RELIGION AND ART

“God, be merciful to me, a sinner” First Reading Hosea 6:1-6  'What I want is love, not sacrifice and holocausts' Come, let us return to the Lord, it is he who has rent, but he will heal us; he has struck us, but he will bind our wounds. He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, to live in his presence. Let us know, let us strive to know the Lord; as certain as the dawn is his coming, and his judgment shines forth like the light of day! He will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth.  What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your piety is like a morning cloud, like the dew that early passes away. For this reason I smote them through the prophets, I slew them by the words of my mouth; for it is love that I desire, not sacrifice, and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. Responsorial Psalm: 50 It is mercy I desire, and not sacrifice. Gospel   Luke 18:9-14 ' The tax collec...

'Let him who is wise understand these things' First  Reading Hosea 14:2-10  A call to conversion and promise of safety Thus says the Lord: Return, o Israel, to the Lord, your God; you have collapsed through your guilt. Take with you words, and return to the Lord. Say to him, Forgive all iniquity, and receive what is good, that we may render as offerings the bullocks from our stalls. Assyria will not save us, nor shall we have horses to mount. We shall say no more, ‘Our god’, to the work of our hands; for in you the orphan finds compassion». I will heal their defection, says the Lord, «I will love them freely; for my wrath is turned away from them. I will be like the dew for Israel: he shall blossom like the lily; he shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar, and put forth his shoots. His splendor shall be like the olive tree and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar. Again they shall dwell in his shade and raise grain; they shall blossom like the vine, and his fame shall be...

Week 4 of  Lent   “ Sincerity is no more, it has vanished from their mouths.” First Reading Jeremiah 7:23-28  Here is the nation that will not listen to the voice of the Lord its God These were my orders: Listen to my voice, then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Follow right to the end the way that I mark out for you, and you will prosper. But they did not listen, they did not pay attention; they followed the dictates of their own evil hearts, refused to face me, and turned their backs on me. From the day your ancestors came out of the land of Egypt until today, day after day I have persistently sent you all my servants the prophets. But they have not listened to me, have not paid attention; they have grown stubborn and behaved worse than their ancestors. You may say all these words to them: they will not listen to you; you may call them: they will not answer. So tell them this, “Here is the nation that will not listen to the voice of the Lord its God nor t...

MONDAY WEEK 2 OF LENT ‘Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate.' First Reading Daniel 9:4-10  Yours is the integrity, Lord; ours the shame O Lord, God great and to be feared, you keep the covenant and have kindness for those who love you and keep your commandments: we have sinned, we have done wrong, we have acted wickedly, we have betrayed your commandments and your ordinances and turned away from them. We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, and to all the people of the land. Integrity, Lord, is yours; ours the look of shame we wear today, we, the people of Judah, the citizens of Jerusalem, the whole of Israel, near and far away, in every country to which you have dispersed us because of the treason we have committed against you. To us, Lord, the look of shame belongs, to our kings, our princes, our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God mercy and pardon belong, beca...

2nd Sunday of Lent ‘This is my Son, the Beloved; he enjoys my favour. Listen to him.’  First Reading Genesis 12:1-4  All the tribes of the earth shall bless themselves by you The Lord said to Abram, ‘Leave your country, your family and your father’s house, for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name so famous that it will be used as a blessing.  ‘I will bless those who bless you:  I will curse those who slight you.  All the tribes of the earth  shall bless themselves by you.’ So Abram went as the Lord told him. Responsorial Psalm:  May your love be upon us, O Lord, as we place all our hope in you. Second Reading 2 Timothy 1:8-10  God calls and enlightens us With me, bear the hardships for the sake of the Good News, relying on the power of God who has saved us and called us to be holy – not because of anything we ourselves have done but for his own purpose and by his own grace. This grace h...

'Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you' First Reading Deuteronomy 26:16-19  You will be a people consecrated to the Lord Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord your God today commands you to observe these laws and customs; you must keep and observe them with all your heart and with all your soul.  ‘You have today made this declaration about the Lord: that he will be your God, but only if you follow his ways, keep his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and listen to his voice. And the Lord has today made this declaration about you: that you will be his very own people as he promised you, but only if you keep all his commandments; then for praise and renown and honour he will set you high above all the nations he has made, and you will be a people consecrated to the Lord, as he promised.’ Responsorial Psalm:  They are happy who follow God’s law! Gospel  Matthew 5:43-48  Pray for those who persecute you Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You ha...