Daily Readings for October 4, 2018

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, religious

1st READING

Job appeals to his friends who goad him into complaining against God instead of comforting him. Job affrms that their intention is hopeless and that he wishes this moment could be recorded in stone as a sign of his faithfulness and commitment to God. Let us pray that, like Job, we will persevere in the face of temptation.

Job 19:21-27

21 Job said: Pity me, pity me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has struck me! 22 Why do you hound me as though you were divine, and insatiably prey upon me? 23 Oh, would that my words were written down! Would that they were inscribed in a record: 24 That with an iron chisel and with lead they were cut in the rock forever! 25 But as for me, I know that my Vindicator lives, and that he will at last stand forth upon the dust; 26 [27] whom I myself shall see: my own eyes, not another’s, shall behold him, 27 [26] and from my flesh I shall see God; my inmost being is consumed with longing.

P S AL M 

Psalm 27:7-8, 8-9, 13-14

R: I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

Hear, O Lord, the sound of my call; have pity on me, and answer me. 8 Of you my heart speaks; you my glance seeks. (R) Your presence, O Lord, I seek. 9 Hide not your face from me; do not in anger repel your servant. You are my helper: cast me not off. (R) 13 I believe that I shall see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord. (R)

GOSPEL 

Jesus laments the shortage of willing workers to bring in the harvest. This is always the case when it comes to the work of evangelization. The Church needs more men and women to help accomplish its mission. Are we ready to volunteer for this ministry? We have a responsibility to share in the Church’s mission by virtue of our baptism.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION 

The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.

Luke 10:1-12

1 Jesus appointed seventy-two other 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 his 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.’ 10 Whatever town you enter and they do not receive you, go out into the streets and say, 11 ‘The dust of your town that clings to our feet, even that we shake off against you.’ Yet know this: the Kingdom of God is at hand. 12 I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom on that day than for that town.”