DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION
AUGUST 8, 2023
TUESDAY - MEMORIAL OF SAINT DOMINIC, PRIEST
FIRST READING
NUMBERS 12:1-13 OR (1 CORINTHIANS 2:1-10 / 2 TIMOTHY 4:1-5)
1 Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses on the pretext of the marriage he had contracted with a Cushite woman. 2 They complained, “Is it through Moses alone that the LORD speaks? Does he not speak through us also?” And the LORD heard this. 3 Now, Moses himself was by far the meekest man on the face of the earth. 4 So at once the LORD said to Moses and Aaron and Miriam, “Come out, you three, to the meeting tent.” And the three of them went. 5 Then the LORD came down in the column of cloud, and standing at the entrance of the tent, called Aaron and Miriam. 6 When both came forward, he said, “Now listen to the words of the LORD: Should there be a prophet among you, in visions will I reveal myself to him, in dreams will I speak to him; 7 not so with my servant Moses! Throughout my house he bears my trust: 8 face to face I speak to him; plainly and not in riddles. The presence of the LORD he beholds. 10 Why, then, did you not fear to speak against my servant Moses?” So angry was the LORD against them that when he departed, and the cloud withdrew from the tent, there was Miriam, a snow-white leper! When Aaron turned and saw her a leper, 11 he said to Moses, “Ah, my lord! Please do not charge us with the sin that we have foolishly committed! 12 Let her not thus be like the stillborn babe that comes forth from its mother's womb with its flesh half consumed.” 13 Then Moses cried to the LORD, “Please, not this! Pray, heal her!”
The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM
PSALMS 50(51):3-7, 12-13 OR (PSALMS 96:1-3, 7-8, 10 / PSALMS 37:3-6, 30-31)
Response: Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy steadfast love;
according to thy abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin!
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is ever before me.
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,
and done that which is evil in thy sight.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
So that thou art justified in thy sentence
and blameless in thy judgment.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence,
and take not thy holy Spirit from me.
R. Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.
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GOSPEL
It is I - have no fear
MATTHEW 14:22-36 OR (MATTHEW 15:1-2, 10-14 / LUKE 9:57-62 / MATTHEW 5:13-16)
22 Then he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was many furlongs distant from the land, beaten by the waves; for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. 27 But immediately he spoke to them, saying, "Take heart, it is I; have no fear." 28 And Peter answered him, "Lord, if it is you, bid me come to you on the water." 29 He said, "Come." So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus; 30 but when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, "Lord, save me." 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, "O man of little faith, why did you doubt?" 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." 34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent round to all that region and brought to him all that were sick, 36 and besought him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment; and as many as touched it were made well.
The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION
DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS
Welcoming the Lord Jesus with expectant faith and humility, by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"While human praise does not tempt the Lord, people are often ruffled and nearly entranced by human praise and honors in the church. Peter was afraid on the sea, terrified by the great force of the storm. Indeed, who does not fear that voice: 'Those who say you are happy place you in error and disturb the path of your feet' (Isaiah 3:12 Vulgate translation)? And since the soul struggles against the desire for human praise, it is good for it to turn to prayer and petition amid such danger, lest one who is charmed by praise be overcome by criticism and reproach. Let Peter, about to sink in the waves, cry out and say, 'Lord, save me!' The Lord reached out his hand. He chided Peter, saying, 'O man of little faith, why did you doubt?' - that is, why did you not, gazing straight at the Lord as you approached, pride yourself only in him? Nevertheless he snatched Peter from the waves and did not allow him who was declaring his weakness and asking the Lord for help to perish."
(excerpt from SERMON 75:10)
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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.