RELIGION AND ART

Next morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Uriah. In the letter he wrote, 'Station Uriah in the thick of the fight and then fall back behind him so that he may be struck down and die'. Joab, then besieging the town, posted Uriah in a place where he knew there were fierce fighters.  The men of the town sallied out and engaged Joab; the army suffered casualties, including some of David's bodyguard; and Uriah the Hittite was killed too. Mass Readings Lectures du jour Psalm 51 Saints for today Be merciful to me Lord, have mercy on me Father. May your mercy never depart from me. Thank you for your love and mercy.

After Nathan had spoken to David, the King went in and, seated before the Lord, said: Who am I, Lord, and what is my House, that you have led me as far as this? Yet in your sight, Lord, this is still not far enough, and you make your promises to extend to the House of your servant for a far-distant future.  You have constituted your people Israel to be your own people for ever; and you, the Lord, have become their God.  Now, Lord always keep the promise you have made your servant and his House, and do as you have said.  Your name will be exalted for ever and men will say: "the Lord of hosts is God over Israel." The House of your servant David will be made secure in your presence, since you yourself, the Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, "I will build you a House', hence your servant has ventured to offer this prayer to you. Yes, Lord, you are God indeed, your words are true and you have made this fair promise to y...

Again he began to teach by the lakeside, but such a huge crowd gathered round him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there.  The people were all along the shore, at the water's edge. He taught them many things in parables, and in the course of his teaching he said to them, 'Listen!, Imagine a sower going our to sow.  Now it happened that, as he sowed, some of the seed fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some seed fell on rocky ground where it found little soil and sprang up straightaway, because there was no depth of earth; and when the sun came up it was scorched, not having any roots, it withered away. Some seed fell into thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it,  and it produced no crop. And some seeds fell into right soil and,  growing tall and strong, produced crop; and yielded thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold.' And he said, 'Listen, anyone who has ears to hear!'  Mass Readings Lectu...

 His mother and brothers now arrived and, standing outside, sent in a message asking for him.  A crowd was sitting round him at the time the message was passed to him, 'Your mothers and brothers and sisters are outside asking for you'.  He replied, 'Who are my mother and my brothers?' And looking round at those sitting in a circle about him, he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers.  Anyone who does the will of God, that person is my brother and sister and mother.' Mass Readings Lectures du jour Saint Thomas A. Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ our brother.  His coming makes us members of God family.  His coming set us free from bondage. Thank you loving Father for making me your child. How lovely is your dwelling place

Mark 3:22-30 The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem were saying, 'Beelzebul is in him' and, 'It is through prince of devils that he casts devil out.' So Jesus called them to him and spoke to them in parables, 'How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom last. And if a household is divided against itself, that household is divided against itself, that household can never stand. Now if Satan has rebelled against himself and is divided, he cannot stand either - it is the end of him. But no one can make his way into a strong man's house and burgle his property unless he has tied up the strong man first. Only then can he burgle his house. 'I tell you solemnly, all men's sins will be forgiven, and all their blasphemies; but let anyone blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and he will never have forgiveness: he is guilty of an eternal sin.' This was because they were saying, an unclean spirit is in h...

Hearing that John had been arrested Jesus went back to Galilee, and leaving Nazareth he went settled in Capernaum, a lakeside town on the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali.  In this way the prophecy of Isaiah was to be fulfilled.  'Land of Zebulun! Land of Naphtali! Way of the sea on the far side of Jordan, Galilee of the nations! The people that lived in darkness has seen a great light; on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death a light has dawned.' Mass Reading 3rd Sunday Ordinary Time From that moment Jesus began his preaching with the message, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is close at hand'...... 'Follow me and I will make you fishers of men. 'And they left their nets at once and followed him.  lectures du jour Lord Jesus Christ my Lord and Master, each day you are calling me to follow.  I am like the deaf who cannot hear your voice.  Open my ear that I may hear your calling that I may follow you. Give me the courage to lay do...

Paul said to the people, 'I am a Jew,' 'and was, born at Tarsus in Cilicia. I was brought up here in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was taught the exact observance of the Law of our ancestors.In fact, I was as full of duty towards God an you are today........ "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" I answered: Who are you, Lord? and he said to me, "I am Jesus of Nazarene, and you are persecuting me". Father, bend me heart according to your will. Lord Jesus how often have I persecuted you when I refused to do what I ought to do to lift up my fellow being. Help Lord Jesus to see you in every creatures I meet today. Mass Readings Lectures du jour My Praise