DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION

AUGUST 13, 2024

TUESDAY OF THE NINETEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

(OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF SAINT PONTIAN, POPE AND MARTYR, AND SAINT HIPPOLYTUS, PRIEST AND MARTYR)

FIRST READING

EZEKIEL 2:8-3:4 OR (1 PETER 4:12-19)

8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. "Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” 9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll, 10 which he unrolled before me. On both sides of it were written words of lament and mourning and woe. 3 1 And he said to me, “Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll; then go and speak to the people of Israel.” 2 So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. 3 Then he said to me, “Son of man, eat this scroll I am giving you and fill your stomach with it.” So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth. 4 He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them."

The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 118(119):14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131 OR (PSALMS 124:2-5, 7-8)

Response: How sweet to my taste is thy promise!

In the way of thy testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.

R. How sweet to my taste is thy promise!

Thy testimonies are my delight,
they are my counselors.

R. How sweet to my taste is thy promise!

How sweet are thy words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!

R. How sweet to my taste is thy promise!

Thy testimonies are my heritage for ever;
yea, they are the joy of my heart.

R. How sweet to my taste is thy promise!

With open mouth I pant,
because I long for thy commandments.

R. How sweet to my taste is thy promise!
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GOSPEL

Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven

MATTHEW 18:1-5, 10, 12-14 OR (JOHN 15:18-21)

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them, 3 and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me; 10 See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father who is in heaven.12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish."

The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION

DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS

What it means to become a child a God, by Epiphanius the Latin (late 5th century)

"Here the Lord not only repressed the apostles' thoughts but also checked the ambition of believers throughout the whole world, so that he might be great who wanted to be least. For with this purpose Jesus used the example of the child, that what he had been through his nature, we through our holy living might become - innocent, like children innocent of every sin. For a child does not know how to hold resentment or to grow angry. He does not know how to repay evil for evil. He does not think base thoughts. He does not commit adultery or arson or murder. He is utterly ignorant of theft or brawling or all the things that will draw him to sin. He does not know how to disparage, how to blaspheme, how to hurt, how to lie. He believes what he hears. What he is ordered he does not analyze. He loves his parents with full affection. Therefore what children are in their simplicity, let us become through a holy way of life, as children innocent of sin. And quite rightly, one who has become a child innocent of sin in this way is greater in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives such a person will receive Christ."

(excerpt from INTERPRETATION OF THE GOSPELS 27)
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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.