The Lord loves us so deeply that He desires for us not to fail. To succeed and truly experience His love, we must listen to His word and follow it. He commands us to love our brethren as He loves us, demonstrating a love that goes to great lengths.
To fully love and live in this love, we need a humble heart. A heart that loves mercy and is willing to do anything for the sake of the good He wills for our brethren. We are called to share His love with everyone, especially those who are the least: the poor, the elderly, the widow, and the challenged. Living in Him means seeing them through His eyes. For then we build upon the rock! Our Lord Jesus Christ Amen.
Saint John Damascene, Priest, Doctor pray for us…
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First reading
Isaiah 26:1-6 ·
Open the gates; let the upright nation come in
That day, this song will be sung in the land of Judah:
We have a strong city;
to guard us he has set
wall and rampart about us.
Open the gates! Let the upright nation come in,
she, the faithful one
whose mind is steadfast, who keeps the peace,
because she trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord for ever,
for the Lord is the everlasting Rock;
he has brought low those who lived high up
in the steep citadel;
he brings it down, brings it down to the ground,
flings it down in the dust:
the feet of the lowly, the footsteps of the poor
trample on it.
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Gospel
Matthew 7:21,24-27
The wise man built his house on a rock
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘It is not those who say to me, “Lord, Lord,” who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven. Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. But everyone who listens to these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and struck that house, and it fell; and what a fall it had!’
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