Daily Readings for October 18, 2017

Feast of St. Luke, evangelist

1ST READING

Paul worked with many people, including Luke, the author of one of the Gospels, in his work as a missionary. This is an important reminder to us that the work of the Gospel is a communal reality. We are sent out and we bring people into a community as we evangelize them. Paul’s success as a missionary would have been severely limited without the help of others. He may have been the frontman, but those behind the scenes, who follow up the initial work of Paul, are just as important to the process.

2 Timothy 4:10-17

10 Beloved: Demas, enamored of the present world, deserted me and went to Thessalonica, Crescens to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. 11 Luke is the only one with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is helpful to me in the ministry. 12 I have sent Tychicus to Ephesus. 13 When you come, bring the cloak I left with Carpus in Troas, the papyrus rolls, and especially the parchments. 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me a great deal of harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. 15 You too be on guard against him, for he has strongly resisted our preaching. 16 At my first defense no one appeared on my behalf, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them! 17 But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the proclamation might be completed and all the Gentiles might hear it.

P S A L M

Psalm 145:10-11, 12-13, 17-18

R: Your friends make known, O Lord, the glorious splendor of your Kingdom.

10 Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might. (R) 12 Making known to men your might and the glorious splendor of your Kingdom. 13 Your Kingdom is a Kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations. (R) 17 The Lord is just in all his ways and holy in all his works. 18 The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth. (R)

GOSPEL

We are all missionaries. By our baptism, we are incorporated into the Body of Christ and sent out as witnesses to the Gospel. We need to be disciples in the ways of the faith, if we are going to be effective evangelists in both word and deed. The Catholic Church has failed here in recent years. Our catechetical skills have lapsed horribly and we are now suffering the consequences, with an ill-prepared faithful for the pluralistic world.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.

Luke 10:1-9

1 The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. 2 He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. 3 Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. 4 Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. 5 Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ 6 If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. 7 Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves payment. Do not move about from one house to another. 8 Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, 9 cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’