1ST READING
Today
is the feast day of St. Alphonsus Liguori, founder of the Redemptorist
Order. Jeremiah prophesies that God will break the yoke the King of
Babylon has over the People of Israel. Alphonsus constantly preached the
power of God’s love to break our habitual patterns. He encourages us to
meditate on the cross every day because it is here that the love of God
is most perfectly manifested to us.
Jeremiah 28:1-17
1 In
the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the fifth
month of the fourth year, the prophet Hananiah, son of Azzur, from
Gibeon, said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the
priests and all the people: 2 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within
two years I will restore to this place all the vessels of the temple of
the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, took away from this
place to Babylon. 4 And
I will bring back to this place Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim, king of
Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the Lord,
‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’” 5 The
prophet Jeremiah answered the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the
priests and all the people assembled in the house of the Lord, 6 and
said: Amen! thus may the Lord do! May he fulfill the things you have
prophesied by bringing the vessels of the house of the Lord and all the
exiles back from Babylon to this place!
7 But now, listen to what I am about to state in your hearing and the hearing of all the people. 8 From
of old, the prophets who were before you and me prophesied war, woe,
and pestilence against many lands and mighty kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace is recognized as truly sent by the Lord only when his prophetic prediction is fulfilled. 10 Thereupon the prophet Hananiah took the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, broke it, 11 and
said in the presence of all the people: “Thus says the Lord: ‘Even so,
within two years I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of
Babylon, from off the neck of all the nations.’ ” At that, the prophet
Jeremiah went away. 12 Some
time after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke from off the neck
of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 Go tell Hananiah this: Thus says the Lord: By breaking a wooden yoke, you forge an iron yoke! 14 For
thus says the Lord
of hosts, the God of Israel: A yoke of iron I will place on the necks of
all these nations serving Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and they
shall serve him; even the beasts of the field I give him. 15 To
the prophet Hananiah the prophet Jeremiah said: Hear this, Hananiah!
The Lord has not sent you, and you have raised false confidence in this
people. 16 For
this, says the Lord, I will dispatch you from the face of the earth;
this very year you shall die, because you have preached rebellion
against the Lord. 17 That same year, in the seventh month, Hananiah the
prophet died.
P S A L M
Psalm 119: 29, 43, 79, 80, 95, 102
R: Lord, teach me your statutes.
29 Remove from me the way of falsehood, and favor me with your law. (R) 43 Take not the word of truth from my mouth, for in your ordinances is my hope. (R) 79 Let those turn to me who fear you and acknowledge your decrees. (R) 80 Let my heart be perfect in your statutes, that I be not
put to shame. (R) 95 Sinners wait to destroy me, but I pay heed to your decrees. (R) 102 From your ordinances I turn not away, for you have instructed me. (R)
GOSPEL
Jesus
often reminds us of the need to take courage and entrust everything to
Him. This is why it is so important for us to experience the love of
God. St. Alphonsus of Liguori knows this is the greatest need of a human
person — to know that they are loved unconditionally. Only God can love
us perfectly.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
Matthew 14:13-21
13 When
Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist, he withdrew in a boat to a
deserted place by himself. The crowds heard of this and followed him on
foot from their towns. 14 When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick. 15 When
it was evening, the disciples approached him and said, “This is a
deserted place and it is already late; dismiss the crowds so that they
can go to the
villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 He said to them, “There is no need for them to go away; give them some food yourselves.” 17 But they said to him, “Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.” 18 Then he said, “Bring them here to me,” 19 and
he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves
and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, he said the blessing, broke
the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in
turn gave them to the crowds. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the fragments left over — twelve wicker baskets full. 21 Those who ate were about five thousand men, not counting women and children.
think: Only God can love us perfectly.
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 Maccabees 1-2
No comments:
Post a Comment