Today, July 4
Feast of the Day
No feast of the day
Saint of the Day
Readings of the Day
Book of Amos 9,11-15.
Thus says the LORD: On that day I will raise up the fallen hut of David; I will wall up its breaches, raise up its ruins, and rebuild it as in the days of old, That they may conquer what is left of Edom and all the nations that shall bear my name, say I, the LORD, who will do this. Yes, days are coming, says the LORD, When the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the vintager, him who sows the seed; The juice of grapes shall drip down the mountains, and all the hills shall run with it. I will bring about the restoration of my people Israel; they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities, Plant vineyards and drink the wine, set out gardens and eat the fruits. I will plant them upon their own ground; never again shall they be plucked From the land I have given them, say I, the LORD, your God.
Psalms 85(84),9ab-10.11-12.13-14.
I will hear what God proclaims; the LORD –for he proclaims peace to his people. Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 9,14-17.
The disciples of John approached Jesus and said, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast." No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved."
Daily Reflection
"Why do we and the Pharisees fast much, but your disciples do not fast?" … Why ? Because in your minds fasting is a matter of the law and not of a spontaneous gift. Fasting has no value in itself; what matters is the desire of the one who fasts. What sort of profit do you think to get out of it, you who fast because you are obliged or forced to do so? Fasting is a wonderful plough for working the field of holiness: it turns back hearts, uproots evil, pulls up sins, expels vices, sows charity; it nurtures fruitfulness and prepares a harvest of innocence. In the heart of the field ripe for holiness, Christ’s disciples themselves are inserted. They gather up sheaves of the virtues and enjoy bread from the new harvest: no longer can they practice fasts that have been superseded from now on… “Why do your disciples not fast?” Our Lord answered them: “Can the friends of the Bridegroom fast while the Bridegroom is still with them?”… A man who takes a wife sets fasting aside and abandons austerity. He gives himself up wholly to rejoicing, takes part in banqueting, shows himself friendly, amiable and gay and does anything that arouses his love for his bride. At that time Christ was celebrating his wedding feast with the Church and that is why he consented to take part at meals and did not refuse those who invited him. Overflowing with kindness and love, he showed himself to be human, approachable, friendly. He wanted to unite man to God and make of his companions members of the divine family.