The one who protects and supports me is my God; It is the Lord who sustains my life. I want to offer you my sacrifice from the heart and with great joy (Ps 53,6.8).

 

The one who protects and supports me is my God; It is the Lord who sustains my life. I want to offer you my sacrifice from the heart and with great joy (Ps 53,6.8).

Despite our faults, the Lord shows mercy to us. As we will hear in the liturgy, God “casts all our sins to the bottom of the sea”. Jesus reinforces the immensity of divine goodness, expanding the sense of family: no longer a small group closed in on itself, but a multitude of people doing the Father's will. Let us allow ourselves to be guided and renewed by this climate of hope. First Reading: Micah 7,14-15,18-20 Reading of Micah's prophecy – 14Feed your people with the staff of authority, the flock of your property, the inhabitants scattered throughout the forest and cultivated fields; let them enjoy the land of Bashan and Gilead, as in the old days. 15And as it was in the days when you brought us out of Egypt, make us see new wonders. 18Which God is there, like you, who blots out iniquity and forgets the sins of those who are your remnant? He doesn't hold grudges forever, what he loves is mercy. 19He will again have compassion on us, he will forget our iniquities and he will cast all our sins to the bottom of the sea. 20You will remain faithful to Jacob and have compassion on Abraham, as you swore to our fathers from ancient times. - Word of the Lord. Responsorial Psalm: 84(85) Show us, O Lord, your goodness. 1. You, O Lord, have favored your land, / you have freed the captives of Jacob. / You have forgiven the sin of your people, / you have covered up every sin committed; / you withdrew the threat you made, / you calmed the fury of your anger. – R. 2. Renew us, our God and savior, / forget your sorrow against us! / Will you be forever irritated? / Will you keep your anger for centuries? – R. 3. Will you not come and restore our lives, / so that your people may rejoice in you? / Show us, O Lord, your goodness, / also grant us your salvation! – R. Gospel: Matthew 12,46-50 Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah. Whoever truly loves me will keep my Word, / and my Father will love him, and we will come to him (John 14:23). – R. Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew – At that time, 46while Jesus was speaking to the crowds, his mother and brothers stood outside, trying to speak to him. 47Someone said to Jesus, “Look! Your mother and brothers are outside and want to talk to you.” 48Jesus asked the one who had spoken, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 49And stretching out his hand to his disciples, Jesus said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother, my sister and my mother.” – Word of salvation. Reflection: It is not said that Jesus refused to receive his Mother and his relatives. He takes the opportunity to present something new. From now on, belonging to the family of Jesus is given by other criteria, and not only by blood ties. Your new family is made up of people who do the will of the heavenly Father. Jesus is not confined to a small or exclusive group of one race. He comes to unite the people of the entire world around him. He is the Lord and Master of all. He himself calls himself the good Shepherd and predicts that “they will all become one flock with one shepherd” (John 10:16). For he came from the Father to save not just a people, but to gather together the children of God who are scattered everywhere (cf. Jn 11:52). Do you feel like you are part of the family of Jesus Christ?