You, Lord, is the source of life.

Welcome to my blog.

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 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.

Thursday 23 July 2020

You, Lord, are the source of life

Ps 53: 6, 8

See, I have God for my help.

The Lord sustains my soul.

I will sacrifice to you with a 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.

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First reading

Jeremiah 2:1-3,7-8,12-13 ·

I brought you to a fertile country and you defiled it

The word of the Lord was addressed to me, saying, ‘Go and shout this in the hearing of Jerusalem:

‘“The Lord says this:

I remember the affection of your youth,

the love of your bridal days:

you followed me through the wilderness,

through a land unsown.

Israel was sacred to the Lord,

the first-fruits of his harvest;

anyone who ate of this had to pay for it,

misfortune came to them –

it is the Lord who speaks.”

‘I brought you to a fertile country

to enjoy its produce and good things;

but no sooner had you entered than you defiled my land,

and made my heritage detestable.

The priests have never asked, “Where is the Lord?”

Those who administer the Law have no knowledge of me.

The shepherds [i.e. kings] have rebelled against me;

the prophets have prophesied in the name of Baal,

following things with no power in them.

‘You heavens, stand aghast at this,

stand stupefied, stand utterly appalled

– it is the Lord who speaks.

Since my people have committed a double crime:

they have abandoned me,

the fountain of living water,

only to dig cisterns for themselves,

leaky cisterns

that hold no water.’

THE WORD OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

The prophet lives and prophecies in the twenty-five years before the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. It is a disastrous period. The kings and people were only concerned with the politics of saving themselves from the growing power of Babylon. God does not enter into the equation. We, however, though from a historical point of view may be interested in the pollical and religious situation in which Jeremiah lived and prophesied, are interested in what God is saying to us today. The people of God are the high way to destruction. Jeremiah can see it all coming. He talks of the anger of God. He is using human language but God is not a human being. He doesn’t experience anger as we do. But God is inherently just. Our actions have consequences. If we persist in foolish actions, and sin and abandoning God are the most foolish and meaningless of all, the consequences will be catastrophic. To listen to God and obey him and remain in the loving embrace of God is the wisest and most fruitful thing we can do. However, often we are like unwise and rebellious children who will not listen to the wise and loving advice of parents but go their own way. Parents can see where it will all end, but the children in their lack of experience are oblivious.

In Jeremiah God is like a loving and grieving parent whose child is walking and often running on a path that will bring them hardship and maybe a life of suffering. The parents can see what is coming but can do nothing about it. In the end, they have to accept what happens.  Still, in their love, they do for them what they can to help them in the dire situation which the children themselves have brought about.

So it is with God, Jerusalem, and us.

If we are wise, the solution is to come back like the prodigal son to the embrace of God. Do we have the divine wisdom to do so?

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 36:6-11

In you, Lord, is the source of life.

Your love, Lord, reaches to heaven;

your truth to the skies.

Your justice is like God’s mountain,

your judgements like the deep.

In you, Lord, is the source of life.

O Lord, how precious is your love.

My God, the sons of men

find refuge in the shelter of your wings.

They feast on the riches of your house;

they drink from the stream of your delight.

In you, Lord, is the source of life.

In you is the source of life

and in your light we see light.

Keep on loving those who know you,

doing justice for upright hearts.

In you, Lord, is the source of life.

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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 13:10-17

Prophets and holy men longed to hear what you hear

The disciples went up to Jesus and asked, ‘Why do you talk to them in parables?’ ‘Because’ he replied, ‘the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to you, but they are not revealed to them. For anyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. So in their case this prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled:

You will listen and listen again, but not understand,

see and see again, but not perceive.

For the heart of this nation has grown coarse,

their ears are dull of hearing, and they have shut their eyes,

for fear they should see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

understand with their heart,

and be converted

and be healed by me.

‘But happy are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! I tell you solemnly, many prophets and holy men longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.’ THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD

Prayerful reflection

Why does Jesus preach in parables? We might think the answer is clear. Parables are little stories. Stories are always interesting. Tell a story and people readily listen. So that is one reason why Jesus, or anyone, tells stories. But Jesus is not here, just to tell interesting and entertaining stories. He needs to convey deep truths for our salvation.

But let us face the fact, people in general are not interested in listening to sermons. Start preaching to them and they won’t listen. Tell them a story and they will listen to the story. Jesus was faced with the same problem as Jeremiah. They were not interested in his message and opposed it directly. He too spoke in parables. Parables are a way of talking to people who are antagonistic or at best indifferent to what you have to say. They are taken up by the story and so listen. Then if they think about it, they may get your message. Most people Isaiah said and Jesus too, will listen and listen ut never understand because they will not meditate on the parable. Likewise, they will see his miracles and be amazed, but will not meditate on the inner meaning of the miracles. Who is this man? Is he God’s ambassador? Must we not then listen carefully to what he says.

Those who have the divine wisdom to meditate on what they hear and see will discover the mysteries of God. The greatest mystery is that God has come to us in the person of the man Jesus and invites us to be his close friends. Now in faith – knowing he is here, close, loving, protecting, guiding, all embracing but without seeing him – later in vision when our joy will be without limit. Do you treasure this revelation of the Kingdom of heaven (God)?

Rv 3: 20

Behold, I stand at the door and knock, says the Lord.

If anyone hears my voice and opens the door to me,

I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me.

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Prayer

Graciously be present to your people, we pray, O Lord,

and lead those you have imbued with heavenly mysteries

to pass from former ways to newness of life.

Through Christ our Lord.

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