Daily Readings for July 2, 2016

1ST READING

Amos prophesies that a day will come when the poor will be vindicated as shown in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. When that day comes, we do not want to be on the same side of the chasm as the rich man. We should befriend the poor and serve them. St. John Chrysostom exhorts us to make friends with the poor who will form our welcoming committee into eternal life.

Amos 9:11-15

11 Thus says the Lord: On that day I will raise up the fallen hut of David; I will wall up its breaches, raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old, 12 that they may conquer what is left of Edom and all the nations that shall bear my name, say I, the Lord, who will do this. 13 Yes, days are coming, says the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the vintager, him who sows the seed; the juice of grapes shall drip down the mountains, and all the hills shall run with it. 14 I will bring about the restoration of my people Israel; they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities, plant vineyards and drink the wine, set out gardens and eat the fruits. 15 I will plant them upon their own ground; never again shall they be plucked from the land I have given them, say I, the Lord, your God.

P S A L M

Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14

R: The Lord speaks of peace to his people.

8 [9] I will hear what God proclaims; the Lord — for he proclaims peace to his people. 9 [10] Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. (R) 10 [11] Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 11 [12] Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. (R) 12 [13] The Lord himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. 13 [14] Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps. (R)

GOSPEL

  

We need to be “new wineskin” for the message of the Gospel. We have been commissioned to carry the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Let us not be constrained by the past but be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit, ready to take a risk as we obey Him. This is what the Gospel needs — innovation in the way it is proclaimed.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

Matthew 9:14-17

14 The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. 17 People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”