June 25, 2013

USCCB »  Bible »  Daily Readings

 « June 24  |  June 26 »

Tuesday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time 
Lectionary: 372

 

Reading 1GN 13:2, 5-18

Abram was very rich in livestock, silver, and gold.

Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents,

so that the land could not support them if they stayed together;

their possessions were so great that they could not dwell together.

There were quarrels between the herdsmen of Abram’s livestock

and those of Lot’s.

(At this time the Canaanites and the Perizzites

were occupying the land.)

Lot is Abram's nephew.  Abram is the same person whom God renamed Abraham.  He is renowned for his faith in God.    Scripture says of Abram:

Genesis 26: King James Version (KJV)

4 And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;  5 Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.

So Abram said to Lot:

“Let there be no strife between you and me,

or between your herdsmen and mine, for we are kinsmen.

Is not the whole land at your disposal?

Please separate from me.

If you prefer the left, I will go to the right;

if you prefer the right, I will go to the left.”

Lot looked about and saw how well watered

the whole Jordan Plain was as far as Zoar,

like the LORD’s own garden, or like Egypt.

Thus they separated from each other;
Abram stayed in the land of Canaan,
while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain,
pitching his tents near Sodom.
Now the inhabitants of Sodom were very wicked
in the sins they committed against the LORD.

Both were Godly and righteous men whom God had blessed with material wealth.  But their servants were quarreling as they were using up the land they held in common.  So, Abram suggested that Lot go one way and he would take the part which Lot left behind.  Unfortunately for Lot, he chose the side which led to Sodom, a very wicked place.

(This was before the LORD had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.)

Lot, therefore, chose for himself the whole Jordan Plain

and set out eastward.

After Lot had left, the LORD said to Abram:

“Look about you, and from where you are,

gaze to the north and south, east and west;

all the land that you see I will give to you

and your descendants forever.

I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth;

if anyone could count the dust of the earth,

your descendants too might be counted.

Set forth and walk about in the land, through its length and breadth,

for to you I will give it.”

Abram moved his tents and went on to settle

near the terebinth of Mamre, which is at Hebron.

There he built an altar to the LORD.

God continued to bless Abram and gave him all the land which he surveyed.

As long as Lot had been close to Abram, God had greatly blessed him.  But as soon as they separated, things started going wrong.  Read about how Lot was kidnapped by the wicked people of Sodom.  

Responsorial PsalmPS 15:2-3A, 3BC-4AB, 5

R. (1b) He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.
Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed.
R. He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

God chooses His friends from amongst the righteous.  So should we.  Abram was a righteous man who sought to do good and who always had faith in God.

GospelMT 7:6, 12-14

Jesus said to his disciples:

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine,

lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Be discerning to whom you speak.  There are some people who are not ready to know the mysteries of God and who will turn against you if you talk to them about it.

“Do to others whatever you would have them do to you.

This is the Law and the Prophets.

Be good to others.  Just as you would have others to be good to you.

“Enter through the narrow gate;

for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction,

Do good always.  It is not always popular to do the right thing.  Never mind.  Do what God wants and do not seek to please the fickle desires of man.

and those who enter through it are many.

How narrow the gate and constricted the  road that leads to life.

And those who find it are few.”

It is very easy to succumb to temptation. Its easy to eat that chocolate cake in front of you.  Very difficult to push it away.  Especially when everyone else is eating.  It is easy to join in with sinful behavior of others who surround you.  Very difficult to step away and even more difficult to confront them and object to their behavior.

Always seek to do the right thing.  Even when it is unpopular.  Seek to please God and you will be saved.