The just man lives by his faith

 

Welcome to my blog and peace be with you.

You will find here daily readings from the Bible and a prayerful reflection on them. Through the daily reading and reflection on the Word of God we grow as human beings.

All human beings have spiritual longings. The Word of God satisfies them.

May you experience the joy intended for you by God.

 

Saturday 8 August 2020

The just man lives by his faith

Cf. Sir 15: 5

In the midst of the Church he opened his mouth,

and the Lord filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding

and clothed him in a robe of glory.

 

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Prayer

Draw near to your servants, O Lord,

and answer their prayers with unceasing kindness,

that, for those who glory in you as their Creator and guide,

you may restore what you have created

and keep safe what you have restored.

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.

 

 

First reading

Habakkuk 1:12-2:4 ·

If the vision comes slowly, wait: it will come without fail

Are not you, from ancient times the Lord,

my God, my Holy One, who never dies?

O Lord, you have made this people an instrument of justice,

set it firm as a rock in order to punish.

Your eyes are too pure to rest on wickedness,

you cannot look on at tyranny.

Why do you look on while men are treacherous,

and stay silent while the evil man swallows a better man than he?

You treat mankind like fishes in the sea,

like creeping, masterless things.

A people, these, who catch all on their hook,

who draw them with their net,

in their dragnet gather them,

and so, triumphantly, rejoice.

At this, they offer a sacrifice to their net,

and burn incense to their dragnet,

for providing them with luxury

and lavish food.

Are they then to empty their net unceasingly,

slaughtering nations without pity?

I will stand on my watchtower,

and take up my post on my battlements,

watching to see what he will say to me,

what answer he will make to my complaints.

Then the Lord answered and said,

‘Write the vision down,

inscribe it on tablets

to be easily read,

since this vision is for its own time only:

eager for its own fulfilment, it does not deceive;

if it comes slowly, wait,

for come it will, without fail.

‘See how he flags, he whose soul is not at rights,

but the upright man will live by his faithfulness.’

THE WORD OF THE LORD

 

Prayerful reflection

Habakkuk is living and writing when the Babylonian armies are causing destruction and bloodshed in every country they conquer. O God, will you do nothing? We may have the same feelings as we look at the suffering and wickedness in the world today. The Lord replied to the prophet that he has his plan and is working it out. It will take time, but he will do it. Meanwhile the just man must put his trust in the wisdom and goodness of God who will redeem his people when the time is right.

Can you live peacefully with trust in God’s almighty and loving wisdom?

 

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Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 9A(9):8-13

You will never forsake those who seek you, O Lord.

The Lord sits enthroned for ever.

He has set up his throne for judgement;

he will judge the world with justice,

he will judge the peoples with his truth.

You will never forsake those who seek you, O Lord.

For the oppressed let the Lord be a stronghold,

a stronghold in times of distress.

Those who know your name will trust you;

you will never forsake those who seek you.

You will never forsake those who seek you, O Lord.

Sing psalms to the Lord who dwells in Zion.

Proclaim his mighty works among the peoples,

for the Avenger of blood has remembered them,

has not forgotten the cry of the poor.

You will never forsake those who seek you, O Lord.

 

 

2Tim1:10

Alleluia, alleluia!

Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death

and he has proclaimed life through the Good News.

Alleluia!

 

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Gospel

Matthew 17:14-20

If your faith were the size of a mustard seed, the mountain would move

A man came up to Jesus and went down on his knees before him. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘take pity on my son: he is a lunatic and in a wretched state; he is always falling into the fire or into the water. I took him to your disciples and they were unable to cure him.’ ‘Faithless and perverse generation!’ Jesus said in reply ‘How much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.’ And when Jesus rebuked it the devil came out of the boy who was cured from that moment.

Then the disciples came privately to Jesus. ‘Why were we unable to cast it out?’ they asked. He answered, ‘Because you have little faith. I tell you solemnly, if your faith were the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mountain, “Move from here to there,” and it would move; nothing would be impossible for you.’ THE GOSPEL OF THE LORD

 

Prayerful reflection

When we hear of moving mountains through our faith, often we think of miracles such has healing, getting something that we need such as a good income, house etc. Jesus said there is only one thing that is necessary. That one thing is not my good health, my job or my income. The one thing that is necessary is to get into heaven. If we don’t get into heaven, having had good health, good job, fine house etc will be of no value.

What is the faith that saves us? It is to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour and live with and for him. Our loving relationship with Jesus will get for us the one thing necessary. This relationship starts of like a mustard seed. Through daily communication with Jesus in prayer and reflection on his Word, it will grow until we experience it in all its blessedness in or eternal home.

Do you cultivate your relationship with Jesus every day?

 

Mt 28: 20

Behold, I am with you always,

even to the end of the age, says the Lord.

 

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Prayer

Accompany with constant protection, O Lord,

those you renew with these heavenly gifts

and, in your never-failing care for them,

make them worthy of eternal redemption.

Through Christ our Lord.