Catholic Daily Reading + Reflection (Homily), 4 July 2021
Mass Readings, Reflection – Homily for Sunday July 4, 2021
14th Sunday of the Year
Vestment: Green
Today’s Rosary: Glorious Mystery
NINE DAY MID-YEAR PRAYERS FOR DIVINE RESTORATION AND HEALING Thursday 1st July – Friday 7th July
DAY 4: PRAYER FOR OUR CHILDREN/WARD AND YOUTHS AND AGAINST THE WICKEDNESS IN OUR NATION
Be close to each of my Children, Lord, guard them against diseases of the mind and body, accidents, predators and all kind of evil and evil-doers.
Theme of the Sunday: THE POWER OF GOD IS MANIFESTED THROUGH THE WEAKNESS. The first reading describes the vocation of the prophet Ezekiel. He was a simple man, like other men. What he accomplished was due to the power of the Word of God. The second reading is even clearer. Paul states that the power of God always manifests itself through weak instruments. The gospel shows the reaction of Jesus to the people of Nazareth because they failed to understand the true ways of God, and did not recognise him as the Messiah, and deprived themselves of salvation.
The Gloria
When indicated this hymn is either sung or said
Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to people of good will.
We bless you,
we adore you,
we glorify you,
we give you thanks for your great glory,
Lord God, heavenly King,
O God, almighty Father.
Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,
Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,
you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;
you take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer;
you are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.
For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,
you alone are the Most High,
Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,
in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
FIRST READING
“They are a rebellious house, they will know that there has been a prophet among them.”
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 2:2-5)
In those days: The Spirit entered into me and set me upon my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the sons of Israel, to a nation of rebels, who have rebelled against me; they and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. The people also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them; and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that there has been a prophet among them.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 123:1-2a.2bc.3-4 (R. 2efl)
R/. Our eyes are on the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy.
To you have I lifted up my eyes,
you who dwell in the heavens.
Behold, like the eyes of slaves
on the hand of their lords. R.
Like the eyes of a servant
on the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes are on the Lord our God,
till he show us his mercy. R.
R/. Our eyes are on the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy.
have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
We are filled with contempt.
Indeed, all too full is our soul
With the scorn of the arrogant,
The disdain of the proud. R
SECOND READING
“I will boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
A reading from the second Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Brethren: To keep me from being too elated by the abundance of revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to harass me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it should leave; but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am week, then I am strong.
The word of the Lord.
Alleluia Luke 4:18
Alleluia. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he has sent me to preach good news to the poor. Alleluia
GOSPEL
“A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mark 6:1-6)
Jesus came to his own country, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get all this? What is the wisdom given to him? What mighty works are wrought by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them,” A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Creed (I Believe)
I believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible. I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father; through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered death and was buried, and rose again on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and his kingdom will have no end. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. I believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church. I confess one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins and I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL
God’s grace is enough for you.
PRIEST:
Jesus Christ was rejected as a prophet when he preached in his home town of Nazareth. We ask the Lord, in his name, to sustain all believers in their proclamation of the gospel.
READER: FOR THE LEADERS OF THE CHURCH, (pause) That they may proclaim the gospel, especially in those countries where they are persecuted, when they speak on behalf of the underprivileged. (pause) Have mercy, O Lord; and strengthen our faith we pray Oh Lord.
FOR THOSE IN GOVERNMENT, (pause) That they may be guided by God’s grace and wisdom to serve the people with humility and dedication. (pause) Have mercy, O Lord; and strengthen our faith we pray Oh Lord.
FOR THOSE WHOSE CHRISTIAN VOICE IS NOT HEEDED, (pause) That they may be one in spirit with the Prophet of Nazareth, who knew what it was to be rejected, and be prepared to stand up and be counted for those things in which they fervently believe. (pause) Have mercy, O Lord; and strengthen our faith we pray Oh Lord.
FOR A GREATER ACCEPTANCE OF CHRIST’S GOSPEL, (pause) That we may not be selective in our Christian faith, but accept also those truths which disturb our comfortable way of life. (pause) Have mercy, O Lord; and strengthen our faith we pray Oh Lord.
We make our private petitions in silence to the Lord who gives us strength.
PRIEST: Father, may the Gospel be in our hearts and on our lips that we may worthily proclaim your Holy Name. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Today’s Reflection
Ezekiel, Paul and Jesus, appearing in the three respective Reading of the day, manifest their vocation as God’s accredited ambassadors and prophets. Ezekiel is asked by God to go and preach to the rebellious Israel. Paul, during his ministry experiences the power of Satan as he is afflicted by a “thorn in the flesh”. Jesus was misunderstood and rejected by people of his own hometown out of prejudice. They cannot go beyond knowing him as “the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James and Joses and Jude and Simon”. They question among themselves: “Where did the man get all this.?” in all three situations the protagonists in question are empowered and sustained by the power of God working in them. Jesus was aware of his role as the prophet sent by his father, regardless of the fact that he is rejected by the people of his own hometown. Paul experience the power of Christ who assures him, “my grace is enough for you”. And Ezekiel is assured that “Whether they listen or not, this tribe of rebels will know there is a prophet among them.” When we follow God’s precepts and be his messengers, there will be moments of trial, misunderstanding and rejection in life. But we will always be strengthened and sustained by the plentiful grace of God.
