RELIGION AND ART

REDEEM US, O LORD, BECAUSE OF YOUR LOVE.   Mark 1:40-45 © A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.   Liturgical Readings for Thursday

Psalm 39(40):2,5,7-10 ©  Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will. I waited, I waited for the Lord and he stooped down to me; he heard my cry. Happy the man who has placed his trust in the Lord and has not gone over to the rebels who follow false gods. ou do not ask for sacrifice and offerings, but an open ear. You do not ask for holocaust and victim.  Instead, here am I. In the scroll of the book it stands written that I should do your will. My God, I delight in your law in the depth of my heart. Your justice I have proclaimed in the great assembly. My lips I have not sealed; you know it, O Lord.  Liturgical Readings of the day

1 Samuel 2:1,4-8 © My heart exults in the Lord. I find my strength in my God; My heart exults in the Lord. I find my strength in my God; my mouth laughs at my enemies as I rejoice in your saving help. The bows of the mighty are broken, PRAY HOLY ROSARY but the weak are clothed with strength. Those with plenty must labour for bread, but the hungry need work no more. The childless wife has children now  but the fruitful wife bears no more. It is the Lord who gives life and death, he brings men to the grave and back; it is the Lord who gives poverty and riches. He brings men low and raises them on high. He lifts up the lowly from the dust, from the dung   heap he raises the poor to set him in the company of princes to give him a glorious throne. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, on them he has set the world. My mouth laughs at my enemies as I rejoice in your saving help.................