Daily Readings for November 7, 2017

1ST READING

Paul encourages the Romans to love their neighbor with a sincere heart. How different our world would be if everyone heeds this encouragement. It is a challenge to love others in every situation, because there will always be people who will rub us wrongly. We need to draw on the depths of our Christian spirit in order to love them no matter what.

Romans 12:5-16

5 Brothers and sisters: We, though many, are one Body in Christ and individually parts of one another. 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; 7 if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; 8 if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others, with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. 9 Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; 10 love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. 11 Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.

P S A L M

Psalm 131:1, 2, 3

R: In you, O Lord, I have found my peace.

1 O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor are my eyes haughty; I busy not myself with great things, nor with things too sublime for me. (R) 2 Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted my soul like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother ’s lap, so is my soul within me. (R) 3 O Israel, hope in the Lord, both now and forever. (R)

GOSPEL

People give all sorts of excuses to avoid encountering God and making a choice to follow Him or not. A few are given in the Gospel today. Let us never avoid encountering God. There is nothing more exciting or fulfilling than to follow Him. It will mean making changes in our lifestyle, but they will be changes for the better and never for the worse.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest, says the Lord.

Luke 14:15-24

15 One of those at table with Jesus said to him, “Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.” 16 He replied to him, “A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. 17 When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’ 18 But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ 22 The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.’ 23 The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. 24 For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’ ”