1ST READING
Sometimes
it may seem that our labors for the Kingdom of God are in vain.
However, if we are following God’s will, we can be sure that it will
never be the case. We may not understand the fullness of what God is
doing through us but we should always trust that He does. Suffering is
especially difficult to understand but it is an integral part of the
redemption that Jesus won for us.
Isaiah 49:1-6
1 Hear me, O islands, listen, O distant peoples. The Lord called me from birth, from my mother’s womb he gave me my name. 2 He
made of me a sharp-edged sword and concealed me in the shadow of his
arm. He made me a polished arrow, in his quiver he hid me. 3 You are my servant, he said to me, Israel, through whom I show my glory. 4 Though I thought I had toiled in vain, and for nothing, uselessly, spent my
strength, yet my reward is with the Lord, my recompense is with my God. 5 For
now the Lord has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb,
that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I
am made glorious in the sight of the Lord, and my God is now my strength! 6 It
is too little, he says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the
tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a
light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the
earth.
P S A L M
Psalm 71:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 15, 17
R: I will sing of your salvation.
1 In you, O Lord, I take refuge; let me never be put to shame. 2 In your justice rescue me, and deliver me; incline your ear to me, and save me. (R) 3 Be my rock of refuge, a stronghold to give me safety, for you are my rock and my fortress. 4 O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked. (R) 5 For you are my hope, O Lord; my trust, O God, from my youth. 6 On you I depend from birth; from my mother’s womb you are my strength. (R) 15 My mouth shall declare your justice, day by day your salvation, though I know not their extent. 17 O God, you have taught me from my youth, and till the present I proclaim your wondrous deeds. (R)
GOSPEL
Jesus
knows that one of His own will betray Him to the authorities. He even
knows who the person is but He does not banish him from His presence. He
gives him the possibility of repentance and a change of heart. We know
this was a vain hope but we should learn from the example of Jesus and
allow others the same hope and chance in their relationship with us.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Hail to you, our King, obedient to the Father; you were led to your crucifixion like a gentle lamb to the slaughter.
John 13:21-33, 36-38
21 Reclining
at the table with his disciples, Jesus was deeply troubled and
testified, “Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, at a loss as to whom he meant. 23 One of his disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at Jesus’ side. 24 So Simon Peter nodded to him to find out whom he meant. 25
He leaned back against Jesus’ chest and said to him, “Master, who is it?” 26 Jesus
answered, “It is the one to whom I hand the morsel after I have dipped
it.” So he dipped the morsel and took it and handed it to Judas, son of
Simon the Iscariot. 27 After Judas took the morsel, Satan entered him. So Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now none of those reclining at table realized why he said this to him. 29 Some
thought that since Judas kept the money bag, Jesus had told him, “Buy
what we need for the feast,” or to give something to the poor. 30 So he took the morsel and left at once. And it was night. 31 When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him at once. 33 My children, I will be with you only a little
while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.” 36 Simon
Peter said to him, “Master, where are you going?” Jesus answered him,
“Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow
later.” 37 Peter said to him, “Master, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow before you deny me three
times.”
think: Suffering is especially difficult to understand but it is an integral part of the redemption that Jesus won for us.
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 Leviticus 13-15
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