july 5 2006
Am 5:14-15, 21-24 Seek good and not evil, that you may live; Then truly will the LORD, the God of hosts, be with you as you claim! Hate evil and love good, and let justice prevail at the gate; Then it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts,will have pity on the remnant of Joseph. I hate, I spurn your feasts, says the LORD, I take no pleasure in your solemnities; Your cereal offerings I will not accept, nor consider your stall-fed peace offerings. Away with your noisy songs! I will not listen to the melodies of your harps. But if you would offer me burnt offerings, then let justice surge like water, and goodness like an unfailing stream.
Ps 50:7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 16bc-17R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Hear, my people, and I will speak;Israel, I will testify against you;God, your God, am I.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,for your burnt offerings are before me always.I take from your house no bullock,no goats out of your fold.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“For mine are all the animals of the forests,beasts by the thousand on my mountains. I know all the birds of the air,and whatever stirs in the plains, belongs to me.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“If I were hungry, I should not tell you,for mine are the world and its fullness. Do I eat the flesh of strong bulls, or is the blood of goats my drink?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Why do you recite my statutes,and profess my covenant with your mouth,Though you hate disciplineand cast my words behind you?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15 Brothers and sisters: As you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you,may you excel in this gracious act also.For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Not that others should have relief while you are burdened,but that as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their needs,so that their abundance may also supply your needs,that there may be equality. As it is written:
Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less.
Mt 8:28-34 When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. The demons pleaded with him,“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.” And he said to them, “Go then!” They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.
The divine act of healing the two demoniacs was reacted to by the people with fear rather than rejoicing. Power and great goodness are not always rejoiced in but in this situation questioned and feared. I need to remember to be thankful for acts of goodness rather than to question or fear them.
The first reading is a reminder to seek good in life and sacrifice to God. The second is to give to others, to be charitable. There is a richness of the soul in sacrifice and poverty.
AS I start this day I pray for a heart purified and ready to give to others without counting the cost. I pray for a faith that does not question the acts of Jesus but rejoices in them. I pray for the strength to do God's will in all that I do today with a fullness and joy in the new day and in all life.
Ps 50:7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 16bc-17R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Hear, my people, and I will speak;Israel, I will testify against you;God, your God, am I.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,for your burnt offerings are before me always.I take from your house no bullock,no goats out of your fold.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“For mine are all the animals of the forests,beasts by the thousand on my mountains. I know all the birds of the air,and whatever stirs in the plains, belongs to me.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“If I were hungry, I should not tell you,for mine are the world and its fullness. Do I eat the flesh of strong bulls, or is the blood of goats my drink?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Why do you recite my statutes,and profess my covenant with your mouth,Though you hate disciplineand cast my words behind you?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
2 Cor 8:7, 9, 13-15 Brothers and sisters: As you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you,may you excel in this gracious act also.For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. Not that others should have relief while you are burdened,but that as a matter of equality your abundance at the present time should supply their needs,so that their abundance may also supply your needs,that there may be equality. As it is written:
Whoever had much did not have more, and whoever had little did not have less.
Mt 8:28-34 When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes, two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him. They were so savage that no one could travel by that road. They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?” Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding. The demons pleaded with him,“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.” And he said to them, “Go then!” They came out and entered the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea where they drowned. The swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.
The divine act of healing the two demoniacs was reacted to by the people with fear rather than rejoicing. Power and great goodness are not always rejoiced in but in this situation questioned and feared. I need to remember to be thankful for acts of goodness rather than to question or fear them.
The first reading is a reminder to seek good in life and sacrifice to God. The second is to give to others, to be charitable. There is a richness of the soul in sacrifice and poverty.
AS I start this day I pray for a heart purified and ready to give to others without counting the cost. I pray for a faith that does not question the acts of Jesus but rejoices in them. I pray for the strength to do God's will in all that I do today with a fullness and joy in the new day and in all life.
posted by Joan Morris at 6:08 AM
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