1ST READING
The
Philistines were great warriors and they defeated Israel. What will
become of Israel? Just like the Israelites, it is in times of disaster
that we usually turn to God and pray. Why does God listen to our prayers
even when they are our last resort? Because His love is merciful and
true. Let us always temper our justice with mercy.
1 Samuel 4:1-11
1 The
Philistines gathered for an attack on Israel. Israel went out to engage
them in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at
Aphek. 2 The
Philistines then drew up in battle formation against Israel. After a
fierce struggle Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who slew about
four thousand men on the battlefield. 3 When
the troops retired to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the
Lord permitted us to be defeated today by the Philistines? Let us fetch
the ark of the Lord from Shiloh that it may go into battle among us and
save us from the grasp of our enemies.” 4 So
the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the Lord of
hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni
and Phinehas, were with the ark of God. 5 When the ark of the Lord arrived in the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth resounded. 6 The
Philistines, hearing the noise of shouting, asked, “What can this loud
shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” On learning that the ark of
the Lord had come into the camp, 7 the
Philistines were frightened. They said, “Gods have come to their camp.”
They said also, “Woe to us! This has never happened before. 8 Woe
to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These
are the gods that struck the Egyptians with various plagues and with
pestilence. 9 Take
courage and be manly, Philistines; otherwise you will become slaves to
the Hebrews, as they were your slaves. So fight manfully!” 10 The
Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; every man fled to his own
tent. It was a disastrous defeat, in which Israel lost thirty thousand
foot soldiers. 11 The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were among the dead.
P S A L M
Psalm 44:10-11, 14-15, 25-26
R: Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy.
9 [10] Yet now you have cast us off and put us in disgrace, and you go not forth with our armies. 10 [11] You have let us be driven back by our foes; those who hated us plundered us at will. (R) 13[14] You made us the reproach of our neighbors, the mockery and the scorn of those around us. 14 [15] You made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.
(R) 24 [25] Why do you hide your face, forgetting our woe and our oppression? 25 [26] For our souls are bowed down to the dust, our bodies are pressed to the earth. (R)
GOSPEL
Here
is another healing miracle that allows a leper to come back in the
heart of the community. It is important to realize that sin alienates
us from God and one another. Repentance and forgiveness have the
opposite effect. Let us pray that we will always be ministers of
reconciliation, reuniting people with God and their communities.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people.
Mark 1:40-45
40 A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” 42 The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. 43Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 44 Then
he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show
yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses
prescribed; that will be proof for them.” 45 The
man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the
report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town
openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming
to him from everywhere.
think: Let us pray that we will be ministers of reconciliation, reuniting people with God and their communities.
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 Luke 1-4
No comments:
Post a Comment