Daily Readings for September 22, 2018

1st READING 

God’s final gift to us is the resurrection of the body. We receive this gift as we enter heaven for all eternity. Nothing can change our destiny. This life transformation from mortal to immortal is possible by God’s power. It is His grace that brings us salvation.

1 Corinthians 15:35-37, 42-49

35 Brothers and sisters: Someone may say, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come back?” 36 You fool! What you sow is not brought to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be but a bare kernel of wheat, perhaps, or of some other kind. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown corruptible; it is raised incorruptible. 43 It is sown dishonorable; it is raised glorious. It is sown weak; it is raised powerful. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual one. 45 So, too, it is written, The first man, Adam, became a living being, the last Adam a life-giving spirit. 46 But the spiritual was not first; rather the natural and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, earthly; the second man, from heaven. 48 As was the earthly one, so also are the earthly, and as is the heavenly one, so also are the heavenly. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthly one, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly one.

P S A L M 

Psalm 56:10-12, 13-14

R: I will walk in the presence of God, in the light of the living.

9 [10] Now I know that God is with me. 10 [11] In God, in whose promise I glory, 11 [12] in God I trust without fear; what can flesh do against me? (R) 12 [13] I am bound, O God, by vows to you; your thank offerings I will fullfill. 13 [14] For you have rescued me from death, my feet, too, from stumbling; that I may walk before God in the light of the living. (R)

GOSPEL

Don’t worry; be happy! This sentiment tells us not to allow the troubles of life to choke us and hinder the work of God in us. No matter how hard it gets to follow Jesus, we need to trust that we are in God’s hands and that He will see us through it by His grace. God’s grace is our insurance against the choking nature of sin.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Blessed are they who have kept the word with a generous heart and yield a harvest through perseverance. 

Luke 8:4-15

4 When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another journeying to Jesus, he spoke in a parable. 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled, and the birds of the sky ate it up. 6 Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew, it withered for lack of moisture. 7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. 8 And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” After saying this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” 9 Then his disciples asked him what the meaning of this parable might be. 10 He answered, “Knowledge of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you; but to the rest, they are made known through parables so that they may look but not see, and hear but not understand. 11 “This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God. 12 Those on the path are the ones who have heard, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe only for a time and fall away in time of temptation. 14 As for the seed that fell among thorns, they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, and they fail to produce mature fruit. 15 But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.”

Daily Readings for September 21, 2018

Feast of St. Matthew, Apostle

1st READING

Let us be grateful to the people who wrote the Scriptures and formed them into the canon that we have today. Without the Scriptures, it would be difficult to know the riches and mercy of God’s love. In the Scriptures we have a source of revelation of God’s nature and character, and His desire to be in relationship with us.

Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13

1 Brothers and sisters: I, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, 3 striving to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace: 4 one Body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 11 And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the Body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the extent of the full stature of Christ.

P S A L M 

Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5

R: Their message goes out through all the earth.

1 [2] The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. 2 [3] Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge. (R) 3 [4] Not a word nor a discourse whose voice is not heard; 4 [5] through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message. (R)

GOSPEL 

As a tax collector and collaborator with the Romans, Matthew is something of an outcast and pariah with his own people. That Jesus calls him and he becomes one of His disciples is proof that the Gospel He proclaims is for everyone and not just an elite few. Let us remember that the Gospel is for everyone as we share it with others.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

We praise you, O God, we acclaim you as Lord; the glorious company of Apostles praise you.

Matthew 9:9-13

9 As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 10 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat with Jesus and his disciples. 11 The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 He heard this and said, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. 13 Go and learn the meaning of the words, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Daily Readings for September 20, 2018

1st READING 

Paul is proud of his efforts in proclaiming the Gospel. He has been tireless in its service. He knows grace is essential for the work of salvation and that all he has achieved is through God’s grace at work in his life. Paul gave his life in the service of the Gospel. Let his commitment inspire us to follow and proclaim Jesus no matter what our situation in life may be.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

1 I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the Gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. 2 Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures; 4 that he was buried; that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures; 5 that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 After that he appeared to James, then to all the Apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me. 9 For I am the least of the Apostles, not t to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been ineffective. Indeed, I have toiled harder than all of them; not I, however, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Therefore, whether it be I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

P S A L M 

Psalm 118:1-2, 16-17, 28

R: Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy endures forever. 2 Let the house of Israel say, “His mercy endures forever.” (R) 16 The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord has struck with power. 17 I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. (R) 28 You are my God, and I give thanks to you; O my God, I extol you. (R)

