Computer Cud    Vatican II asks us to read the Bible every day,   'to have a burning love'   for the Word of God      Resolution

This plan follows the Sunday liturgy:  reading + psalm + reading + gospel       From  www.simplebible.info         Previous R-R-P 

O Holy Spirit, please guide me as I read these passages for today.                     
May these passages give me hope, strength, wisdom, compassion, courage and peace for my daily life     Chinese text

Please feel free to add  insights and prayers in the comment box below. 

 Reading - Reflection - Prayer   May 9, 2013 
With readers' comments, below  

Reading:  Isaiah 56

Foreigners who love and serve the Lord
- these I will bring to my holy mountain, says the Lord.

I will make them joyful in my house of prayer,
for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the nations.

Reflection: 
Every true "house of prayer" (...every church, every synagogue, every mosque...)
should welcome "all the nations" (...no one excluded...)
- just as Jesus never once turned away anyone who came to him

Prayer: Lord, please help all "houses of prayer" never to turn anyone away.
(in normal circumstances...not speaking here of a drunken or dangerous person...)

 

Reading:  Psalm 73

Sometimes when I see how bad people prosper,
I wonder what's the use in trying to be good?

But then I realize that everyone someday has to pay the bill
for all the evil they have bought in the world.

Sometimes when I see our world  and religion in ruins,
I wonder why has God abandoned us?

Then I remember that God has promised to break the power
of the wicked. He has promised to give strength to good people.

So may all people honor the Lord our God and judge.
May the Lord give us his loving help.

Reflection: 
All evil regimes eventually fall, because within them they have the seeds of destruction in the form of corruption, lies, hatred, pride etc

Prayer:
Lord, help us to be good people, especially in the face of evil

 
Reading:  Acts 20

Paul's journey took him to Meletus where he met the elders of the church from Ephesus. 
He said to them

"You know what my way of life has been from the first day I arrived among you. I have served the Lord in all humility, facing all the sorrows and trials that came to me through the plots of the Jews

I have not hesitated to do anything that would be helpful to you.
I have preached to you and instructed you, both in public and in your homes, urging everyone to believe in our Lord Jesus"

Reflection:
May parents, teachers, pastors, professional people, politicians....be able to say with Paul
"I have not hesitated to do anything that would be helpful to you"

Prayer: 
Jesus, please help me be a bit more like Saint Paul in my service of others

 
Reading:  Matthew 26

A few days before the Passover festival,
the religious leaders kept looking for a way to arrest Jesus and have him put to death

Jesus knew what was happening. He told his disciples
"In a few days I will be crucified".

During these days Jesus had a meal at the home of Simon the leper.
At the meal, a woman put expensive burial oil on Jesus' head.
The woman understood  that Jesus was soon to die.

One of Jesus' 12 apostles, Judas Iscariot, went to the religious leaders
and offered to help them arrest Jesus at a convenient time.

The leaders paid Judas 30 pieces of silver.
Judas looked for an opportunity to arrange the arrest.

Reflection: 
What sort of warped mind could do what Judas did?
What sort of warped mind could assassinate Gandhi or Romero etc?
...only a mind compromised by evil

Prayer: Jesus, please protect us from the influence of evil 

Comments welcome here