Daily Readings for October 15, 2016

1ST READING

Paul exults in the wonders that God has done in creating and redeeming us. It is good to take stock of the blessings we receive, and to praise and thank God and our benefactors. Gratitude opens the dam of God’s mercy and blessing for us. Let us spend a few moments to praise God for the many good things in our lives.

Ephesians 1:15-23

15 Brothers and sisters: Hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus and of your love for all the holy ones, 16 I do not cease giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. 18 May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones, 19 and what is the surpassing greatness of his power for us who believe, in accord with the exercise of his great might, 20 which he worked in Christ, raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens, 21 far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion, and every name that is named not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things beneath his feet and gave him as head over all things to the Church, 23 which is his Body, the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

P S A L M

Psalm 8:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

R: You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.

1 [2] O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is your name over all the earth! You have exalted your majesty above the heavens. 2 [3] Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings you have fashioned praise because of your foes. (R) 3 [4] When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars which you set in place — 4 [5] what is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? (R) 5 [6] You have made him little less than the angels, and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 [7] You have given him rule over the works of your hands, putting all things under his feet. (R)

GOSPEL

Teresa of Avila had a great friendship with Jesus despite the hardships she faced in reforming the Carmelites. Along with St. John of the Cross, she fought with the Carmelite leaders, determined to return to the simplicity and starkness of the Carmelite way of life. She never gave up, though at times she did wonder why God allowed her life to be very difficult.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify.

Luke 12:8-12

8 Jesus said to his disciples: “I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. 10 Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defense will be or about what you are to say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”

Daily Readings for October 14, 2016

 1ST READING

Let us reflect on the truth of being “sealed with the promise of the Holy Spirit.” We have also been sealed “in the Blood of Christ.” This idea is based on the practice in the Roman Army where a soldier was “branded” with the seal of the emperor to show that he belonged to the emperor. To belong to Christ is both a pleasure and a privilege.

Ephesians 1:11-14

11 Brothers and sisters: In Christ we were also chosen, destined in accord with the purpose of the One who accomplishes all things according to the intention of his will, 12 so that we might exist for the praise of his glory, we who first hoped in Christ. 13 In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14which is the first installment of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s possession, to the praise of his glory.

P S A L M

Psalm 33:1-2, 4-5, 12-13

R: Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

1 Exult, you just, in the Lord; praise from the upright is fitting. 2 Give thanks to the Lord on the harp; with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises. (R) 4 For upright is the word of the Lord, and all his works are trustworthy. 5 He loves justice and right; of the kindness of the Lord the earth is full. (R) 12 Blessed the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he has chosen for his own inheritance. 13 From heaven the Lord looks down; he sees all mankind. (R)

GOSPEL

Christians are the leaven in society. Leaven is an important ingredient in baking bread. Without it, the bread hardens like a rock. The same is true of a Christian who does not “leaven” society with his faith. We must live as disciples of Jesus and not allow the witness of our life to be rendered useless in society.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us; who have put our hope in you.

Luke 12:1-7

1 At that time: so many people were crowding together that they were trampling one another underfoot. Jesus began to speak, first to his disciples, “Beware of the leaven — that is, the hypocrisy — of the Pharisees. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. 3 Therefore whatever you have said in the darkness will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops. 4 I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body but after that can do no more. 5 I shall show you whom to fear. Be afraid of the one who after killing has the power to cast into Gehenna; yes, I tell you, be afraid of that one. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two small coins? Yet not one of them has escaped the notice of God. 7 Even the hairs of your head have all been counted. Do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows.”

Daily Readings for October 13, 2016

1ST READING

All good things in life come from God. He wants us to have good lives. Because of sin, we disrupted the order of His creation and we suffer the consequences every day. What can we do about this? We must follow what God asks us to do as His disciple, then gradually emerge from the chaos of sin and rediscover the order of God’s original intention for creation.

Ephesians 1:1-10

1 Paul, an Apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the holy ones who are in Ephesus faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, 4 as he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and without blemish before him. In love 5 he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, 6 for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. 7 In Christ we have redemption by his Blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace 8 that he lavished upon us. In all wisdom and insight, 9 he has made known to us the mystery of his will in accord with his favor that he set forth in him 10 as a plan for the fullness of times, to sum up all things in Christ, in heaven and on earth.

