Chapter 1: What is the significance of the daily Mass readings?
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A reading from the Book of the Prophet Joel Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting and weeping and with mourning, and tear your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy and repents of evil.
Who knows whether he will not turn and repent and leave a blessing behind him, a cereal offering and a drink offering for the Lord your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion. Sanctify a fast. Call a solemn assembly. Gather the people. Sanctify the congregation. Assemble the elders. Gather the children, even nursing infants.
Chapter 2: What message does the Book of the Prophet Joel convey?
Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber. Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep and say, Spare your people, O Lord, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, Where is their God? Then the Lord became jealous for his land, and had pity on his people. Psalm 51.
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your merciful love. According to your abundant mercy, blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sins. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned, and done that which is evil in your sight.
Create a clean heart in me, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth your praise. A reading from the second letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians.
So we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Working together with him then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain.
For he says, at the acceptable time I have listened to you and helped you on the day of salvation. Behold, now is the acceptable time. Behold, now is the day of salvation. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew. Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
And when you fast, do not look dismal like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men, but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
What is the Lord saying to you today through these scriptures? What can you now say to the Lord in response to his word? What conversion of mind, heart, and life is the Lord asking of you today? Spend a few moments in silence, resting in the presence of the Lord. Nourished by God's Word, what is one specific way that you can go forth and make your life a gift for others?
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