Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son - Daily Bible Readings February 14,2014

1^ST READING

 

 

Israel splits in two — the result of sibling rivalry among two of Solomon’s many sons. This is more or less the culmination of the disaster that Samuel foresaw when the people demanded a king for themselves. Everything that could go wrong has now actually gone wrong and for the next 200 years there will be division among the people, and then they will lose their sovereignty until it is restored in 1948. This is what division and lack of faith can cause.

 

1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19

29 Jeroboam left Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road. The two were alone in the area, and the prophet was wearing a new cloak. 30 Ahijah took off his new cloak, tore it into twelve pieces, 31 and said to Jeroboam: “Take ten pieces for yourself; the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp and will give you ten of the tribes. 32 One tribe shall remain to him for the sake of David my servant, and of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.’” 12: 18 [19] Israel went into rebellion against David’s house to this day.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 81:10-11, 12-13, 14-15

R: I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.

9 [10] There shall be no strange god among you nor shall you worship any alien god. 10 [11] I, the Lord, am your God who led you forth from the land of Egypt.” (R) 11 [12] “My people heard not my voice, and Israel obeyed me not; 12 [13] So I gave them up to the hardness of their hearts; they walked according to their own counsels.” (R) 13 [14] “If only my people would hear me, and Israel walk in my ways, 14 [15] quickly would I humble their enemies; against their foes I would turn my hand.” (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

Sometimes we are deaf to the Word of God, to His love for us, and to His will for our lives. Many people want to remain deaf to God’s will, lest He ask them to do something they do not want to do. Would God, who has created and loves us, ever desire something that would be bad for us? I do not think so. Let us resolve to heal our deliberate deafness and embrace listening to God’s Word and will for our lives.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.

Mark 7:31-37

31 Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. 32 And people brought to him a deaf  man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; 34 then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is, “Be opened!”) 35 And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. 36 He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. 37They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

 

think: Let us resolve to heal our deliberate deafness and embrace listening to God’s Word and will for our lives.

 

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 Corinthians 9-13