P S A L M

Psalm 98:1, 2-3, 3-4, 5-6

R: The Lord has made known his salvation.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done wondrous deeds; His right hand has won victory for him, his holy arm. (R) 2 The Lord has made his salvation known: in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice. 3 He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness toward the house of Israel. (R) All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation by our God. 4 Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; break into song; sing praise. (R) 5 Sing praise to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and melodious song. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn sing joyfully before the King, the Lord. (R)

GOSPEL

Jesus complains about the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders. We must practice what we preach to avoid being hypocrites ourselves. It will help to reflect daily and examine how we can love our neighbors more and recognize our weaknesses and faults as we strive to be Jesus’ disciples.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me.

Luke 11:47-54

47 The Lord said: “Woe to you who build the memorials of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48 Consequently, you bear witness and give consent to the deeds of your ancestors, for they killed them and you do the building. 49 Therefore, the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and Apostles; some of them they will kill and persecute’ 50 in order that this generation might be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who died between the altar and the temple building. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be charged with their blood! 52 Woe to you, scholars of the law! You have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves did not enter and you stopped those trying to enter.” 53 When Jesus left, the scribes and Pharisees began to act with hostility toward him and to interrogate him about many things, 54 for they were plotting to catch him at something he might say.

Daily Readings for October 12, 2016

1ST READING

Take a close look at the lists of sin and fruit of the Spirit and see what it means for growth in your life. If any of the sins are present or a fruit of the Spirit is lacking in our life, then there is more work to be done. We must learn to judge ourselves before we judge others. Jesus teaches us that how we judge others is the same standard by which God will judge us.

Galatians 5:18-25

18 Brothers and sisters: If you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, licentiousness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, 21 occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.

P S A L M

Psalm 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6

R: Those who follow you, Lord, will have the light of life.

1 Blessed the man who follows not the counsel of the wicked nor walks in the way of sinners, nor sits in the company of the insolent, 2 but delights in the law of the Lord and meditates on his law day and night. (R) 3 He is like a tree planted near running water that yields its fruit in due season, and whose leaves never fade. Whatever he does prospers. (R) 4 Not so the wicked, not so; they are like chaff which the wind drives away. 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the just, but the way of the wicked vanishes. (R)

GOSPEL

Jesus tells the Pharisees that they are right to keep the Law but that is not enough. He reminds them to live with mercy and compassion. It is this teaching that differentiates the New Testament from the Old Testament. The Old Testament Law is not devoid of love and compassion, but it was interpreted and lived out differently.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; I know them, and they follow me.

Luke 11:42-46

42 The Lord said: “Woe to you Pharisees! You pay tithes of mint and of rue and of every garden herb, but you pay no attention to judgment and to love for God. These you should have done, without overlooking the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! You love the seat of honor in synagogues and greetings in marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! You are like unseen graves over which people unknowingly walk.” 45 Then one of the scholars of the law said to him in reply, “Teacher, by saying this you are insulting us too.” 46 And he said, “Woe also to you scholars of the law! You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you yourselves do not lift one finger to touch them.”

Daily Readings for October 11, 2016

1ST READING

Paul realizes that salvation depends on grace and not merely on following the Law. As disciples of Jesus, we must learn to surrender our lives to this grace and allow the Holy Spirit to show us how to live. The Law is still a guide, but the Spirit will help us understand the Law based on our individual situations. This is what Paul means when he says that we live by the Spirit and not the flesh.

Galatians 5:1-6

1 Brothers and sisters: For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery. 2 It is I, Paul, who am telling you that if you have yourselves circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. 3 Once again I declare to every man who has himself circumcised that he is bound to observe the entire law. 4 You are separated from Christ, you who are trying to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. 5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we await the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

P S A L M

Psalm 119:41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48

R: Let your mercy come to me, O Lord.

41 Let your mercy come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise. (R) 43 Take not the word of truth from my mouth, for in your ordinances is my hope. (R) 44 And I will keep your law continually, forever and ever. (R) 45 And I will walk at liberty, because I seek your precepts. (R) 47 And I will delight in your commands, which I love. (R) 48 And I will lift up my hands to your commands and meditate on your statutes. (R)

GOSPEL

Jesus serves His disciples. Each time we celebrate the sacraments, Jesus gives Himself to us for our own sustenance, healing and growth. He has come to serve, not to be served, and this is how He lived His life. Jesus does not demand that His divinity be acknowledged — He does what His Father asks Him to do.  We should follow His lead and serve whether we are recognized or not for our service.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The word of God is living and effective, able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.

Luke 11:37-41

37 After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. 38 The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal. 39 The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. 40 You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? 41 But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”