your love for us, open our eyes

that we may realise that you are present

with us always. As a loving Father you

fill us with your gifts each moment.

May we leave the realm of dark sin

and come into the light of your love.

We make our prayer through your Son,

Christ Jesus our Lord.