DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION

Feast of St. Joseph the Worker - Friday (May 1)

Is not this the carpenter's son?

GOSPEL

Matthew 13:54-58 (Alternate Reading: John 6:52-59)

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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FIRST READING

Genesis 1:26--2:3 (Alternate Readings: Colossians 3:14-15, 17, 23-24 or Acts 9:1-20)

1 26 Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth." 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth." 29 And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, a sixth day. 2 1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all his work which he had done in creation.
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALM 89(90):2-4, 12-14, 16 - (Alternate Psalm 115 (116)

Response: Lord, give success to the work of our hands.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.

Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, "Turn back, O children of men!" For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on thy servants!

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.

Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Let thy work be manifest to thy servants, and thy glorious power to their children.

R. Lord, give success to the work of our hands.
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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.