Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The Spirit of the Lord is upon you.
The child you shall bear will be holy.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Matthew 7,6.12-14

'Do not give dogs what is holy; and do not throw your pearls in front of pigs, or they may trample them and then turn on you and tear you to pieces. 'So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the Law and the Prophets. 'Enter by the narrow gate, since the road that leads to destruction is wide and spacious, and many take it; but it is a narrow gate and a hard road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Look down, O Lord, on your servants.
Be it unto us according to your word.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

"Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine." The image is related to the ancient cult of offering to God the flesh of the victims and the fruits of the earth, as prescribed in Leviticus (22:1-14). Meat is not to be given to dogs who trample it, nor are pearls to be thrown to swine because they reject them. This sentence is not about people who would not be fit to receive the Gospel. Rather, Jesus invites us not to treat the Gospel lightly, but to hold it in high regard for our own lives and the lives of others. We must not waste the words of the Gospel, nor must we throw the words of preaching to the wind. The Gospel is a very precious treasure that should kept in great account and never be thrown away. This is what happens to preachers when they do not keep the Word of god with honour, and this is what happens to those who listen every time they let the preaching be lost as they are bent on themselves and do not listen to anyone anymore. The evangelist reports another one of Jesus' sayings: "In everything do to others as you would have them do to you." This is the way to apply the entire law and the prophets. This standard is called "the golden rule" and is present in almost all the great world religions. It reflects the wisdom from on High that was placed in the heart of every man and woman. Matthew formulates it in the affirmative to emphasize that it is not enough just to avoid evil, it is necessary to do good. The Gospel is the narrow gate that leads to salvation. We could say that "narrow" because it is a small book, similar to a narrow gate. And yet it is the gate that opens to the kingdom of God. Opposite, the gate of selfishness, pride, hatred, and violence is large: all of them lead to "destruction;" says Jesus. Let s trust the Gospel and we will be led by its light to the kingdom of God.