You have received a spirit of adoption as sons through which we cry: Abba! Father! - Daily Bible Readings June 16,2016

1ST READING   Chapters 48-50 of Sirach are a beautiful eulogy for many of the great figures of Jewish history. Elijah is featured as the first of the prophetic stream and probably the greatest of the prophets. The question we need to ask ourselves is, “What legacy do we want to leave behind after we die?” There is a price to pay — the greater the legacy, the greater our life of service and self-giving has to be.   Sirach 48:1-14 1 Like a fire there appeared the prophet Elijah whose words were as a flaming furnace. 2 Their staff of bread he shattered, in his zeal he reduced them to straits; 3 By the Lord’s word he shut up the heavens and three times brought down fire. 4 How awesome are you, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds! Whose glory is equal to yours? 5 You brought a dead man back to life from the nether world, by the will of the Lord. 6You sent kings down to destruction, and easily broke their power into pieces. You brought down nobles, from their beds of sickness. 7 You heard threats at Sinai, at Horeb avenging judgments. 8 You anointed kings who should inflict vengeance, and a prophet as your successor. 9You were taken aloft in a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with fiery horses. 10You were destined, it is written, in time to come to put an end to   wrath before the day of the Lord, to turn back the hearts of fathers toward their sons, and to re-establish the tribes of Jacob. 11 Blessed is he who shall have seen you and who falls asleep in your friendship. For we live only in our life, but after death our name will not be such. 12 O Elijah, enveloped in the whirlwind! Then Elisha, filled with a twofold portion of his spirit, wrought many marvels by his mere word. During his lifetime he feared no one, nor was any man able to intimidate his will. 13 Nothing was beyond his power; beneath him flesh was brought back into life. 14 In life he performed wonders, and after death, marvelous deeds.   P S A L M   Psalm 97:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7 R: Rejoice in the Lord, you just! 1 The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad. 2 Clouds and darkness are round about him, justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne. (R) 3 Fire goes before him and consumes his foes round about. 4 His lightnings illumine the world; the earth sees and trembles. (R) 5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth. 6 The heavens proclaim his justice, and all peoples see his glory. (R) 7 All who worship graven things are put to shame, who glory in the things of naught. All gods are prostrate before him. (R)   GOSPEL   Jesus teaches His disciples to pray. He tells them (and us, too) to praise God and acknowledge Him as their Father, pray for the coming of His Kingdom here on earth, ask for their daily bread, and pray for the forgiveness of their sins as they forgive those who sin against them. Finally, He teaches them to pray that they will be protected from temptation and evil. This pattern for prayer is valid for all time and all ages.   GOSPEL ACCLAMATION You have received a spirit of adoption as sons through which we cry: Abba! Father!   Matthew 6:7-15 7 Jesus said to his disciples: “In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. 9 This is how you are to pray: ‘Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, 10 thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as in heaven. 11Give us this day our daily bread; 12 and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; 13 and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’ 14 If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions.” think: What legacy do you want to leave behind after you die?   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 Kings 16-18