Deliver me, Lord, from my afflictions, see my littleness and my fatigue and forgive all my sins.The justice that Jesus demands from the disciples of the Kingdom is based on fraternal love, the practice of which leads us to avoid the slightest offense to others.

 

Deliver me, Lord, from my afflictions, see my littleness and my fatigue and forgive all my sins (Ps 24,17s).

First Reading: Ezekiel 18,21-28 The justice that Jesus demands from the disciples of the Kingdom is based on fraternal love, the practice of which leads us to avoid the slightest offense to others. Reading of Ezekiel's prophecy - Thus speaks the Lord: 21 “If the wicked repent of all the sins he has committed, and keep all my laws, and do justice and justice, he will live surely and will not die. 22None of the sins he committed will be remembered against him. He will live because of the righteousness he practiced. 23Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked? – oracle of the Lord God. Don't I rather want him to change his ways and live? 24But if the righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, imitating all the detestable practices of the wicked, can he do this and live? Of the justice he practiced, nothing will be remembered again. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he committed, because of this he will die. 25But you are saying, 'The Lord's conduct is not right.' Hear, you of the house of Israel: is it my conduct that is not right, or rather is it your conduct that is not right? 26When a righteous man strays from justice, he does evil and dies, it is because of the evil he has done that he dies. 27When a wicked man repents of the evil he has done and observes law and justice, he keeps his life. 28Repenting of all his sins, he will surely live; he will not die”. - Word of the Lord. Responsorial Psalm: 129(130) If you take into account our faults, / who will survive? 1. From the depths I cry out to you, Lord, / listen to my voice! / Your ears be attentive / to the cry of my prayer! – R. 2. If you take into account our faults, / who will survive? / But forgiveness is found in you, / I fear you and I hope in you. – R. 3. I put my hope in the Lord, / I hope in his word. / My soul waits for the Lord / more than watches for the dawn. – R. 4. Wait for Israel for the Lord / more than he watches for the dawn! / For in the Lord is found all grace / and abundant redemption. / He comes to free Israel / from all its guilt. – R. Gospel: Matthew 5,20-26 Hail, O Christ, image of the Father, / communicate to us the full truth! Cast away all your iniquity! / Create within yourselves a new spirit and a new heart! (Ez 18,31) – R. Proclamation of the holy Gospel according to Matthew – At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: 20 “Unless your righteousness is greater than the righteousness of the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 21You have heard that it was said to the ancients: ‘You shall not kill! Whoever kills will be condemned by the court’. 22But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be a defendant in judgment; whoever says to his brother ‘scoundrel!’ will be condemned by the court; Whoever calls his brother a fool will be condemned to the fires of hell. 23Therefore, when you are bringing your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go first to be reconciled with your brother. Only then will present your offer. 25Try to be reconciled with your adversary as he walks with you to court. Otherwise your adversary will hand you over to the judge, the judge will hand you over to the bailiff, and you will be thrown into prison. 26Truly I tell you, you will not leave there until you pay the last penny.” – Word of salvation. Reflection: Masters of the Law and Pharisees belonged to the ruling group, allied with Rome, with a special interest in maintaining the oppressive and unjust social structure of the time. Jesus wants justice capable of transforming an oppressive society. Therefore, he asks his disciples for justice accompanied by mercy and fidelity (cf. Mt 23:23). The model is the heavenly Father, who “makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and makes it rain on the just and the unjust” (Mt 5:45). The negative precept “do not kill” extends to the positive demand for reconciliation. It is not possible to worship God if the heart is dominated by hatred. Such worship ceases to be authentic and becomes a mere caricature, useless to God and scandalous to brothers.

Deliver me, Lord, from my afflictions, see my littleness and my fatigue and forgive all my sins (Ps 24,17s). First Reading: Ezekiel 18,21-28 The justice that Jesus demands from the disciples of the Kingdom is based on fraternal love, the practice of which leads us to avoid the slightest offense to others. Reading of Ezekiel's prophecy - Thus speaks the Lord: 21 “If the wicked repent of all the sins he has committed, and keep all my laws, and do justice and justice, he will live surely and will not die. 22None of the sins he committed will be remembered against him. He will live because of the righteousness he practiced. 23Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked? – oracle of the Lord God. Don't I rather want him to change his ways and live? 24But if the righteous man turns from his righteousness and does evil, imitating all the detestable practices of the wicked, can he do this and live? Of the justice he practiced, nothing will be remembered again. Because of the unfaithfulness and sin he committed, because of this he will die. 25But you are saying, 'The Lord's conduct is not right.' Hear, you of the house of Israel: is it my conduct that is not right, or rather is it your conduct that is not right? 26When a righteous man strays from justice, he does evil and dies, it is because of the evil he has done that he dies. 27When a wicked man repents of the evil he has done and observes law and justice, he keeps his life. 28Repenting of all his sins, he will surely live; he will not die”. - Word of the Lord. Responsorial Psalm: 129(130) If you take into account our faults, / who will survive? 1. From the depths I cry out to you, Lord, / listen to my voice! / Your ears be attentive / to the cry of my prayer! – R. 2. If you take into account our faults, / who will survive? / But forgiveness is found in you, / I fear you and I hope in you. – R. 3. I put my hope in the Lord, / I hope in his word. / My soul waits for the Lord / more than watches for the dawn. – R. 4. Wait for Israel for the Lord / more than he watches for the dawn! / For in the Lord is found all grace / and abundant redemption. / He comes to free Israel / from all its guilt. – R. Gospel: Matthew 5,20-26 Hail, O Christ, image of the Father, / communicate to us the full truth! Cast away all your iniquity! / Create within yourselves a new spirit and a new heart! (Ez 18,31) – R. Proclamation of the holy Gospel according to Matthew – At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: 20 “Unless your righteousness is greater than the righteousness of the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 21You have heard that it was said to the ancients: ‘You shall not kill! Whoever kills will be condemned by the court’. 22But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be a defendant in judgment; whoever says to his brother ‘scoundrel!’ will be condemned by the court; Whoever calls his brother a fool will be condemned to the fires of hell. 23Therefore, when you are bringing your gift to the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there before the altar and go first to be reconciled with your brother. Only then will present your offer. 25Try to be reconciled with your adversary as he walks with you to court. Otherwise your adversary will hand you over to the judge, the judge will hand you over to the bailiff, and you will be thrown into prison. 26Truly I tell you, you will not leave there until you pay the last penny.” – Word of salvation. Reflection: Masters of the Law and Pharisees belonged to the ruling group, allied with Rome, with a special interest in maintaining the oppressive and unjust social structure of the time. Jesus wants justice capable of transforming an oppressive society. Therefore, he asks his disciples for justice accompanied by mercy and fidelity (cf. Mt 23:23). The model is the heavenly Father, who “makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and makes it rain on the just and the unjust” (Mt 5:45). The negative precept “do not kill” extends to the positive demand for reconciliation. It is not possible to worship God if the heart is dominated by hatred. Such worship ceases to be authentic and becomes a mere caricature, useless to God and scandalous to brothers.