So long as we do not take the Lord our God for granted, His mercy and His love, and if we are genuinely repentant of our sins, then we know that His mercy and love for us are unconditional.
He will willingly embrace us, when we turn our hearts back to Him because He loves us dearly. We want to remain in an intimate relationship with Him by listening to His word and will for us. Help us, loving Father, to remain steadfast in You. Amen.
Saint Laurence of Brindisi, Priest, Doctor pray for us…
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First reading
Micah 7:14-15,18-20 ·
Have pity on us one more time
With shepherd’s crook, O Lord, lead your people to pasture,
the flock that is your heritage,
living confined in a forest
with meadow land all around.
Let them pasture in Bashan and Gilead
as in the days of old.
As in the days when you came out of Egypt
grant us to see wonders.
What god can compare with you: taking fault away,
pardoning crime,
not cherishing anger for ever
but delighting in showing mercy?
Once more have pity on us,
tread down our faults,
to the bottom of the sea
throw all our sins.
Grant Jacob your faithfulness,
and Abraham your mercy,
as you swore to our fathers
from the days of long ago.
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Gospel
Matthew 12:46-50
My mother and my brothers are anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven
Jesus was speaking to the crowds when his mother and his brothers appeared; they were standing outside and were anxious to have a word with him. But to the man who told him this Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?’ And stretching out his hand towards his disciples he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.’
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