I cry out to you, my God, because you answered me; incline your ear and listen to me. Guard me like the pupil of your eye, shelter me in the shadow of your wings

In Jesus Christ, God freed us from the slavery of sin and made us new creatures. Let us allow ourselves to be led by the Spirit of the Lord, who dwells within us and gives us the sense of justice and discernment necessary to always do his will in the midst of life's situations.

First Reading: Romans 7:18-25

Reading of Saint Paul's letter to the Romans – Brothers, 18I am aware that good does not dwell in me, that is, in my flesh. Because I have the capacity to want good, but not to achieve it. 19Indeed, I do not do the good that I want, but I do the evil that I do not want. 20Now if I do what I do not want to do, then it is no longer I who am acting, but sin that dwells within me. 21Therefore I discover this law within me: when I want to do good, evil appears before me. 22As an inward man, I make all my satisfaction in the law of God; 23but I feel another law in my members, which fights against the law of my reason and imprisons me in the law of sin, this law that is in my members. 24Unhappy that I am! Who will free me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. - Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm: 118(119)

Teach me to do your will!

1. Give me common sense, righteousness, wisdom, / for I have faith in your holy commandments! – R.

2. Because you are good and do only good, / teach me to do your will! – R.

3. Your love be a comfort to me, / as you promised your servant. – R.

4. Let your love come to me and I will live, / because I delight in your law! – R.

4. I will never forget your precepts, / through them you preserve my life. – R.

5. Come and save me, O Lord, I belong to you! / Because I have always sought your will. – R.

Gospel: Luke 12,54-59

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

I thank you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, / for you revealed the mysteries of your Kingdom to the little ones, / hiding them from the doctors! (Mt 11,25) – R.

Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Luke – At that time, 54Jesus said to the crowds: “When you see a cloud coming from the west, you immediately say that rain is coming. And so it happens. 55When you feel the south wind blowing, you immediately say that it will be hot. And so it happens. 56Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How come you don't know how to interpret the present tense? 57Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right? 58When you go with your adversary to appear before the magistrate, try to resolve the matter with him while you are on your way. Otherwise he will take you to the judge, the judge will hand you over to the guard and the guard will throw you in jail. 59I tell you, you will not leave until you pay the last penny.” – Word of salvation.

Reflection:

All people, especially authorities, should recognize the signs of the arrival of the Kingdom of God through the words and actions of Jesus. More than making a political, economic and social revolution, Jesus denounced all the countervalues created by the ideology of power, wealth and prestige, putting in their place the values of fraternity and sharing, which generate freedom and life for all. Only Jesus' project can free people from slavery and death. In the end, Jesus warns: it is important to value the present moment. It is time for possible reconciliation with God and with others. When the time for judgment comes, it will be too late. Jesus' contemporaries did not discern the signs of Jesus' presence and his Kingdom.