FLM TOBY FANANTENANA 67 Ha
Communion’s prayer, Sunday IV after Trinity
Week from 10-15 July 2017
« The true godliness »
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Introduction: Because God is love (1 Jn.4: 16) and truth (Jn.14: 6), He delights in the charity made with a sincere heart, a heart that cares and is concerned for those suffering from poverty and difficult situations in life and day-to-day living. Compassion is a characteristic of Jesus, so He denied Himself by taking human form, mingled with men and shared their living condition in order to save them. A story narrated by the Gospels highlights this in a meaningful way as it is written: « When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he has compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, ‘this is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowd away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food’. Jesus replied, ‘they do not need to go away. You give them something to eat » Mt.14: 14-16. Likewise, it is written: « Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd » Mt.9-35-36. The Lord’s gaze is full of compassion, and his mercy expresses his love. To be compassionate towards others is not a loss; it is a gain. Indeed the law set by God says: « For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it » Mt 16: 25. « Go, and do likewise »Lk.10: 37.
Monday 10: True godliness is love.
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen…? Is it not to share your food with the hungry” Is 58:6-7a.
Reading 1: Mt 25:34-40; Reading 2: Is 58:6-12; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Is 58:6-7. Other references:
– “Jesus replied: ‘love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself” Mt 22: 37-39.
– “For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen” 1 Jn 4:20b.
Tuesday 11: True godliness is not hypocritical.
“A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical” Rom 2:28.
Reading 1: Mt 6:1-4; Reading 2: Rom 2:17-29; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Rom 2:28-29. Other references:
– “Be careful,’ Jesus said to them. ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” Mt 16:6.
– “Then Peter said, ‘Ananias how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.’ When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And a great fear seized all who heard what had happened” Acts 5:3-5.
Wednesday 12: True godliness protects against selfishness.
“Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things” Lk 16:25a.
Reading 1: Pr 19:15-17; Reading 2: Lk 16:19-25; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Lk 16:25. Other references:
– “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor” Ex 20: 17
– “Ahab said to Naboth, ‘Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace” 1 Kg 21:2a
Thursday 13: True godliness is shown through actions.
“Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth” 1 Jn 3: 18.
Reading 1: Jc 2:14-20; Reading 2: 1 Jn 3:14-18; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: 1 Jn 3: 17-18. Other references:
– “I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her” Mt 26:13.
– “But she, out of her poverty, put in everything – all she had to live on” Mk 12:44b.
Friday 14: True godliness cares for the needy.
“Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you” Mt 5:42.
Reading 1: Deut.15:7-11; Reading 2: Mt 5:38-42; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Mt 5:42. Other references:
– “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me” Mt 25:35-36.
– “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same” Lk 3:11.
Saturday 15: True godliness is a source of blessing.
“I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward” Mt 10:42.
Reading 1: 2 Cor 9:10-14; Reading 2: Mt 10:39-42; Preaching 1 (choice); Preaching 2: Mt 10:42. Other references:
– “He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward him for what he has done” Pr 19:17.
– “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” Mt 5:7.
– “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” 2 Cor 9:6.
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