“The LORD's power shall be known to his servants;” we should trustingly, enthusiastically, serve and praise Him (readings for July 7, 2019 annotated) (Lectionary: 102)

Key

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

What these scriptures tell us not to do

Hyperlinks to additional resources

Reading 1 Isaiah 66:10-14C  

Thus says the LORD:
Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad because of her, all you who love her;
exult, exult with her, all you who were mourning over her! Oh, that you may suck fully of the milk of her comfort, that you may nurse with delight at her abundant breasts! For thus says the LORD: Lo, I will spread prosperity over Jerusalem like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing torrent. As nurslings, you shall be carried in her arms, and fondled in her lap; as a mother comforts her child,  so will I comfort you;  in Jerusalem you shall find your comfort.

When you see this, your heart shall rejoice  and your bodies flourish like the grass; the LORD's power shall be known to his servants.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 66:1-3, 3-4, 6-7, 16, 20  

R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth, sing praise to the glory of his name;proclaim his glorious praise. Say to God, "How tremendous are your deeds!"
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
"Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you, sing praise to your name!"
Come and see the works of God, his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
He has changed the sea into dry land; through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him. He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. 
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not my prayer or his kindness!
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.

Reading 2 Galatians 6:14-18  

Brothers and sisters:
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.  For neither does circumcision mean anything, nor does uncircumcision, but only a new creation.  Peace and mercy be to all who follow this rule and to the Israel of God.

From now on, let no one make troubles for me; for I bear the marks of Jesus on my body.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christbe with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

Alleluia Colossians 3:15-16  

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Let the peace of Christcontrol your hearts; let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 10:1-12, 17-20  

At that time the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit.

He said to them, "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.  

Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace to this household.'If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.  Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment.  Do not move about from one house to another.  Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God is at hand for you.' Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, 'The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.' Yet know this: the kingdom of God is at hand.  I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town."

The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name."

Jesus said, "I have observed Satan fall like lightning from the sky.  Behold, I have given you the power to 'tread upon serpents' and scorpions  and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.  Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

What these scriptures tell us about God

as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you;
the LORD's power shall be known to his servants.

his glorious praise.

How tremendous are your deeds!

his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
He rules by his might forever.
Blessed be God who refused me not my prayer or his kindness!

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ

the peace of Christ

the kingdom of God is at hand.
The seventy-two returned rejoicing
Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.
I have given you the power to 'tread upon serpents' and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you.  

What these scriptures tell us to do

cry out to God with joy.
Shout joyfully to God
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, "How tremendous are your deeds!"cry out to God with joy.
worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!"
see the works of God,cry out to God with joy.
rejoice in him.cry out to God with joy. 
Hear now

cry out to God with joy.

never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 

Let the peace of Christ control your hearts;
let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.

ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.
Go on your way
Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals
greet no one along the way.
Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.'
eat and drink what is offered to you
eat what is set before you,
cure the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God is at hand for you.'
rejoice because your names are written in heaven."

What these scriptures tell us not to do

never boast 

Do not move about from one house to another

God lovingly calls us to Himself and other believers. We should help others see that love (Readings for July 3, 2019 annotated) (Lectionary: 593)

Key

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

Hyperlinks to additional resources

Commentary

Today's readings call to mind the wonderful love described in paragraph 1 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness, freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Saviour. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.

Reading 1 Ephesians 2:19-22  

Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 117

R.Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness for us,and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

Alleluia John 20:29  

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 20:24-29 

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."

But Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe."

Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

What these scriptures tell us about God

You are no longer strangers and sojourners
you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God
Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord
in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

steadfast is his kindness for us

the fidelity of the LORD endures forever. 

Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you

My Lord and my God!

What these scriptures tell us to do

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News
Praise the LORD

glorify him

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News

believe in me

blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe

do not be unbelieving, but believe

come to believe because you have seen me 

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.

