FIRST READING
“We have sinned and done wrong.”
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Daniel (Daniel 9:4b-10)
O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and merciful love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances; we have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us confusion of face, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those that are near and those that are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery which they have committed against you. To us, O Lord, belongs confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness; because we have rebelled against him, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps79:8.9.11.13(R.seePs103:10a)
R/. O Lord, do not treat us according to our sins.
Do not remember against us the guilt of former times.
Let your compassion hasten to meet us;
For we have been brought very low. R/.
Help us, O God our saviour,
for the sake of the glory of your name.
Free us and forgive us our sins,
Because of your name. R/.
R/. O Lord, do not treat us according to our sins.
Let the groans of the prisoners come before you,
Your strong arm reprieve those condemned to die. R/.
Then we, your people, the flock of your pasture,
will give you thanks forever and ever.
From age to age we will recount your praise. R/.
VERSE BEFORE THE GOSPEL John 6:63c.68c
Glory and praise to you, O Christ. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life; you have the words of eternal life. Glory and praise to you, O Christ.
GOSPEL
“Forgive, and you will be forgiven.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 6:36-38
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
It is yet again lesson time for Jesus and his disciples. Jesus brings an enviable quality of the Father to bear on their minds: The Father is merciful; God is merciful. The disciples are to be merciful like the Father, Jesus contradicts the teaching of vengefulness especially against one’s enemies which for the Jews is considered alright. He goes on to show other kinds of kindness that the disciples ought to show, such as tolerance and permissiveness, instead of condemnation and being judgemental; forgiveness and acceptance, instead of vengeance and rejection, and generosity, instead of stinginess. All these acts of goodness and goodwill, when taken for granted or overlooked, have their consequences. The disciple should rather do things in accordance with the desires of the loving Father – “For the measure you use for others will be the measure God will use for you.” They will not say they have not been instructed, likewise, be kind to everyone because of the loving God.