THE FIRST DAY OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR - NEW YEAR’S MASS - Gospel (Matthew 6:25-34)
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FIRST READING - Gen 1:14-18
"Let there be lights ... let them mark the seasons, the days and the years."
A reading from the Book of Genesis
14 Then God said: Let there be lights in the dome of the sky, to separate day from night. Let them mark the seasons, the days and the years, 15 and serve as lights in the dome of the sky, to illuminate the earth. And so it happened: 16 God made the two great lights, the greater one to govern the day, and the lesser one to govern the night, and the stars. 17 God set them in the dome of the sky, to illuminate the earth, 18 to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.
SECOND READING - Phil 4:4-8
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice!"
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians.
4 Rejoice[a] in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! 5 Your kindness[b] should be known to all. The Lord is near. 6 Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. 7 Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.[c]
GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mt 6:25-34
"But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness."
✠From the Gospel according to Matthew
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? 27 Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?[a] 28 Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. 29 But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. 30 [b]If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’ 32 All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness,[c] and all these things will be given you besides. 34 Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.
THE FIRST DAY OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR - NEW YEAR’S MASS - Gospel (Matthew 6:25-34)
Dear people of God,
On the first day of the new year, God invites all humanity: seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
This is the primary goal that humans need to seek and achieve.
God does not want humans to fall into the traps of Satan, which are: worrying about enjoying material life right here on earth while forgetting to seek the happiness of the Kingdom of Heaven.
What God instructs and invites today will accompany and follow humans throughout their lives while living on this earth.
God does not want humans to fall into the temptations of Satan, which are: worrying about seeking material food, worrying about achieving wealth, status, and fame in this world. Satan is very cunning; they will creep into the human mind to tempt humans not to trust completely in God, not to believe absolutely in His love and providence. They will make everyone anxious and confused; from there, they direct humans toward material life more than seeking the Kingdom of Heaven and obedience to the holy will of God's instruction.
God wants humanity to look at the image of the lilies or the birds: they are merely creatures or animals created by God; they do not have souls like humans, yet God still feeds them and clothes them more beautifully than King Solomon.
This is a metaphorical image that God wants humanity to see: how great and vast is God's love and mercy for humanity; no one has love and mercy like God the Father.
Therefore, on this first day of the new year, God invites all of humanity:
Entrust everything to the loving and providential hand of God, so that He may provide for one's life in this world.
He will never let humanity die of hunger or lack a morsel of food or a cloth to cover the body.
Just believe and it shall be granted!
Listen to and follow the teachings of God the Father, which are: strive to accumulate spiritual wealth to gain entry into the Kingdom of Heaven, and strive to seek His righteousness, which is a holy and good life before God.
God wants to teach humanity that to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, everyone must place God above all things right here on earth, and follow His teachings, which are: to live in love, forgiveness, humility, simplicity, and littleness before God and before one's fellow human beings.
Living in such a way, God the Father will bring their souls to enjoy happiness in His Kingdom.
The souls of these people will have to strive in all places and at all times, will have to undergo suffering, and undergo the purifications of God to do the things that God the Father teaches.
God calls upon everyone to always be joyful, cheerful, and happy when being loved and purified by God the Father; for this is the love that God the Father teaches to everyone.
God invites everyone to listen to and practice living according to the words commanded by God the Father, then they will have the Kingdom of Heaven, which is to live as a righteous, holy, and good person before God, then they will please God and be loved by God the Father, when someone tries to place and follow God's teachings above all things.
God the Father wants humanity not to distance themselves from God the Father; return to the loving heart of God.
Especially on the first day of the new year, He invites everyone: come to God and the Virgin Mary first, so that He may bless, sanctify, and grant peace, and strengthen everyone in a new year, so that everyone can live and perform the invitations and commands of God given to mankind.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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