GOSPEL

We will have opportunities to show love and mercy to others. Jesus affirms in today’s parable that the greater the mercy shown, the greater will be the appreciation of the recipient of mercy. Let us outdo one another in showing love and mercy so that the mercy and love of God will abound evermore.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

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

Luke 7:36-50

36 A certain Pharisee invited Jesus to dine with him, and he entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at table. 37 Now there was a sinful woman in the city who learned that he was at table in the house of the Pharisee. Bringing an alabaster flask of ointment, 38 she stood behind him at his feet weeping and began to bathe his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus said to him in reply, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people were in debt to a certain creditor; one owed five hundred days’ wages and the other owed fifty. 42 Since they were unable to repay the debt, he forgave it for both. Which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon said in reply, “The one, I suppose, whose larger debt was forgiven.” He said to him, “You have judged rightly.” 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. 46 You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. 47 So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” 48 He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The others at table said to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 But he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Daily Readings for September 19, 2018

1st READING

Today’s reading is Paul’s magnificent elegy to love. He describes love as a decision and not a feeling. The language we often use for love is rooted in our feelings. We have to be careful because our feelings could overwhelm our love. Love is a decision we have to make, regardless of how we feel.

1 Corinthians 12:31–13:13

31 Brothers and sisters: Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts. But I shall show you a still more excellent way. 13:1 If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, love is not pompous, it is not inflated, 5 it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, 6 it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. If there are prophecies, they will be brought to nothing; if tongues, they will cease; if knowledge, it will be brought to nothing. 9 For we know partially and we prophesy partially, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I used to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things. 12 At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. 13 So faith, hope, love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

P S A L M 

Psalm 33:2-3, 4-5, 12, 22

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

2 Give thanks to the Lord on the harp; with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises. 3 Sing to him a new song; pluck the strings skillfully with shouts of gladness. (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. 22 May your kindness, O Lord, be upon us who have put our hope in you. (R) 

GOSPEL  

We need more than feelings as motivation for discipleship. Discipleship involves hardship and suffering and we need to persevere even to the point of death. Our feelings are unreliable as a guide to the truth. Let us keep our minds and hearts fixed on the love of God as we follow His call. May we focus on Him and not be led astray by our feelings that seek comfort and consolation, rather than obedience to His will.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life, you have the words of everlasting life.

Luke 7:31-35

31 Jesus said to the crowds: “To what shall I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance. We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’ 33 For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine, and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ 35 But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

Daily Readings for September 18, 2018

1st READING

We have no reason to be jealous of the gifts of others because there are many gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds us that different gifts are needed for the ministries in the Church. We have a part to play in God’s plan. Let us be grateful for the gifts we have been given and be faithful in using them to serve the Gospel.

1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 27-31

12 Brothers and sisters: As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit. 14 Now the body is not a single part, but many. 27 Now you are Christ’s Body, and individually parts of it. 28 Some people God has designated in the Church to be, first, Apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then, mighty deeds; then, gifts of healing, assistance, administration, and varieties of tongues. 29 Are all Apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work mighty deeds? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

P S A L M 

Psalm 100:1-2, 3, 4, 5

R: We are his people: the sheep of his flock.

1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, all you lands; 2 serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful song. (R) 3 Know that the Lord is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends. (R) 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise; Give thanks to him; bless his name. (R) 5 For he is good, the Lord, whose kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (R)

GOSPEL 

It is tragic for a widow to lose her only son who will care for her in her old age. Today’s healing is similar to miracles worked by both Elijah and Elisha. It places Jesus in Israel’s prophetic tradition. This truth is evident to any Jew. As Christians, we know that Jesus fulfills the Law and draws together these two traditions in the Gospel He preaches. We see in Jesus the fulfillment of God’s promises to the Jews through Abraham.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people. 

Luke 7:11-17

11 Jesus journeyed to a city called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd accompanied him. 12 As he drew near to the gate of the city, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. A large crowd from the city was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, he was moved with pity for her and said to her, “Do not weep.” 14 He stepped forward and touched the coffin; at this the bearers halted, and he said, “Young man, I tell you, arise!” 15 The dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. 16 Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen in our midst,” and “God has visited his people.” 17 This report about him spread through the whole of Judea and in all the surrounding region.