Today’s Saint and Quote: Pier Giorgio – July 4th
The faith given to me in baptism suggests to me surely: by yourself you will do nothing, but if you have God as the center of all your action, then you will reach the goal.
NINE DAY MID-YEAR PRAYERS FOR DIVINE RESTORATION AND HEALING Thursday 1st July – Friday 7th July
DAY 4: PRAYER FOR OUR CHILDREN/WARD AND YOUTHS AND AGAINST THE WICKEDNESS IN OUR NATION
Be close to each of my Children, Lord, guard them against diseases of the mind and body, accidents, predators and all kind of evil and evil-doers.
Opening
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Invocation of the Holy Spirit
Come, O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth.
Let us pray:
O God, who taught the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, grant that by the gift of the same Spirit we may be always truly wise and ever rejoice in his consolation, Through Christ Lord. Amen.
Father, you have promised that your spirit and your word would never depart from me or my children and their children’s children. Please save each one of my children, grandchildren and descendants, fill each one with your spirit, O Lord. Please cause each one to love and delight in your word in the name of Jesus Christ.
O Lord, please establish my children and descendants before you. Grant your grace upon each one, to follow you wholeheartedly as disciples all the days of their lives in the name of Jesus Christ. I decree in Jesus name that my children would not be a source of affliction, but testimonies to God’s grace.
I decree that no generational curse shall have any effect upon my children’s life in name of Jesus. You weapon of darkness targeted against the destiny of my child/children, be nullify by fire in Jesus name. Arrows of destruction in the destiny of my children, come out and be destroyed in Jesus name. You evil society hosting my children at midnight hour, be scattered in Jesus name.
You demonically inspired diseases assigned to the lives of my children, all marks of witchcraft, covenants of darkness, arrows of oppression, demonic inspired sicknesses, spirit of retardation and backwardness, be wiped off by the BLOOD of Jesus. You spirit of untimely death, Spirit of marine witchcraft, You spirit of death, Spirit of rebellion, Spirit of error, You inherited problems in my children’s life come out in Jesus name.
Anointing of excellence fall upon my children. Anointing of success fall upon my children. O Lord take my children from the tail region to the head region. BLOOD of Jesus set me free in Jesus name. Thank you Jesus for answered Prayers.
Prayer Point
1. I reject sorrow and weeping this year; therefore arrows of sorrow backfire to senders in Jesus name.
2.Arrows of emptiness, programmed to empty my blessings, go back to your senders in Jesus name.
3.Arise for me, O Lord, and let every power of the enemy on my life become impotent. Psa. 68.2
4.Let God arise and let every yoke of time-wasters be broken in your life. Isa 45.2 (take seriously)
5. Let God reach forth to hold your right hand and use it to subdue every personality that is rising against you. Isa 45.1
6.Let us ask God to arise and scatter every enemy of our progress. Psa. 68.1-2
7. By your grace, I will never lose my Joy, my peace, hope, life and my salvation in Jesus name.
8. Father give us a responsible government, let there be employment for our youths
9. Father help the police to be more empowered in policing our territories, such that criminal acts will fade away in the land
10. We decree and declare that our nation shall be totally free from kidnapping, rituals and cultism in Jesus’ name. Father exposes them and all their collaborators in all their hideout in our nation. Lord set confusion in the camps of ritualists, kidnappers and cultists as it was in the days of King Jehoshaphat, set enmity among kidnappers, cultist and ritualists for their extinct in our nation. (2Chron 20:22-23)
– Lord we decree and declare deliverance for every one captured by kidnappers, ritualists and cultists in Jesus’ name (Matt 18.18)
Reflection:
Lord, I surrender everything concerning me to you, takeover my life, takeover my marriage, takeover our Churches, takeover my business and takeover everything you have given me, let there be no loss of anything in Jesus name.
Closing:
Prayer of Confirmation and trust in God
Lord, God Almighty, I thank you for protecting me from every form of evil and bringing me the gift of your divine health.
I thank you for breaking the chains of oppression and delivering me from every form of sin, sickness, disease and lie of the enemy.
I thank you for the powerful name of Jesus to which every knee shall bow.
Thank you for giving me your authority over all the power of the enemy. Nothing shall harm me.
Thank you for your full armor, your name, your most precious Blood and your Holy Spirit. No weapon formed against me shall prosper.
Thank you heavenly father for all your protection and provisions, for yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory, now and forevermore. Amen.