FIRST READING
“Abram went, as the Lord had told him.”
A reading from the Book of Genesis (Genesis 12: 1-9)
In those days: The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you will I curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves.” So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five year old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions which they had gathered, and the persons that they had gotten in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the Oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. Then the Lord appeared to Abram, and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. Thence he moved to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on, still going towards the Neged.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 33:12-13.18-19.20 and 22(R. 12b)
R/. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen as his heritage.
Blessed the nation whose God is Lord,
The people he has chosen as his heritage.
From the heavens the Lord looks forth;
He sees all the children of men. R.
Yes, the Lord’s eyes are on those who fear him,
Who hope in his merciful love,
To rescue their souls from death,
To keep them alive in famine. R.
Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
May your merciful love be upon us,
As we hope in you, O Lord. R.
ALLELUIA Hebrews 4:12
Alleluia. The word of the Lord is living and active, discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“First take the log out of your own eye.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 7: 1-5)
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
We are all on a journey to the world described in today’s Gospel reading – a world free from prejudice, a world where we are not quick to label and judge, and a world where we respect one another as brothers and sisters. How we judge others reveals a great deal about ourselves and our view of God. The Promised Land is not a piece of real estate but the condition of our soul. Like Abraham, we are promised marvelous things if we leave our old ways. We are promised intimacy with God, life without end and the capacity to channel God’s life to others.