Let us all love one another, knowing that true love always brings a great return to those willing to give it - Daily Bible Readings September 7,2014

1ST READING   We all have responsibilities in life and it is up to us to be faithful to them. We cannot blame others if we have fallen short of what is expected of us. Too often in today’s world, we are quick to blame others for our problems when it is really our fault. This “passing the buck” may be comforting at first but it will never serve us in the long term.   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, “O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak out to dissuade the wicked man from his way, the wicked shall die for his guilt, but I will hold you responsible for his death. 9 But if you warn the wicked, 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   Psalm 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   Paul explains to us that the only debts we should incur in life are those of mutual love because this kind of debt is worth the price we pay for it. Paul is not talking about money here, but the debts we incur in our relationships with one another. Friendship involves the debt of mutual obligation built on love. Let us all love one another, knowing that true love always brings a great return to those willing to give it.   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.   GOSPEL   Our relationships with one another must be maintained through both the giving and receiving of forgiveness. Jesus outlines the “bare bones” of a process of maintaining the peace in the Gospel today. This is not the only way to structure reconciliation between two people who have sinned against each other. Whatever works best is the best option to choose. What is important is that the process of reconciliation is adhered to.   GOSPEL ACCLAMATION God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.   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.”   think:  Let us all love one another, knowing that true love always brings a great return to those willing to give it.   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 Psalm 66-70                                                                                                     SABBATH PAUSE My weekly time with God THANK YOU LIST Things to be grateful for from the past week ________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ SPECIAL NEEDS Things to ask God for in the coming week ________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________ HIDDEN TREASURE Most important word God told me this week   ________________________________________________________________                                                       _________________________________________________________________