1st READING
The people of Israel had neglected God’s laws for so long that they had already forgotten what they were. Thus the king, on finding the books of the Law (as Jerusalem is being rebuilt after the exile), orders all the people to attend to a reading of the newly found texts. He wants everyone to know the law of God and obey it.
2 Kings 22:8-13; 23:1-3
8 The high priest Hilkiah informed the scribe Shaphan, “I have found the book of the law in the temple of the Lord.” Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who read it. 9 Then the scribe Shaphan went to the king and reported, “Your servants have smelted down the metals available in the temple and have consigned them to the master workmen in the temple of the Lord.” 10 The scribe Shaphan also informed the king that the priest Hilkiah had given him a book, and then read it aloud to the king. 11 When the king had heard the contents of the book of the law, he tore his garments 12 and issued this command to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, son of Shaphan, Achbor, son of Micaiah, the scribe Shaphan, and the king’s servant Asaiah: 13 “Go, consult the Lord for me, for the people, for all Judah, about the stipulations of this book that has been found, for the anger of the Lord has been set furiously ablaze against us, because our fathers did not obey the stipulations of this book, nor fulfill our written obligations.” 23:1 The king then had all the elders of Judah and of Jerusalem summoned together before him. 2 The king went up to the temple of the Lord with all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: priests, prophets, and all the people, small and great. He had the entire contents of the book of the covenant that had been found in the temple of the Lord, read out to them. 3 Standing by the column, the king made a covenant before the Lord that they would follow him and observe his ordinances, statutes and decrees with their whole hearts and souls, thus reviving the terms of the covenant which were written in this book. And all the people stood as participants in the covenant.
P S A L M
Psalm 119:33, 34, 36, 37, 40
R: Teach me the way of your decrees, O Lord.
33 Instruct me, O Lord, in the way of your statutes, that I may exactly observe them. (R) 34 Give me discernment, that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart. (R) 35 Lead me in the path of your commands, for in it I delight. (R) 36 Incline my heart to your decrees and not to gain. (R) 37 Turn away my eyes from seeing what is vain; by your way give me life. (R) 40 Behold, I long for your precepts; in your justice give me life. (R)
GOSPEL
There will always be false prophets around. One of the false messages we hear in Christian circles is the idea of discipleship without hardship and suffering. This concept is not present in the Scriptures and is a lie when it comes to following Jesus. Confronting the sin in our lives and in the world will always bring us into conflict with others. As a disciple of Jesus, we always have to take up our cross and follow Him to Calvary.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Remain in me, as I remain in you, says the Lord; whoever remains in me will bear much fruit.
Matthew 7:15-20
15 Jesus said to his disciples: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but underneath are ravenous wolves. 16 By their fruits you will know them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So by their fruits you will know them.”
No comments:
Post a Comment