A MAN'S WORD BETRAYS HIS ACTIONS

SUNDAY 8 WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR C

A MAN'S WORDS FLOW OUT WHAT FILLS HIS HEART

MY DAILY OFFERING: O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I offer you my prayers, works, joys and sufferings of this day in union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world.

First Reading(s) Ecclesiasticus 27:5-8

The test of a man is in his conversation

In a shaken sieve the rubbish is left behind,

so too the defects of a man appear in his talk.

The kiln tests the work of the potter, the test of a man is in his conversation.

The orchard where a tree grows is judged on the quality of its fruit,

similarly a man’s words betray what he feels.

Do not praise a man before he has spoken, since this is the test of men. Lectures

Responsorial Psalm: It is good to give thanks to you O Lord

Second Reading 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 Death is swallowed up in victory

When this perishable nature has put on imperishability, and when this mortal nature has put on immortality, then the words of scripture will come true: Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? Now the sting of death is sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. So let us thank God for giving us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Never give in then, my dear brothers, never admit defeat; keep on working at the Lord’s work always, knowing that, in the Lord, you cannot be labouring in vain.

Gospel Luke 6:39-45 Can the blind lead the blind?

Jesus told a parable to his disciples: ‘Can one blind man guide another? Surely both will fall into a pit? The disciple is not superior to his teacher; the fully trained disciple will always be like his teacher. Why do you observe the splinter in your brother’s eye and never notice the plank in your own? How can you say to your brother, “Brother, let me take out the splinter that is in your eye,” when you cannot see the plank in your own?

Hypocrite! Take the plank out of your own eye first, and then you will see clearly enough to take out the splinter that is in your brother’s eye.

‘There is no sound tree that produces rotten fruit, nor again a rotten tree that produces sound fruit. For every tree can be told by its own fruit: people do not pick figs from thorns, nor gather grapes from brambles. A good man draws what is good from the store of goodness in his heart; a bad man draws what is bad from the store of badness. For a man’s words flow out of what fills his heart.’ Reflections

Your Birthday Saint: Saint Gregory of Narek, Abbot and Doctor. May he pray for you as you celebrate your birthday.

My Father in heaven keep guard over my actions. Guide my heart, give me a pure heart. Guide my spirit, let me never be possessed by evil spirits. Guide my mouth and my tongue, to speak edifying words, to sing your praises, to preach peace. Turn my eyes away from evil, from inordinate things around me. May I see the beauty in all your creatures and your creation. Remove deceit from me, make me sound in spirit and body that a may produce good fruits. Give me a good heart that I may reveal your goodness in all my ways.

Lord Jesus Christ I trust in you. Virgin Mary pray for me. Saint Joseph pray for me. God's Holy Angels pray for me. My Angel Guardian protect me. Guide and guard me. Pray for me.

Pray the Holy Rosary: Our Lady of Peace pray for us.

TRUST GOD, TRUST IN ME

Fifth Sunday of Easter 'I am going now to prepare a place for you' First Reading Acts 6:1-7 They elected seven men full of the Holy Spirit About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.’ The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid th...

THE BREAD FROM HEAVEN

Tuesday week 3 of Eastertide - ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ First Reading 7:51-8,1 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit' Stephen said to the people, the elders and the scribes: ‘You stubborn people, with your pagan hearts and pagan ears. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit, just as your ancestors used to do. Can you name a single prophet your ancestors never persecuted? In the past they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, and now you have become his betrayers, his murderers. You who had the Law brought to you by angels are the very ones who have not kept it.’ They were infuriated when they heard this, and ground their teeth at him. But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at God’s right hand. ‘I can see heaven thrown open’ he said ‘and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.’ At this all the members of the council shouted out and stopped their ears with their hands; then they ...

WHO ARE YOU?

I AM NOT THE CHRIST First Reading 1John 2:22-28 The anointing he gave you teaches you everything Beloved: Who is the liar? Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Whoever denies the Father and the Son, this is the antichrist. Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well. Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made us: eternal life. I write you these things about those who would deceive you. As for you, the anointing that you received from him remains in you, so that you do not need anyone to teach you. But his anointing teaches you about everything and is true and not false; just as it taught you, remain in him. And now, children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not be put to shame by him at his coming. Responsorial Psalm: ...

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