REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Who can put Mary's high honour into words? She is both mother and virgin. I am overwhelmed by the wonder of this miracle. Of course no one could be prevented from living in the house he had built for himself, yet who would invite mockery by asking his own servant to become his mother? Behold then the joy of the whole universe. Let the union of God and man in the Son of the Virgin Mary fill us with awe and adoration.
-- Saint Cyril of Alexandria
READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Romans 6:19-23
19 (I use everyday language because of the weakness of your natural selves.) At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes.
20 When you were the slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.
21 What did you gain from doing the things that you are now ashamed of The result of those things is death!
22 But now you have been set free from sin and are the slaves of God. Your gain is a life fully dedicated to him, and the result is eternal life.
23 For sin pays its wage—death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.
Psalms: Psalm 1:1-4, 6
(True Happiness)
1 Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God.
2 Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord, and they study it day and night.
3 They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up.
They succeed in everything they do.
4 But evil people are not like this at all; they are like straw that the wind blows away.
6 The righteous are guided and protected by the Lord, but the evil are on the way to their doom.
Gospel: Luke 12:49-53
(Jesus the Cause of Division)
49 “I came to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already kindled!
50 I have a baptism to receive, and how distressed I am until it is over!
51 Do you suppose that I came to bring peace to the world? No, not peace, but division.
52 From now on a family of five will be divided, three against two and two against three.
53 Fathers will be against their sons, and sons against their fathers; mothers will be against their daughters, and daughters against their mothers; mothers-in-law will be against their daughters-in-law, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law.”
Who can put Mary's high honour into words? She is both mother and virgin. I am overwhelmed by the wonder of this miracle. Of course no one could be prevented from living in the house he had built for himself, yet who would invite mockery by asking his own servant to become his mother? Behold then the joy of the whole universe. Let the union of God and man in the Son of the Virgin Mary fill us with awe and adoration.
-- Saint Cyril of Alexandria
READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Romans 6:19-23
19 (I use everyday language because of the weakness of your natural selves.) At one time you surrendered yourselves entirely as slaves to impurity and wickedness for wicked purposes. In the same way you must now surrender yourselves entirely as slaves of righteousness for holy purposes.
20 When you were the slaves of sin, you were free from righteousness.
21 What did you gain from doing the things that you are now ashamed of The result of those things is death!
22 But now you have been set free from sin and are the slaves of God. Your gain is a life fully dedicated to him, and the result is eternal life.
23 For sin pays its wage—death; but God's free gift is eternal life in union with Christ Jesus our Lord.
Psalms: Psalm 1:1-4, 6
(True Happiness)
1 Happy are those who reject the advice of evil people, who do not follow the example of sinners or join those who have no use for God.
2 Instead, they find joy in obeying the Law of the Lord, and they study it day and night.
3 They are like trees that grow beside a stream, that bear fruit at the right time, and whose leaves do not dry up.
They succeed in everything they do.
4 But evil people are not like this at all; they are like straw that the wind blows away.
6 The righteous are guided and protected by the Lord, but the evil are on the way to their doom.
Gospel: Luke 12:49-53
(Jesus the Cause of Division)
49 “I came to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already kindled!
50 I have a baptism to receive, and how distressed I am until it is over!
51 Do you suppose that I came to bring peace to the world? No, not peace, but division.
52 From now on a family of five will be divided, three against two and two against three.
53 Fathers will be against their sons, and sons against their fathers; mothers will be against their daughters, and daughters against their mothers; mothers-in-law will be against their daughters-in-law, and daughters-in-law against their mothers-in-law.”
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