Daily Bible Readings

September 12, 2011
1st READING

St. Paul instructs Timothy to tell the people that they should pray for the leaders of their country so that the leaders may be given the wisdom to rule well. It is easy to find fault with political leaders as they have many glaring faults and weaknesses. St. Paul does not say we should find fault but pray. Let us make a commitment to avoid gossip and fruitless chatter about leaders and their faults, and instead pray for them.

1 Timothy 2:1-8
1 Beloved: First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, 2 for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing to God our savior, 4 who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as ransom for all. This was the testimony at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed preacher and apostle (I am speaking the truth, I am not lying), teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

P S A L M

Psalms 28:2, 7, 8-9
R: Blessed be the Lord, for he has heard my prayer.
2 Hear the sound of my pleading, when I cry to you, lifting up my hands toward your holy shrine. (R) 7 The LORD is my strength and my shield. In him my heart trusts, and I find help; then my heart exults, and with my song I give him thanks. (R) 8 The LORD is the strength of his people, the saving refuge of his anointed. 9 Save your people, and bless your inheritance; feed them, and carry them forever! (R)

G O S P E L

This Roman centurion was a man in a place of great authority and had under his command 100 soldiers who obeyed his every command. When he comes to seek Jesus’ assistance to heal one of his trusted servants, he follows the usual custom of sending representatives to seek Jesus’ aid. Although he is a man in authority, he is also humble and does not feel worthy to have Jesus enter his roof. Instead he just asks Jesus to speak a command as he would to his soldiers, and he knows that Jesus’ words have power to heal his servant even from afar.

ALLELUIA
R: Alleluia, alleluia
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might have eternal life.
R: Alleluia, alleluia
Luke 7:1-10
1 When Jesus had finished all his words to the people, he entered Capernaum. 2 A centurion there had a slave who was ill and about to die, and he was valuable to him. 3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and save the life of his slave. 4 They approached Jesus and strongly urged him b, saying, “He deserves to have you do this for him, 5 for he loves our nation and he built the synagogue for us.” 6 And Jesus went with them, but when he was only a short distance from the house, the centurion sent friends to tell him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof. 7 Therefore, I did not consider myself worthy to come to you; but say the word and let my servant be healed. 8 For I too am a person subject to authority, with soldiers subject to me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come here,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 9 When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him and, turning, said to the crowd following him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” 10 When the messengers returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

my reflections
t h i n k : Let us make a commitment to avoid gossip and fruitless chatter about leaders and their faults, and instead pray for them.

God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Jeremiah 23-26