Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life

1^ST READING

 

If Christians live out their faith, their witness will be so powerful that it can transform the world. The Gospel has this inherent power. To unleash this, we need to humbly ask God for the grace to help live our Christian life faithfully.

 

Deuteronomy 4:1, 5-9

1 Moses spoke to the people and said: “Now, Israel, hear the statutes and decrees which I am teaching you to observe, that you may live, and may enter in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 5 Therefore, I teach you the statutes and decrees as the Lord, my God, has commanded me, that you may observe them in the land you are entering to occupy. 6 Observe them carefully, for thus will you give evidence of your wisdom and intelligence to the nations, who will hear of all these statutes and say, ‘This great nation is truly a wise and intelligent people.’ 7 For what great nation is there that has gods so close to it as the Lord, our God, is to us whenever we call upon him? 8 Or what great nation has statutes and decrees that are as just as this whole law which I am setting before you today? 9 “However, take care and be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live, but teach them to your children and to your children’s children.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 147:12-13, 15-16, 19-20

 

R: Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

12 Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. 13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. (R) 15 He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs his word! 16 He spreads snow like wool; frost he strews like ashes. (R) 19 He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. 20 He has not done thus for any other nation; his ordinances he has not made known to them. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

The Law is important to our Christian life. It is the basis of our moral principles that are derived from the call to love. The Law helps us identify the root causes of sin but it does not empower us to follow them. We need the grace of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to help us.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of everlasting life.

 

Matthew 5:17-19

17 Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. 18 Amen, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or the smallest part of a letter will pass from the law, until all things have taken place. 19 Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do so will be called least in the Kingdom of heaven. But whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.”

think: “Be obedient even when you do not know where obedience may lead you.” - Sinclair Ferguson

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Read the Bible in one year Genesis 25-27

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

 

 

I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life - Daily Bible Readings March 15, 2017

1^ST READING

 

Jeremiah knew that he will be persecuted by the leaders of the Israelites. That is why, from the very start, he told God that he did not want to be a prophet. But God prevailed upon him. Jeremiah suffered for the sake of his mission just as we will suffer as Christians. Are we ready to be modern-day prophets?

 

Jeremiah 18:18-20

18 The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem said, “Come, let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah. It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests, nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets. And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue; let us carefully note his every word.” 19 Heed me, O Lord, and listen to what my adversaries say. 20 Must good be repaid with evil that they should dig a pit to take my life? Remember that I stood before you to speak in their behalf, to turn away your wrath from them.

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 31:5-6, 14, 15-16

R: Save me, O Lord, in your kindness.

4 [5] You will free me from the snare they set for me, for you are my refuge. 5 [6] Into your hands I commend my spirit; you will redeem me, O Lord, O faithful God. (R) 13 [14] I hear the whispers of the crowd, that frighten me from every side, as they consult together against me, plotting to take my life. (R) 14 [15] But my trust is in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” 15 [16] In your hands is my destiny; rescue me from the clutches of my enemies and my persecutors. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

Jesus tells His disciples that He is going to suffer. The disciples are surprised and cannot imagine why the Messiah has to experience suffering. Many Christians today believe in the “prosperity gospel,” the kind that teaches that only good things come to those who follow Christ. The Scriptures teach that it is a blessing to be saved but does not mention that people who follow Christ are exempted from suffering.

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life.

 

Matthew 20:17-28

17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the Twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them on the way, 18 “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death, 19 and hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” 20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached Jesus with her sons and did him homage, wishing to ask him for something. 21 He said to her, “What do you wish?” She answered him, “Command that these two sons of mine sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your kingdom.” 22 Jesus said in reply, “You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the chalice that I am going to drink?” They said to him, “We can.” 23 He replied, “My chalice you will indeed drink, but to sit at my right and at my left, this is not mine to give but is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” 24 When the ten heard this, they became indignant at the two brothers. 25 But Jesus summoned them and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones make their authority over them felt. 26 But it shall not be so among you. Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; 27 whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave. 28 Just so, the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

think: With Jesus as your model, in what ways can you serve others?

 

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Read the Bible in one year Genesis 4-6

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

 

thank You, Lord, for: ______________________________________________________

 

Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation - Daily Bible Readings March 6, 2017

1^ST READING

 

Hatred is refusing to love another person. The Church teaches us to love everyone, even those who are difficult to love. The only thing we are allowed to hate is sin. Let us heed the call to love and prevent hatred from ruining our relationships.

 

Leviticus 19:1-2, 11-18

1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the whole assembly of the children of Israel and tell them: Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy. 11 “You shall not steal. You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another. 12 You shall not swear falsely by my name, thus profaning the name of your God. I am the Lord. 13 “You shall not defraud or rob your neighbor. You shall not withhold overnight the wages of your day laborer.14 You shall not curse the deaf, or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but you shall fear your God. I am the Lord. 15 “You shall not act dishonestly in rendering judgment. Show neither partiality to the weak nor deference to the mighty, but judge your fellow men justly. 16 You shall not go about spreading slander among your kin; nor shall you stand by idly when your neighbor’s life is at stake. I am the Lord. 17 “You shall not bear hatred for your brother in your heart. Though you may have to reprove him, do not incur sin because of him. 18 Take no revenge and cherish no grudge against your fellow countrymen. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

 

P S A L M

 

Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15

R: Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.

7 [8] The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. (R) 8 [9] The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye. (R) 9 [10] The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just. (R) 14 [15] Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (R)

 

GOSPEL

 

This is a wonderful parable about what love demands from us in terms of our relationships. It is important to always remember this truth so that we can avoid the destructive choices that lead to disunity and, ultimately, war. This pattern is all too evident in the years past as we reflect upon our forebears refusal to love. There are always opportunities to act upon the command to love. 

 

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

 

Matthew 25:31-46

31 Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit upon his glorious throne, 32 and all the nations will be assembled before him. And he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will place the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’ 41 Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 a stranger and you gave me no welcome, naked and you gave me no clothing, ill and in prison, and you did not care for me.’ 44 Then they will answer and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or ill or in prison, and not minister to your needs?’ 45 He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.’ 46 And these will go off to eternal  punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

 

think: When have you been hungry, thirsty, a stranger, in need of clothes, sick or imprisoned, and someone reached out to you? How did it feel?

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Read the Bible in one year 1 John 1-5

 

T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST

thank You, Lord, for: ___________________________________________