How great indeed is our God?! He who created Heaven and Earth is almighty, merciful and loving. He loves us all with an endearing love, watches over the least of our brethren and seeks justice done for them. While our praise and thanksgiving does not nothing for Him, still we owe Him as much and much more for His great Blessings upon us.
Let us this day worship, praise and thank God our Heavenly for His enduring and patient love for us. Let show Him how much we love Him with all our heart, mind and soul by our obedience unto Him and how through this love we have for Him; we love and care for the least of our brethren seeking justice and equality for them. Let us also obey the laws of our nation and pay our taxes as required for the Lord our God has truly Blessed our nation with unity, peace, prosperity and progress.
Glory and praise be to God our Heavenly Father, Jesus His only Begotten Son our Lord, and to the Holy Spirit now and forever. Amen
First reading
Deuteronomy 10:12-22
The Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords
Moses said to the people:
‘Now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you? Only this: to fear the Lord your God, to follow all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul, to keep the commandments and laws of the Lord that for your good I lay down for you today.
‘To the Lord your God belong indeed heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth and all it contains; yet it was on your fathers that the Lord set his heart for love of them, and after them of all the nations chose their descendants, you yourselves, up to the present day. Circumcise your heart then and be obstinate no longer; for the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, triumphant and terrible, never partial, never to be bribed. It is he who sees justice done for the orphan and the widow, who loves the stranger and gives him food and clothing. Love the stranger then, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. It is the Lord your God you must fear and serve; you must cling to him; in his name take your oaths. He it is you must praise, he is your God: for you he has done these great and terrible things you have seen with your own eyes; and though your fathers numbered only seventy when they went down to Egypt, the Lord your God has made you as many as the stars of heaven.’
Gospel
Matthew 17:22-27
‘They will put the Son of Man to death’
One day when they were together in Galilee, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘The Son of Man is going to be handed over into the power of men; they will put him to death, and on the third day he will be raised to life again.’ And a great sadness came over them.
When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the half-shekel came to Peter and said, ‘Does your master not pay the half-shekel?’ ‘Oh yes’ he replied, and went into the house. But before he could speak, Jesus said, ‘Simon, what is your opinion? From whom do the kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their sons or from foreigners?’ And when he replied, ‘From foreigners’, Jesus said, ‘Well then, the sons are exempt. However, so as not to offend these people, go to the lake and cast a hook; take the first fish that bites, open its mouth and there you will find a shekel; take it and give it to them for me and for you.’
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