1ST READING
Amos is not all doom and gloom. There is also the promise of restoration. The real question is: “When exactly is this time of restoration and how will it express itself?” The real restoration and blessing that all the prophets refer to is the promise of eternal life. Yes, we may have foretastes of it before then, but the only true and lasting blessing is that of eternal life. In this sense, we should welcome death when it comes because it marks the end of all imperfection in our lives and the beginning of the fullness of the experience of God’s blessing.
Amos 9:11-15
11 Thus says the Lord: On that day I will raise up the fallen hut of David; I will wall up its breaches, raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old, 12 that they may conquer what is left of Edom and all the nations that shall bear my name, say I, the Lord, who will do this. 13 Yes, days are coming, says the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the vintager, him who sows the seed; the juice of grapes shall drip down the mountains, and all the hills shall run with it. 14 I will bring about the restoration of my people Israel; they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities, plant vineyards and drink the wine, set out gardens and eat the fruits. 15 I will plant them upon their own ground; never again shall they be plucked from the land I have given them, say I, the Lord, your God.
P S A L M
Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14
R: The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
8 [9] I will hear what God proclaims; the Lord — for he proclaims peace. To his people. 9 [10] Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. (R) 10 [11] Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 11 [12] Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. (R) 12 [13] The Lord himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. 13 [14] Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps. (R)
GOSPEL
The Book of Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time for everything under heaven. This is true. There is a time for fasting and a time for feasting; there is a time for laughing and a time for mourning. The only place where there is no more time for any suffering is once we have reached eternal life. Let us all pray that we will persevere to the end.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.
Matthew 9:14-17
14 The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. 17 People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
think: Let us all pray that we will persevere to the end.
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 2 Chronicles 16-18
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