Daily Bible Readings

August 24, 2011
1st READING
St. John the Apostle is given a vision of the Bride of Christ, the Church, in the image of the holy city of Jerusalem, coming down from heaven. This is the ultimate purpose of God — that we, as part of the Church, should be united as a bride is with the groom in an eternal marriage bond. That is why we should strive to be holy so that we may be worthy to be united with Christ as His bride.

Revelation 21:9-14
9 The angel spoke to me, saying, “Come here. I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. 11 It gleamed with the splendor of God. Its radiance was like that of a precious stone, like jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a massive, high wall, with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed and on which names were inscribed, [the names] of the twelve tribes of the Israelites. 13 There were three gates facing east, three north, three south, and three west. 14 The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

P S A L M

Psalms 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18
R: Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

10 Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might. (R) 12 Making known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. (R) 17 The LORD is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. 18 The LORD is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. (R)

G O S P E L

Here we hear an account of the calling of Nathanael as a disciple of Jesus. We see his character in his blunt description of Nazareth as a useless and no good place. Jesus sees into his heart and sees his good qualities, which He will bring to perfection through His grace. Perhaps Nathanael’s frankness also causes him at times to say the wrong things and hurt other people’s feelings. He will also need to acquire the virtue of prudence and wisdom to know how to speak and when to be blunt.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

John 1:45-51
45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth.” 46 But Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him.” 48 Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.” 49 Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” 51 And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

my reflections
think: We should strive to be holy so that we may be worthy to be united with Christ as His bride.


God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Isaiah 17-20