God lovingly calls us to Himself and other believers. We should help others see that love (Readings for July 3, 2019 annotated) (Lectionary: 593)

Key

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

Hyperlinks to additional resources

Commentary

Todays readings call to mind the wonderful love described in paragraph 1 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness, freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life. For this reason, at every time and in every place, God draws close to man. He calls man to seek him, to know him, to love him with all his strength. He calls together all men, scattered and divided by sin, into the unity of his family, the Church. To accomplish this, when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son as Redeemer and Saviour. In his Son and through him, he invites men to become, in the Holy Spirit, his adopted children and thus heirs of his blessed life.

Reading 1 Ephesians 2:19-22  

Brothers and sisters:
You are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 117

R.Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
Praise the LORD, all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
For steadfast is his kindness for us,and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.

Alleluia John 20:29  

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
You believe in me, Thomas, because you have seen me, says the Lord;blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe!
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel John 20:24-29 

Thomas, called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord."

But Thomas said to them, "Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands
and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

Now a week later his disciples were again inside and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you."

Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe."

Thomas answered and said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said to him, "Have you come to believe because you have seen me?Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed."

What these scriptures tell us about God

You are no longer strangers and sojourners
you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God
Christ Jesus himself as the capstone.
Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord
in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.

steadfast is his kindness for us

the fidelity of the LORD endures forever. 

Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you

My Lord and my God!

What these scriptures tell us to do

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News
Praise the LORD

glorify him

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News

Go out to all the world and tell the Good News

believe in me

blessed are those who have not seen, but still believe

do not be unbelieving, but believe

come to believe because you have seen me 

Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.

Trust God in the midst of difficulty, cry to Him for help, but don’t hesitate or waiver (readings for July 2, 2019 annotated) (Lectionary: 378)

Key

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures tell us to do

What these scriptures tell us not to do

Hyperlinks to additional resources

Commentary

Reading 1 Genesis 19:15-29  

As dawn was breaking, the angels urged Lot on, saying, "On your way!
Take with you your wife and your two daughters who are here,
or you will be swept away in the punishment of Sodom."
When he hesitated, the men, by the LORD's mercy,
seized his hand and the hands of his wife and his two daughters
and led them to safety outside the city.
As soon as they had been brought outside, he was told:
"Flee for your life!Don't look back or stop anywhere on the Plain.
Get off to the hills at once, or you will be swept away."
"Oh, no, my lord!" Lot replied,
"You have already thought enough of your servant
to do me the great kindness of intervening to save my life.
But I cannot flee to the hills to keep the disaster from overtaking me,
and so I shall die.
Look, this town ahead is near enough to escape to.
It's only a small place.
Let me flee there–it's a small place, is it not?–
that my life may be saved."
"Well, then," he replied,
"I will also grant you the favor you now ask.
I will not overthrow the town you speak of.
Hurry, escape there!
I cannot do anything until you arrive there."
That is why the town is called Zoar.

The sun was just rising over the earth as Lot arrived in Zoar;
at the same time the LORD rained down sulphurous fire
upon Sodom and Gomorrah
from the LORD out of heaven.
He overthrew those cities and the whole Plain,
together with the inhabitants of the cities
and the produce of the soil.
But Lot's wife looked back, and she was turned into a pillar of salt.

Early the next morning Abraham went to the place
where he had stood in the LORD's presence.
As he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah
and the whole region of the Plain,
he saw dense smoke over the land rising like fumes from a furnace.

Thus it came to pass: when God destroyed the Cities of the Plain,
he was mindful of Abraham by sending Lot away from the upheaval
by which God overthrew the cities where Lot had been living.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 26:2-3, 9-10, 11-12  

R.(3a) O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Search me, O LORD, and try me; test my soul and my heart.
For your mercy is before my eyes, and I walk in your truth.
R. O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Gather not my soul with those of sinners, nor with men of blood my life.
On their hands are crimes,and their right hands are full of bribes.
R. O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
But I walk in integrity; redeem me, and have mercy on me.
My foot stands on level ground; in the assemblies I will bless the LORD.
R. O Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.

Alleluia  Psalm 130:5 

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I trust in the LORD; my soultrusts in his word.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 8:23-27  

As Jesus got into a boat, his disciples followed him. Suddenly a violent storm came up on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by waves; but he was asleep. They came and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"

He said to them, "Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?" Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm.

The men were amazed and said, "What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?"

We can encounter storms/scary things, even though we are right where God wants us to be.

