The eyes of God watch for the helpless

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.

Saturday 18 July 2020

The eyes of God watch for the helpless man

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

Micah 2:1-5 ·

The plotters of evil will not escape

Woe to those who plot evil,

who lie in bed planning mischief!

No sooner is it dawn than they do it

– their hands have the strength for it.

Seizing the fields that they covet,

they take over houses as well,

owner and house they confiscate together,

taking both man and inheritance.

So the Lord says this:

Now it is I who plot

such mischief against this breed

as your necks will not escape;

nor will you be able to walk proudly,

so evil will the time be.

On that day they will make a satire on you,

sing a dirge and say,

‘We are stripped of everything;

my people’s portion is measured out and shared,

no one will give it back to them,

our fields are awarded to our despoiler.’

Therefore you will have no one

to measure out a share

in the community of the Lord.

THE WORD OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

Micah was a prophet who came from the rural area and preached in Jerusalem and Judah some 700 years before Christ but his message is for all time. Coming from the villages, he knew at first hand the poverty and hardships of the poor. God spoke to him through his experiences. God speaks to us through our experiences. We should listen.

His message for all time is that the exploitation of the weak and the poor, making money out of other people unjustly is a crime that God will not overlook. It will carry severe and eternal consequences. If indifference to the earthly sufferings of others brings eternal agony (Matt 25:41. Depart from me you cursed ones to everlasting fire. I was hungry etc and you didn’t come to my aid, Luke 16:19ff)), then what will outright injustice to the weak bring? This was the situation in Jerusalem and Samaria at the time Micah was living. The rich lived off the backs of the poor. They will all go into exile as captives of a foreign and cruel ruler. And so it came to pass.

Are you concerned about the poor, the weak and the oppressed?

According to your means, do you reach out them?

Will you be able to stand peacefully before God?

Psalm

                                                                                                         Psalm 9B(10):1-4,7-8,14

Lord, do not forget the poor.

Lord, why do you stand afar off

and hide yourself in times of distress?

The poor man is devoured by the pride of the wicked:

he is caught in the schemes that others have made.

Lord, do not forget the poor.

For the wicked man boasts of his heart’s desires;

the covetous blasphemes and spurns the Lord.

In his pride the wicked says: ‘He will not punish.

There is no God.’ Such are his thoughts.

Lord, do not forget the poor.

His mouth is full of cursing, guile, oppression,

mischief and deceit under his tongue.

He lies in wait among the reeds;

the innocent he murders in secret.

Lord, do not forget the poor.

His eyes are on the watch for the helpless man.

But you have seen the trouble and sorrow,

you note it, you take it in hand.

The helpless trusts himself to you;

for you are the helper of the orphan.

Lord, do not forget the poor.

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2Co5:19

Alleluia, alleluia!

God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,

and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.

Alleluia!

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Gospel

Matthew 12:14-21

He cured them all but warned them not to make him known

The Pharisees went out and began to plot against Jesus, discussing how to destroy him.

Jesus knew this and withdrew from the district. Many followed him and he cured them all, but warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfil the prophecy of Isaiah:

Here is my servant whom I have chosen,

my beloved, the favourite of my soul.

I will endow him with my spirit,

and he will proclaim the true faith to the nations.

He will not brawl or shout,

nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

He will not break the crushed reed,

nor put out the smouldering wick

till he has led the truth to victory:

in his name the nations will put their hope.

THE GOSPEL OF THE  LORD

Prayerful reflection

The Pharisees plot the death of Jesus. They are the seed that fell on the road. They have seen and heard everything, but their hearts are closed. They have rejected Jesus. Let him do or say anything. They want no part in it. We meet this kind of people today. Notice that Jesus goes away. Ordinary people flock to him. Many are the seed that fell on rocky soil. Jesus cannot put his trust in them: “many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men” John 2:23-24).

Nonetheless, Jesus is the chosen one of God. Indeed, he is his Son, the beloved of God. His ministry then and now is a non-threatening one. The ones who accepted then – his Mother, Mary of Magdala, Peter and all the disciples – were blessed. All generations call them blessed. Those who rejected him, have been lost to history and to themselves.

Today Jesus ministers to us in the silence and insignificance of the Holy Eucharist and the Sacraments of his Church. He comes to in the ordinary guise of simple people.

Have you experienced him?

Have you, like his Mother and the others, accepted him with all your heart?

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.

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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.