Daily Bible Readings

September 4, 2011
1st READING

It is not an easy task to be a prophet as you often have to tell people things that may offend them. Yet a true prophet is one who speaks what God commands him without trying to gain the people’s favor. God tells Ezekiel that he must warn the people of their wicked ways so that they may be enlightened and find the way to true life. If a prophet fails to warn the people, then God will hold him responsible for the other person’s life.

Ezekiel 33:7-9
7 Thus says the LORD: You, son of man, I have appointed watchman for the house of Israel; when you hear me say anything, you shall warn them for me. 8 If I tell the wicked man that he shall surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked man from his way, the wicked man shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. 9 But if you warn the wicked man, trying to turn him from his way, and he refuses to turn from his way, he shall die for his guilt, but you shall save yourself.

P S A L M

Psalms 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9
R: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
1 Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalm to him. (R) 6 Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. 7 For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. (R) Oh, that today you would hear his voice: 8 “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, 9 where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.” (R)

2nd READING

St. Therese of Lisieux had a passion to be a martyr, a priest, a missionary, a confessor and a doctor of the Church, yet she was locked up in a little convent in Lisieux, unknown and unimportant. When she read St. Paul’s writings in First Corinthians, she discovered how she could fulfill her dreams. She would make it her vocation to love. As St. Paul says, love is the completion of all the law and is the sure way to perfection. Let us today imitate the Little Flower and seek to love those nearest to us.

Romans 13:8-10
8 Brothers and sisters: Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. 9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery; you shall not kill; you shall not steal; you shall not covet,” and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 10 Love does no evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law.

G O S P E L

In this Gospel passage, Jesus gives us a wonderful promise. If two of us agree on anything that we ask, God our Father will grant it to us. How awesome is that! Ask Jesus to give you a prayer partner and be committed to pray for his needs as he prays for yours. This way, great graces can be obtained and much progress made in our Christian walk.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

Matthew 18:15-20
15 Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. 16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. 18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Ask Jesus to give you a prayer partner and be committed to pray for his needs as he prays for yours.

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Isaiah 61-63
SABBATH PAUSE
My weekly time with God
THANK YOU LIST
Things to be grateful for from the past week
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SPECIAL NEEDS
Things to ask God for in the coming week
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HIDDEN TREASURE
Most important word God told me this week
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