1ST READING
The
covenants that have preceded the one God made with Abraham were more
implicit than explicit. God made it clear that there are demands on both
sides of the covenant. He was faithful to His promises to Abraham as He
led him away from his homeland. God wanted to show Abraham that He
provides everything he needs as he leaves his comfortable life behind.
Genesis 17:1, 9-10, 15-22
1 When
Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said: “I
am God the Almighty. Walk in my presence and be blameless. 9 God also said to Abraham: “On your part, you and your descendants after you must keep my covenant throughout the ages. 10 This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you that you must keep: every male among you shall be circumcised.” 15 God further said to
Abraham: “As for your wife Sarai, do not call her Sarai; her name shall be Sarah. 16 I
will bless her, and I will give you a son by her. Him also will I
bless; he shall give rise to nations, and rulers of peoples shall issue
from him.” 17 Abraham
prostrated himself and laughed as he said to himself, “Can a child be
born to a man who is a hundred years old? Or can Sarah give birth at
ninety?” 18 Then Abraham said to God, “Let but Ishmael live on by your favor!” 19 God
replied: “Nevertheless, your wife Sarah is to bear you a son, and you
shall call him Isaac. I will maintain my covenant with him as an
everlasting pact, to be his God and the God of his descendants after
him. 20 As
for Ishmael, I am heeding you: I hereby bless him. I will make him
fertile and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall become the father of
twelve chieftains, and I will make of him a great nation. 21 But my covenant I will maintain with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you by this time next year.” 22 When he had finished speaking with
him, God departed from Abraham.
P S A L M
Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R: See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.
1 Blessed are you who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways! 2 For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored. (R) 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home; your children like olive plants around your table. (R) 4 Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord.
5 The Lord bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. (R)
GOSPEL
Leprosy
was a scourge in the time of Jesus. A person with leprosy was
ostracized from society to prevent the disease from spreading to others.
Leprosy is a great image for sin — we are all lepers because we have
sinned and been separated from God. Jesus heals us from this leprosy,
and so we are able to approach the Father again. Let us use the grace
that God gives and set our lives right with Him.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.
Matthew 8:1-4
1 When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. 2 And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” 3 He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one, but go show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
think: Let us use the grace that God gives and set our lives right with Him.
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 1 Chronicles 25-26
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