Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Levi completely detaches from his possessions and misdemeanors to follow Jesus

  
February 13, 2016

Saturday after Ash Wednesday

Reading 1

9bThus says the LORD: If you remove from your midst oppression, false accusation and malicious speech; 10If you bestow your bread on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted; Then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday; 11Then the LORD will guide you always and give you plenty even on the parched land. He will renew your strength, and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring whose water never fails.

12The ancient ruins shall be rebuilt for your sake, and the foundations from ages past you shall raise up; “Repairer of the breach,” they shall call you, “Restorer of ruined homesteads.”

13If you hold back your foot on the sabbath from following your own pursuits on my holy day; If you call the sabbath a delight, and the LORD’s holy day honorable;
If you honor it by not following your ways, seeking your own interests, or speaking with malice.

14Then you shall delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will nourish you with the heritage of Jacob, your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.[1]

Responsorial Psalm 

R. (11ab) Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

1Incline your ear, O LORD; answer me, for I am afflicted and poor. 2Keep my life, for I am devoted to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God.

R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

3Have mercy on me, O Lord, for to you I call all the day. 4Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

5For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in kindness to all who call upon you. 6Hearken, O LORD, to my prayer and attend to the sound of my pleading.

R. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Verse Before The Gospel Ezekiel 33:11

I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked man, says the Lord,
but rather in his conversion, that he may live.

Gospel

27Jesus saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” 28And leaving everything behind, he got up and followed Him.[2]

29Then Levi gave a great banquet for Him in his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were at table with them.

30The Pharisees and their scribes complained to His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

31Jesus said to them in reply, “Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. 32I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”




Note on Readings:

[1] Isaiah 9:2-14 - Merely external worship does not avail with God; it must be joined to internal sincerity.

[2] Luke 5:28 - Leaving everything behind: see the note on Luke 5:11.

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Dear Humanity,

I personally encourage everyone to emulate JESUS' values on LOVE, FAITH, HOPE
and CHARITY, as the humanity has been a failure; which resulted to the more than two (2) years of pandemic and its after-effects on economy, not only here in the Philippines but worldwide.

And the saddest part of it, is that, it affected the POOREST of the POOR to even extremely be more poorer, in exchange of the affluent to be more richer.

Thank you and may GOD bless you and the whole family to have an enjoyed life's journey at home, Church, schools/universities, corporate commitments, public and places of interest.