REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Love shows us what we have to do. It takes us out of ourselves, makes us emulate the virtues of our Lord, and withdraws us from this world into Him. The reason why so many Christians get no farther than the threshold of virtue is that they will not break the chains that hold them back and will not give themselves up confidently to our Lord's guidance. They feel that if they go to Communion they will be unable to resist the love of Jesus and will be forced to give themselves in return. So they content themselves with books, with words, and do not dare turn to the Master Himself. Oh, my brothers, I pray you to take Jesus Christ Himself for your Teacher! Receive Him within you and let Him direct all your actions.
-- St. Peter Eymard
READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Numbers 21:4-9
The Snake Made of Bronze/ Moses Makes a Bronze Snake
4 The Israelites left Mount Hor by the road that leads to the Gulf of Aqaba, in order to go around the territory of Edom. But on the way the people lost their patience
5 and spoke against God and Moses. They complained, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We can't stand any more of this miserable food!”
6 Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many Israelites were bitten and died.
Love shows us what we have to do. It takes us out of ourselves, makes us emulate the virtues of our Lord, and withdraws us from this world into Him. The reason why so many Christians get no farther than the threshold of virtue is that they will not break the chains that hold them back and will not give themselves up confidently to our Lord's guidance. They feel that if they go to Communion they will be unable to resist the love of Jesus and will be forced to give themselves in return. So they content themselves with books, with words, and do not dare turn to the Master Himself. Oh, my brothers, I pray you to take Jesus Christ Himself for your Teacher! Receive Him within you and let Him direct all your actions.
-- St. Peter Eymard
READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Numbers 21:4-9
The Snake Made of Bronze/ Moses Makes a Bronze Snake
4 The Israelites left Mount Hor by the road that leads to the Gulf of Aqaba, in order to go around the territory of Edom. But on the way the people lost their patience
5 and spoke against God and Moses. They complained, “Why did you bring us out of Egypt to die in this desert, where there is no food or water? We can't stand any more of this miserable food!”
6 Then the Lord sent poisonous snakes among the people, and many Israelites were bitten and died.
7 The people came to Moses and said, “We sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Now pray to the Lord to take these snakes away.” So Moses prayed for the people.
8 Then the Lord told Moses to make a metal snake and put it on a pole, so that anyone who was bitten could look at it and be healed.
9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten would look at the bronze snake and be healed.
Psalms: Psalm 78:1-2, 34-38
What God Has Done for His People
1 Listen, my people, to my teaching, and pay attention to what I say.
2 I am going to use wise sayings and explain mysteries from the past,
34 Whenever he killed some of them, the rest would turn to him; they would repent and pray earnestly to him.
35 They remembered that God was their protector, that the Almighty came to their aid.
36 But their words were all lies; nothing they said was sincere.
37 They were not loyal to him; they were not faithful to their covenant with him.
38 But God was merciful to his people. He forgave their sin and did not destroy them. Many times he held back his anger and restrained his fury.
Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11
6 He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God.
7 Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness.
8 He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death— his death on the cross.
9 For this reason God raised him to the highest place above and gave him the name that is greater than any other name.
10 And so, in honor of the name of Jesus all beings in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will fall on their knees,
11 and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Gospel: John 3:13-17
13 And no one has ever gone up to heaven except the Son of Man, who came down from heaven.”
14 As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior.
8 Then the Lord told Moses to make a metal snake and put it on a pole, so that anyone who was bitten could look at it and be healed.
9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it on a pole. Anyone who had been bitten would look at the bronze snake and be healed.
Psalms: Psalm 78:1-2, 34-38
What God Has Done for His People
1 Listen, my people, to my teaching, and pay attention to what I say.
2 I am going to use wise sayings and explain mysteries from the past,
34 Whenever he killed some of them, the rest would turn to him; they would repent and pray earnestly to him.
35 They remembered that God was their protector, that the Almighty came to their aid.
36 But their words were all lies; nothing they said was sincere.
37 They were not loyal to him; they were not faithful to their covenant with him.
38 But God was merciful to his people. He forgave their sin and did not destroy them. Many times he held back his anger and restrained his fury.
Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11
6 He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to remain equal with God.
7 Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had, and took the nature of a servant. He became like a human being and appeared in human likeness.
8 He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death— his death on the cross.
9 For this reason God raised him to the highest place above and gave him the name that is greater than any other name.
10 And so, in honor of the name of Jesus all beings in heaven, on earth, and in the world below will fall on their knees,
11 and all will openly proclaim that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Gospel: John 3:13-17
13 And no one has ever gone up to heaven except the Son of Man, who came down from heaven.”
14 As Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same way the Son of Man must be lifted up,
15 so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
16 For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior.
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