DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION

AUGUST 2, 2024

FRIDAY OF THE SEVENTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

(SOLEMNITY OF OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS OF PORTIUNCULA)

(OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF SAINT EUSEBIUS OF VERCELLI, BISHOP / SAINT PETER JULIAN EYMARD, PRIEST)

FIRST READING

JEREMIAH 26:1-9 OR (1 JOHN 5:1-5 / ACTS 4:32-35 / SIRACH 24:1-4, 16, 22-24)

1 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoi'akim the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah, this word came from the LORD, 2 "Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah which come to worship in the house of the LORD all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word. 3 It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the evil which I intend to do to them because of their evil doings. 4 You shall say to them, `Thus says the LORD: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law which I have set before you, 5 and to heed the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not heeded, 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.'" 7 The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. 8 And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, "You shall die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, `This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant'?" And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 68(69):5, 8-10, 14 OR (PSALMS 89:2-5, 21-22, 25, 27 / PSALMS 34:2-11 / PSALMS 34:5, 7, 9-10, 18-19)

Response: Lord, in thy great love, answer me.

More in number than the hairs of my head
are those who hate me without cause;
mighty are those who would destroy me,
those who attack me with lies.
What I did not steal
must I now restore?

R. Lord, in thy great love, answer me.

For it is for thy sake that I have borne reproach,
that shame has covered my face.
I have become a stranger to my brethren,
an alien to my mother's sons.
For zeal for thy house has consumed me,
and the insults of those who insult thee have fallen on me.

R. Lord, in thy great love, answer me.

But as for me, my prayer is to thee, O LORD.
At an acceptable time, O God,
in the abundance of thy steadfast love answer me.
With thy faithful help.

R. Lord, in thy great love, answer me.
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SECOND READING (OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS OF PORTIUNCULA - SOLEMNITY)

GALATIANS 4:3-7

GOSPEL

They took offense at Jesus

MATTHEW 13:54-58 OR (MATTHEW 5:1-12 / JOHN 15:1-8 / LUKE 1:26-33)

54 and coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?" 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION

DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS

Few miracles done because of their unbelief, by Origen of Alexandria (185-254 AD)

"It seems to me that the production of miracles is similar in some ways to the case of physical things. Cultivation is not sufficient to produce a harvest of fruits unless the soil, or rather the atmosphere, cooperates to this end. And the atmosphere of itself is not sufficient to produce a harvest without cultivation. The one who providentially orders creation did not design things to spring up from the earth without cultivation. Only in the first instance did he do so when he said, 'Let the earth bring forth vegetation, with the seed sowing according to its kind and according to its likeness' (Genesis 1:11). It is just this way in regard to the production of miracles. The complete work resulting in a healing is not displayed without those being healed exercising faith. Faith, of whatever quality it might be, does not produce a healing without divine power.'

(excerpt from the COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 10.19)
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Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.