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 Bible Blogs 

O Holy Spirit, may these passages give us hope, wisdom, compassion,
courage and peace for our daily life
             Chinese text

 Bible Blog   November 27, 2013     Comments welcome here

  Reading:  Leviticus 21-23

God's words through Moses:
"Regard the priests as holy, for they offer holy sacrifice.

Keep the sacred festivals:
- every Sabbath

- the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread
- the First Sheaf
- the Feast of Weeks
- the first day of the seventh month
- the Day of Atonement
- the Feast of Tabernacles."

Reflection:
One day a week and six special days - sacred for the Jewish people.
Every Sunday and some special days like Jan 1, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Pentecost, Ascension, Assumption, All Saints' Day, All Soul's Day - sacred for Catholic Christians

Prayer: Dear God, thank you for special worship days and seasons

 

Reading: Psalm 107

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His great love is without end.

Let them say this, those the Lord has helped,
people from east and west, north and south.

Some people wandered in the desert
lost and unable to find their way to safety.

In their hunger and thirst they cried to the Lord for help.
He rescued them and showed them the way to safety.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
for he fills the hungry with good things.

Some people were prisoners in misery and chains,
living in darkness and gloom.

In their distress they cried to the Lord for help.
He rescued them and restored their freedom.

Let them thank the Lord for his goodness,
for he shatters the iron bars of prisons.

Some people were sick on account of their sins,
unable to eat,  and close to death.

They cried to the Lord in their need.
He healed them and saved them from the grave.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
for the wonders he does for us.

Some people sailed to the sea in ships
and were caught in terrifying storms.

They cried to the Lord in their need
and he calmed the sea and wind.

Let them thank the Lord for his love,
for the wonders he does for us.

Whoever is wise should meditate on these things
and reflect on the love of the Lord.

Reflection: 
Each of us can remember times when we were rescued/saved from physical/moral danger.
I remember once being saved by a life-saver when I was caught in a rip while swimming.
I remember once being protected from a dangerous car crash...by the action of another driver who saw I was making a big mistake while driving. 
Times of rescue from moral danger also come to mind

Prayer:  Thank you Lord, for your rescuing love

 

Reading:  1 Thessalonians 5

Respect your Christian leaders. Be at peace among yourselves. Warn idlers, give courage to people who are struggling, care for the weak,
and be patient with everyone. Never try to take revenge. Focus on what is best for each other and for the community. For all things give thanks to God, because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus.


Reflection:
It sounds strange to give thanks for sad and bad things, but it's a biblical tradition ....c.f. Job: "The Lord gave and the Lord took away. Blessed be the name of the Lord".  Such prayer not easy when you have a broken heart, but many Christians have found that praising/thanking prayer at a time of sadness can be very powerful.  See reviews of this famous book Prison to Praise
(Notice that the second review quotes the words above
For all things give thanks to God)

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for everything,
even for unhappy things

 

Reading:  Luke 14

One Sabbath day Jesus went for a meal

to the house of a religious leader.

In the house Jesus saw a man with dropsy.
Jesus asked the leaders present there "Is it against the Law to cure a man on the Sabbath?"
But they remained silent.
Jesus took the man, healed him, and sent him away. Then Jesus said to the leaders

"Which of you here, if his son falls into a well, will not pull him out on a Sabbath day?"
Again the leaders remained silent
 

Reflection: 
The religious leaders had distorted a good law "keep the Sabbath" (as in the first of today's readings).  Jesus teaches us that distortions of good laws can be ignored

Prayer: Jesus, help me understand that "the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath" ...and help me detect distortions