DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION

JULY 16, 2020

THURSDAY - OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

FIRST READING

ISAIAH 26:7-9, 12, 16-19 (ALTERNATE READING: ZECHARIAH 2:14-17)

7 The way of the righteous is level; thou dost make smooth the path of the righteous. 8 In the path of thy judgments, O LORD, we wait for thee; thy memorial name is the desire of our soul. 9 My soul yearns for thee in the night, my spirit within me earnestly seeks thee. For when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. 12 O LORD, thou wilt ordain peace for us, thou hast wrought for us all our works. 16 O LORD, in distress they sought thee, they poured out a prayer when thy chastening was upon them. 17 Like a woman with child, who writhes and cries out in her pangs, when she is near her time, so were we because of thee, O LORD; 18 we were with child, we writhed, we have as it were brought forth wind. We have wrought no deliverance in the earth, and the inhabitants of the world have not fallen. 19 Thy dead shall live, their bodies shall rise. O dwellers in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For thy dew is a dew of light, and on the land of the shades thou wilt let it fall.

The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 101 (102):13-14, 15, 16-18, 19-21 (ALTERNATE PSALMS: LUKE 1:46-55)

Response: From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

You, O LORD, abide forever,
and your name through all generations.
You will arise and have mercy on Zion,
for it is time to pity her.
For her stones are dear to your servants,
and her dust moves them to pity.

R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

The nations shall revere your name, O LORD,
and all the kings of the earth your glory,
When the LORD has rebuilt Zion
and appeared in his glory;
When he has regarded the prayer of the destitute,
and not despised their prayer.

R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

Let this be written for the generation to come,
and let his future creatures praise the LORD:
“The LORD looked down from his holy height,
from heaven he beheld the earth,
To hear the groaning of the prisoners,
to release those doomed to die.”

R. From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

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GOSPEL

"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me"

MATTHEW 11:28-30 (ALTERNATE READING: MATTHEW 12:46-50)

28 "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION

DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS

Grace bear us, by an anonymous early author from the Greek church

"'My yoke is easy and my burden light.' ... The prophet says this about the burden of sinners: 'Because my iniquities lie on top of my head, so they have also placed a heavy burden on me' (Psalm 38:4)' ...'Place my yoke upon you, and learn from me that I am gentle and humble of heart.' Oh, what a very pleasing weight that strengthens even more those who carry it! For the weight of earthly masters gradually destroys the strength of their servants, but the weight of Christ rather helps the one who bears it, because we do not bear grace; grace bears us. It is not for us to help grace, but rather grace has been given to aid us."

(excerpt from INCOMPLETE WORK ON MATTHEW, HOMILY, the Greek fathers).
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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.