St. Vincent de Paul, Priest
September 27, 2018
First Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:2-11
2Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.3What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun?4A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever.5The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises.6The wind blows to the south, and goes round to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns.7All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again.8All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.9What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; and there is nothing new under the sun.10Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already, in the ages before us.11There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to happen among those who come after.
3Thou turnest man back to the dust, and sayest, “Turn back, O children of men!” 4For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. 5Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream, like grass which is renewed in the morning: 6in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. 12So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. 13Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on thy servants! 14Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. 17Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish thou the work of our hands upon us, yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.
7Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, 8by some that Eli’jah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen. 9Herod said, “John I beheaded; but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.
Reflection for the day: “Extend your mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His Mercy from us?” -St. Vincent de Paul
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