Daily Bible Readings

September 30, 2011
1st READING

The people of God have been taken into captivity in Babylon because of their unfaithfulness to the covenant they made with God. In exile they reflect back on the reasons for their captivity and realize that they had broken the law of God and hence had suffered the consequences of their infidelities. God’s desire is to bless His people but if they disobey Him and serve other gods, then they will not receive the blessing but suffer a curse instead.

Baruch 1:15-22
15 During the Babylonian captivity, the exiles prayed: “Justice is with the LORD, our God; and we today are flushed with shame, we men of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem, 16 that we, with our kings and rulers and priests and prophets, and with our ancestors, 17 have sinned in the LORD’s sight 18 and disobeyed him. We have neither heeded the voice of the LORD, our God, nor followed the precepts which the LORD set before us. 19 From the time the LORD led our ancestors out of the land of Egypt until the present day, we have been disobedient to the LORD, our God, and only too ready to disregard his voice. 20 And the evils and the curse which the LORD enjoined upon Moses, his servant, at the time he led our ancestors forth from the land of Egypt to give us the land flowing with milk and honey, cling to us even today. 21 For we did not heed the voice of the LORD, our God, in all the words of the prophets whom he sent us, 22 but each one of us went off after the devices of our own wicked hearts, served other gods, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, our God.

P S A L M

Psalms 79:1-2, 3-5, 8, 9
R: For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
1 O God, the nations have come into your inheritance; they have defiled your holy temple, they have laid Jerusalem in ruins. 2 They have given the corpses of your servants as food to the birds of heaven, the flesh of your faithful ones to the beasts of the earth. (R) 3 They have poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem, and there is no one to bury them. 4 We have become the reproach of our neighbors, the scorn and derision of those around us. 5 O LORD, how long? Will you be angry forever? Will your jealousy burn like fire? (R) 8 Remember not against us the iniquities of the past; may your compassion quickly come to us, for we are brought very low. (R) 9 Help us, O God our savior, because of the glory of your name; deliver us and pardon our sins for your name’s sake. (R)


G O S P E L

Here, Jesus speaks out against the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida where He had performed many miracles yet they had not believed His message. Jesus makes it clear that to whom much is given, much will be required. As these two towns received so many blessings from God, they would be judged more severely than Tyre and Sidon. This is a sobering message that reminds us not to take for granted the blessings of God because with each comes a responsibility to respond.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
R: Alleluia, alleluia

Luke 10:13-16
13 Jesus said to them, “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And as for you, Capernaum, ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’” 16 Whoever listens to you listens to me. Whoever rejects you rejects me. And whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

my reflections
t h i n k : Let us not take for granted the blessings of God because with each comes a responsibility to respond.


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 Ezekiel 29-32
iel 29-32