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Monday – 16 December 2013
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Verses:
Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17
Psalm 25:4-9
Matthew 21:23-27
Numbers 24:2-7, 15-17
2 When Balaam looked out and saw
Israel encamped tribe by tribe, the Spirit of God came on him 3 and
he spoke his message:
“The
prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
4 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
5 “How beautiful
are your tents, Jacob,
your dwelling places, Israel!
your dwelling places, Israel!
6 “Like valleys
they spread out,
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters.
7 Water will flow from their buckets;
their seed will have abundant water.
like gardens beside a river,
like aloes planted by the Lord,
like cedars beside the waters.
7 Water will flow from their buckets;
their seed will have abundant water.
“Their
king will be greater than Agag;
their kingdom will be exalted.
their kingdom will be exalted.
15 Then he spoke his message:
“The
prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,
16 the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,
who has knowledge from the Most High,
who sees a vision from the Almighty,
who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened:
17 “I see him, but
not now;
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls of all the people of Sheth.
I behold him, but not near.
A star will come out of Jacob;
a scepter will rise out of Israel.
He will crush the foreheads of Moab,
the skulls of all the people of Sheth.
Psalm 25:4-9
4 Show me your
ways, Lord,teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, Lord, are good.
8 Good and upright
is the Lord;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
Matthew 21:23-27
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
23 Jesus entered the temple courts, and,
while he was teaching, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to
him. “By what authority are you doing these things?” they asked. “And who gave
you this authority?”
24 Jesus replied, “I
will also ask you one question. If you answer me, I will tell you by what
authority I am doing these things. 25 John’s
baptism—where did it come from? Was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say,
‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Then why didn’t you believe him?’ 26 But if we say, ‘Of human origin’—we are afraid of
the people, for they all hold that John was a prophet.”
27 So they answered Jesus, “We don’t know.”
Then he said, “Neither will I tell
you by what authority I am doing these things.
I ought to imagine to myself that there are no others in the world but
God and myself.
-- St. Alphonsus Liguori
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Source:
New International Version (NIV)
Photos acquired thru Google search
