1ST READING
We
celebrate today the Feast of the Holy Innocents. Who are the innocents
of today who suffer death and deprivation? It is those who are aborted
and never given the opportunity of life. It is the thousands of
innocents who are killed in wars. It is the thousands, nay millions, who
lack food, shelter and reasonable medical care. The list could go on.
What are we doing to alleviate the plight of such people? Not a single
person, or even a thousand of us, can solve any of the above problems,
but we can do whatever we are able in our own situations to help the
poor and powerless. We can become a part of the solution and not
contribute to the problem.
1 John 1:5-2:2
5 Beloved:
This is the message that we have heard from him and proclaim to you:
God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say, “We have fellowship with him,” while we continue to walk in darkness, we lie and do not act in truth. 7 But
if we walk in the light as he is in the light, then we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of his Son Jesus cleanses us from all
sin. 8 If we say, “We are without sin,” we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from every wrongdoing. 10 If we say, “We have not sinned,” we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 2: 1 My children, I am writing this to you so that you may
not commit sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous one. 2 He is expiation for our sins, and not for our sins only but for those of the whole world.
P S A L M
Psalm 124:2-3, 4-5, 7-8
R: Our soul has been rescued like a bird from the fowler’s snare.
2 Had not the Lord been with us — when men rose up against us, 3 then would they have swallowed us alive, when their fury was inflamed against us. (R) 4 Then would the waters have overwhelmed us; the torrent would have swept over us; 5 over us then would have swept the raging
waters. (R) 7 Broken was the snare, and we were freed. 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (R)
GOSPEL
Jesus
knew what it meant to be a displaced person, or at least His parents
did. (He may have been too young to remember.) There are literally
millions of displaced people today as a result of war or natural
disasters. The vast majority of these people are women and children.
What is our responsibility towards them? Well, it may be a question that
can be only answered definitively at an international level, but there
is still a role for you and me in lobbying those who make these
decisions through the ballot or other means.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as Lord; the white robed army of martyrs praise you.
Matthew 2:13-18
13 When
the magi had departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph
in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to
Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. Herod is going to search for the
child to destroy him.” 14 Joseph rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. 15 He stayed there until the death of Herod, that what the Lord had said through the prophet
might be fulfilled, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” 16 When
Herod realized that he had been deceived by the magi, he became
furious. He ordered the massacre of all the boys in Bethlehem and its
vicinity two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had
ascertained from the magi. 17 Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet: 18 “A voice was heard in Ramah, sobbing and loud lamentation; Rachel weeping for her children, and she would not be
consoled, since they were no more.”
1st READING 2nd READING
GOSPEL PSALM
think: We can become a part of the solution and not contribute to the problem.
Zechariah 5-8
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ___________________________
____________________________________________
God’s special verse/thought for me today_________
____________________________________________
READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Zechariah 5-8
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