Jesus is with in the midst of those storms; we should call to Him for help/comfort.

It’s not clear that Jesus’ comment was addressed the disciples’ cry for help (He tells us to pray for help, see Luke 18:1-11, Philippians 4:6-7, James 1:5), but instead was likely addressing their thought that they were not going to make it. In other words, He wants us to trust Him and His plan, even/especially when it involves difficulty

What these scriptures tell us about God

he was mindful of Abraham by sending Lot away from the upheaval
by which God overthrew the cities where Lot had been living.

Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
your mercy is before my eyes

your truth.Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.
Lord, your mercy is before my eyes.

he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm.

What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?

What these scriptures tell us to do

walk in your truth
walk in integrity

trust in the LORD

trusts in his word

They came and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! 

What these scriptures tell us not to do

he hesitated

Don't look back or stop anywhere 

Lot's wife looked back

crimes

bribes

God is kind & merciful; we should therefore come to Him, talk with Him, and trustingly follow wherever He leads (readings for July 1, 2019 annotated) (Lectionary: 377)

Key

What these scriptures tell us about God

What these scriptures yell us to do

Hyperlinks to additional resources

Reading 1 Genesis 18:16-33  

Abraham and the men who had visited him by the Terebinth of Mamre set out from there and looked down toward Sodom; Abraham was walking with them, to see them on their way.

The LORD reflected: "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, now that he is to become a great and populous nation, and all the nations of the earth are to find blessing in him? Indeed, I have singled him out that he may direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just, so that the LORD may carry into effect for Abraham the promises he made about him." Then the LORD said: "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great, and their sin so grave, that I must go down and see whether or not their actions fully correspond to the cry against them that comes to me. I mean to find out."

While the two men walked on farther toward Sodom, the LORD remained standing before Abraham. Then Abraham drew nearer to him and said: "Will you sweep away the innocent with the guilty? Suppose there were fifty innocent people in the city; would you wipe out the place, rather than spare it for the sake of the fifty innocent people within it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to make the innocent die with the guilty, so that the innocent and the guilty would be treated alike! Should not the judge of all the world act with justice?"

The LORD replied, "If I find fifty innocent people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake."

Abraham spoke up again: "See how I am presuming to speak to my Lord, though I am but dust and ashes! What if there are five less than fifty innocent people? Will you destroy the whole city because of those five?"

He answered, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there."

But Abraham persisted, saying, "What if only forty are found there?"

He replied, "I will forbear doing it for the sake of forty."

Then Abraham said, "Let not my Lord grow impatient if I go on.
What if only thirty are found there?"

He replied, "I will forbear doing it if I can find but thirty there."

Still Abraham went on, "Since I have thus dared to speak to my Lord,
what if there are no more than twenty?"

He answered, "I will not destroy it for the sake of the twenty."

But he still persisted: "Please, let not my Lord grow angry if I speak up this last time. What if there are at least ten there?"

He replied, "For the sake of those ten, I will not destroy it."

The LORD departed as soon as he had finished speaking with Abraham, and Abraham returned home.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 103:1B-2, 3-4, 8-9, 10-11 

R. (8a) The Lord is kind and merciful.
Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities, he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction, he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD, slow to anger and abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes.
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
R. The Lord is kind and merciful.

Alleluia Psalm 95:8

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 18:18-22

When Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other shore. 

A scribe approached and said to him, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.”

Another of his disciples said to him, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But Jesus answered him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead.”

What these scriptures tell us about God

TheLord is kind and merciful.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
He pardons all your iniquities

he heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction

he crowns you with kindness and compassion.
The Lord is kind and merciful.
Merciful and gracious is the LORD

slow to anger

abounding in kindness.
He will not always chide

nor does he keep his wrath forever
The Lord is kind and merciful.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us
For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
The Lord is kind and merciful.

Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.

What these scriptures tell us to do

Abraham was walking with them, to see them on their way.

direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just

Abraham drew nearer to him and said

presuming to speak to my Lord

dared to speak to my Lord

forget not all his benefits 

hear his voice

harden not your hearts

follow you wherever you go

Follow me

let the dead bury their dead