Daily Readings for October 25, 2017

1ST READING

Paul speaks about the power of the sacrament of baptism to transform us. One of the mantras of sacramental theology is that “sacraments signify what they effect and effect what they signify.” It is important to understand this, as it has a bearing on how we receive the grace of the sacraments. The grace of the sacrament is always present in a validly celebrated sacrament. However, the power and effectiveness of the sacrament depends on our own faith. Let us pray for a deeper faith, so that the sacraments we receive will work powerfully in us.

Romans 6:12-18

12 Brothers and sisters: Sin must not reign over your mortal bodies so that you obey their desires. 13 And do not present the parts of your bodies to sin as weapons for wickedness, but present yourselves to God as raised from the dead to life and the parts of your bodies to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin is not to have any power over you, since you are not under the law but under grace. 15 What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Of course not! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God that, although you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18 Freed from sin, you have become slaves of righteousness.

P S A L M

Psalm 124:1-3, 4-6, 7-8

R: Our help is in the name of the Lord.

1 Had not the Lord been with us, let Israel say, 2 had not the Lord been with us — when men rose up against us, 3 then would they have swallowed us alive. When their fury was inflamed against us. (R) 4 Then would the waters have overwhelmed us; the torrent would have swept over us; 5 over us then would have swept the raging waters. 6 Blessed be the Lord, who did not leave us a prey to their teeth. (R)  7 We were rescued like a bird from the fowlers’ snare; broken was the snare, and we were freed. 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. (R) 

GOSPEL

We need to protect our God-given gifts and graces by constantly using them to build up our faith and the faith of others. Faith is like a muscle — the more we use it, the stronger it becomes. Exercising our faith muscle is always beneficial to us. The more we deepen our faith, the more beneficial our works will be for others.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Stay awake! For you do not know when the Son of Man will come.

Luke 12:39-48

39 Jesus said to his disciples: “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. 40 You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.” 41 Then Peter said, “Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?” 42 And the Lord replied, “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 then that servant’s master will come on an  unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. 47 That servant who knew his master’s will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely; 48 and the servant who was ignorant of his master’s will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”