St. Paulinus of Nola, bishop 

Sts. John Fisher & Thomas More, martyrs 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Genesis 13:2, 5-18*

Now Abram was very rich in flocks,

Silver and gold. Lot who went with Abram also had flocks, cattle and tents. The land was not sufficient to allow them to stay together, for their possessions were too greatfor them to live together.  A quarrel arose between the herdsmen of Abram’s flock and those of Lot. (The Canaanites and the Perizzites were living in the land at the time.) Abram said to Lot, “Don’t let there be a dispute between you and me, nor between my herdsmen and yours, since we are brothers! Isn’t the whole land there before you? Let us part company.

If you go to the left, I will go to the right; if you go to the right, I will go to the left.”  Lot looked up and saw the whole valley of the Jordan: how well it was watered! Before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, this was like one of Yahweh’s gardens, like the country of Egypt, on coming to Zoar. Lot chose for himself all the Jordan valley and journeyed eastward. In this way they separated from each other. 

Abram settled in the country of Canaan while Lot lived among the towns of the plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked, sinning greatly against Yahweh. Yahweh said to Abram after Lot had left him, “Raise your eyes and look from where you are, towards the north, the south, the east and the west; all the land you see I will give to you and your descendants forever.

 I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; if the grains of the dust can be counted, then your descendants may be counted. Come, travel through the length and breadth of the land, for it is to you that I am giving it.”

 So Abram moved his tent and came to live by the oak of Mamre at Hebron. There he built an altar to Yah­weh.

 

Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

He who does justice will live in the presence of the Lord.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 7:6, 12-14

Do not give what is holy to the dogs, or throw your pearls before pigs: they might trample on them, and then turn on you and tear you to pieces.  So, do to others whatever you would that others do to you: there you have the Law and the Prophets.

 Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many go that way. How narrow is the gate that leads to life and how rough the road; few there are who find it.

 

Gospel Reflection：

The Lord calls for prudence when we are tempted to entrust to others what is dear and precious to us. For if it falls into the hands of wrong people our regrets will be great. That is why friendship passes through the test of time. Our reputation too is forged through time.

When a certain level of trust is achieved, that is the only time that we begin to disclose intimate details of ourselves, or ask others to perform delicate tasks on our behalf. And we are called to be trustworthy knowing how bitter the taste of betrayal is. Daily, we should enter the narrow road that leads to a transformed life.