1ST READING
We
all have a rebellious side. There is something within us that wants to
be in control and make the final decision on things that matter.
Obviously, this is expressed in varying degrees of strength depending on
the individual. We must harness the power and strength of this desire
and direct it towards the salvation of souls.
Ezekiel 12:1-12
1 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 Son
of man, you live in the midst of a rebellious house; they have eyes to
see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a
rebellious house. 3 Now,
son of man, during the day while they are looking on, prepare your
baggage as though for exile, and again while they are looking on,
migrate from where you live to another place; perhaps they will see that
they are a rebellious house. 4 You
shall bring out your baggage like an exile in the daytime while they
are looking on; in the evening, again while they are looking on, you
shall go out like one of those driven into exile; 5 while they look on, dig a hole in the wall and pass through it; 6 while
they look on, shoulder the burden and set out in the darkness; cover
your face that you may not see the land, for I have made you a sign for
the house of Israel. 7 I did as I was told. During the day I brought out my baggage as though it were that of an exile, and at evening I
dug a hole through the wall with my hand and, while they looked on, set out in the darkness, shouldering my burden. 8 Then, in the morning, the word of the Lord came to me: 9 Son of man, did not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, ask you what you were doing? 10 Tell them: Thus says the Lord God: This oracle concerns Jerusalem and the whole house of Israel within it. 11 I am a sign for you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them; as
captives they shall go into exile. 12 The
prince who is among them shall shoulder his burden and set out in
darkness, going through a hole he has dug in the wall, and covering his
face lest he be seen by anyone.
P S A L M
Psalm 78:56-57, 58-59, 61-62
R: Do not forget the works of the Lord!
56 They tempted and rebelled against God the Most High, and kept not his decrees. 57 They turned back and were faithless like their fathers; they recoiled like a treacherous bow. (R) 58 They angered him with their high places and with their idols roused his jealousy. 59God heard and was
enraged and utterly rejected Israel. (R) 61 And he surrendered his strength into captivity, his glory into the hands of the foe. 62 He abandoned his people to the sword and was enraged against his inheritance. (R)
GOSPEL
Today
we celebrate the feast of St. Clare, a contemporary and admirer of the
spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi. She refused to follow the wishes
of her family even when they tried to bodily remove her from the
convent. She knew God wanted her to be a nun and that is what she would
do, despite her family’s desire for her to get married. There are times
when we need to rebel and draw strength from the Holy Spirit. There are
also times when we need to submit to whatever Church authorities tell us
to do.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Let your countenance shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes.
Matthew 18:21-19:1
21 Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. 23 That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the accounting, a debtor
was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. 25 Since
he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold,
along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of
the debt. 26 At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ 27 Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. 28 When that servant had
left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ 29 Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30 But he refused. Instead, he had the fellow servants put in prison until he paid back the debt. 31 Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply
disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. 32 His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. 33 Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ 34 Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. 35 So will my heavenly Father
do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.” 19:1 When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan. 112 Read the Bible
think: We must harness the power and strength of our desire to rebel and direct it towards the salvation of souls.
T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: __________________
____________________________________
God’s special verse/thought for me today_
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR 2 Maccabees 5-6
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