1ST READING
St.
Benedict’s life is a remarkable story of faith. He is a young man who
has everything he could possibly want in life (from the point of view of
the world) and yet he shuns it all in hope of something better, and
sets out to discover God’s true will for his life. Sixteen centuries
later, we can see that what he learned still influences our lives. The
monastic rule he wrote is a masterpiece of understanding of human nature
that is yet to be surpassed by any modern psychology.
Genesis 44:18-21, 23-29; 45:1-5
18 Judah
approached Joseph and said: “I beg you, my Lord, let your servant speak
earnestly to my Lord, and do not become angry with your servant, for
you are the equal of Pharaoh. 19 My Lord asked your servants, ‘Have you a father, or another brother?’ 20 So
we said to my Lord, ‘We have an aged father, and a young brother, the
child of his old age. This one’s full brother is dead, and since he is
the only one by that mother who is left, his father dotes on
him.’ 21 Then you told your servants, ‘Bring him down to me that my eyes may look on him.’ 23 ‘Unless your youngest brother comes back with you, you shall not come into my presence again.’ 24 When we returned to your servant our father, we reported to him the words of my Lord. 25 Later, our father told us to come back and buy some food for the family. 26 So
we reminded him,
‘We cannot go down there; only if our youngest brother is with us can we
go, for we may not see the man if our youngest brother is not with us.’
27 Then your servant our father said to us, ‘As you know, my wife bore me two sons. 28 One
of them, however, disappeared, and I had to conclude that he must have
been torn to pieces by wild beasts; I have not seen him since. 29 If
you now take this one away from me too, and some disaster befalls him,
you will send my white head down to the nether world in grief.’ 45: 1 Joseph
could no longer control himself in the presence of all his attendants,
so he cried out, “Have everyone withdraw from me!” Thus no one else was
about when he made himself known to his brothers. 2 But his sobs were so loud that the Egyptians heard him, and so the news reached Pharaoh’s palace. 3 “I
am Joseph,” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still in good
health?” But his brothers could give him no answer, so dumbfounded were
they at him. 4 “Come closer to
me,” he told his brothers. When they had done so, he said: “I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt. 5 But
now do not be distressed, and do not reproach yourselves for having
sold me here. It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent
me here ahead of you.”
P S A L M
Psalm 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
R: Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
16 When the Lord called down a famine on the land and ruined the crop that sustained them, 17 He sent a man before them, Joseph, sold as a slave. (R) 18 They had weighed him down with fetters, and he was bound with chains, 19 till his prediction came to pass and the word of the Lord proved him true. (R) 20 The king sent and released him, the ruler of the peoples set him free. 21 He made him Lord of his house and ruler of all his possessions. (R)
GOSPEL
St.
Benedict sent his monks out to all the ends of the world in order to
establish monasteries, places of prayer and welcome to visitors that
ultimately brought the evangelizing presence of the Gospel to barbarian
lands. Pope Gregory the Great successfully used the Benedictines for
evangelization. It would be the Benedictines, from the Church’s refuge
in Ireland, who would re-civilize Europe after the barbarian hoards had
conquered early civilization.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
The Kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe in the Gospel.
Matthew 10:7-15
7 Jesus said to his Apostles: “As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Cure
the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Without
cost you have received; without cost you are to give. 9 Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts; 10 no sack for the journey, or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick. The laborer deserves his keep.
11 Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it, and stay there until you leave. 12 As you enter a house, wish it peace. 13 If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; if not, let your peace return to you. 14 Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words — go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet. 15 Amen, I say to you, it will be more
tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.”
think: How are you doing your share in the evangelization of the world?
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 2 Chronicles 25-27
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