Memory of the Mother of the Lord
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
Hosea 8,4-7.11-13
They have set up kings, but without my consent, and appointed princes, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold, they have made themselves idols, but only to be destroyed. I spurn your calf, Samaria! My anger blazes against them! How long will it be before they recover their innocence? For it is the product of Israel- a craftsman made the thing, it is no god at all! The calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces! Since they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind; stalk without ear, it will never yield flour- or if it does, foreigners will swallow it. Ephraim keeps building altars for his sins, these very altars are themselves a sin. However much of my Law I write for him, Ephraim regards it as alien to him. They offer sacrifices to me and eat the meat, they do not win Yahweh's favour. On the contrary, he will remember their guilt and punish their sins; they will have to go back to Egypt.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
Look down, O Lord, on your servants.
Be it unto us according to your word.
Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia
In this passage, the prophet Hosea denounces the schism caused by the northern kingdom which became guilty for choosing to break with the royal house of David and introduce idolatry. The absurdity of idolatry has clearly been grasped by the prophet, who ridicules the carved idols made by men: "an artisan made it; it is not God." In addition the lie of idolatry brings dire consequences in the life of the people of Israel: "For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind." It is a sentence that underlines the negative consequences and bitter fruits of decisions that respond to individual interests not connected from any large vision of society and future. bad choices. The prophet threatens the people of Israel because "Israel has forgotten his Maker, and built palaces...but I will send a fire upon his cities, and it shall devour his strongholds." Wellbeing indeed does not last rather it is quickly consumed. It is a large and common experience. In the Gospel we read the parable of the rich fool, who wanted to build larger barns to hold all of his wealth, Jesus warns: "Take care! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; for one's life does not consist in the abundance of possessions" (Lk 12:15). And he invites us to become rich instead before God (Lk 12:21). The prophet Hosea reminds that God measures the faith of His people with the measure of their love for Him and of the mercy towards the poor and not of the number of offered victims.