Let us be honest with ourselves and ensure that we do not avoid the difficult decisions of our life for fear of embracing the cross - Daily Bible Readings August 8,2014

1ST READING   Today’s feast of St. Dominic is a good time to remember the role of Scriptures in our lives. Being a great preacher, Dominic spent a lot of time studying and meditating upon the Scriptures. There are TV shows devoted to bringing us up to date with all the gossip in the entertainment world, sports, politics and so on. Do we spend as much time deepening our understanding of the Word of God? The Word of God is going to help us live a good life more than any of those things.   Nahum 2:1, 3; 3:1-3, 6-7 1 See, upon the mountains there advances the bearer of good news, announcing peace! Celebrate your feasts, O Judah, fulfill your vows! For nevermore shall you be invaded by the scoundrel; he is completely destroyed. 2 [3] The Lord will restore the vine of Jacob, the pride of Israel, though ravagers have ravaged them and ruined the tendrils. 3: 1 Woe to the bloody city, all lies, full of plunder, whose looting never stops! 2 The crack of the whip, the rumbling sounds of wheels; horses a-gallop, chariots bounding, 3 cavalry charging, the flame of the sword, the flash of the spear, the many slain, the heaping corpses, the endless bodies to stumble upon! 6 I will cast filth upon you, disgrace you and put you to shame; 7 till everyone who sees you runs from you, saying, “Nineveh is destroyed; who can pity her? Where can one find any to console her?”   P S A L M   Deuteronomy 32:35-36, 39, 41 R: It is I who deal death and give life. 35 Close at hand is the day of their disaster and their doom is rushing upon them! 36 Surely, the Lord shall do justice for his people; on his servants he shall have pity. (R) 39 “Learn then that I, I alone, am God, and there is no god besides me. It is I who bring both death and life, I who inflict wounds and heal them. (R) 41 I will sharpen my flashing sword, and my hand shall lay hold of my quiver. With vengeance I will repay my foes and requite those who hate me.” (R)   GOSPEL   The saints are wonderful examples of what it means to take up our crosses and follow Jesus. It will never be the same for two people but we can draw inspiration and strength from other people’s faith journeys. Let us be inspired by Dominic’s desire to live a simple life in order to strengthen the power of his preaching. Let us be honest with ourselves and ensure that we do not avoid the difficult decisions of our life for fear of embracing the cross.   GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness; for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.   Matthew 16:24-28 24 Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? 27 For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father’s glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct. 28 Amen, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”   think:  Let us be honest with ourselves and ensure that we do not avoid the difficult decisions of our life for fear of embracing the cross.   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 2 Maccabees 1-2