Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 3, 2018
First Reading: Job 9.1-12, 14-16
1And Job, responding, said2Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God3If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times4He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace5He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it6He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble7He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal8He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea9He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south10He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered11If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand12If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, "Why did you do so?14what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him15And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge16And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice
Psalm 88
1A Canticle Psalm to the sons of Korah. Unto the end. For Mahalath, to answer the understanding of Heman the Ezrahite. O Lord, God of my salvation: I have cried out, day and night, in your presence2Let my prayer enter in your sight. Incline your ear to my petition3For my soul has been filled with evils, and my life has drawn near to Hell4I am considered to be among those who will descend into the pit. I have become like a man without assistance5idle among the dead. I am like the wounded sleeping in sepulchers, whom you no longer remember, and who have been repelled by your hand6They have lain me in the lower pit: in dark places and in the shadow of death7Your fury has been confirmed over me. And you have brought all your waves upon me8You have sent my acquaintances far from me. They have set me as an abomination to themselves. I was handed over, yet I did not depart9My eyes languished before destitution. All day long, I cried out to you, O Lord. I stretched out my hands to you10Will you perform wonders for the dead? Or will physicians raise to life, and so confess to you11Could anyone declare your mercy in the sepulcher, or your truth from within perdition12Will your wonders be known in the darkness, or your justice in the land of oblivion13And I have cried out to you, O Lord, and in early morning, my prayer will come before you14Lord, why do you reject my prayer? Why do you turn your face away from me15I am poor, and I have been amid hardships from my youth. And, though I have been exalted, I am humbled and disturbed16Your wrath has crossed into me, and your terrors have disturbed me17They have surrounded me like water, all day long. They have surrounded me, all at once18Friend and neighbor, and my acquaintances, you have sent far away from me, away from misery
Gospel: Luke 9.57-62
57And it happened that, as they were walking along the way, someone said to him, "I will follow you, wherever you will go.58Jesus said to him: "Foxes have dens, and the birds of the air have nests. But the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.59Then he said to another, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.60And Jesus said to him: "Let the dead bury their dead. But you go and announce the kingdom of God.61And another said: "I will follow you, Lord. But permit me first to explain this to those of my house.62Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow, and then looks back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between humility, trust, and discipleship. In the first reading from Job, we encounter a man overwhelmed by the majesty and power of God. Job acknowledges that humanity cannot justify itself before God, for God’s ways are incomprehensible and His strength unmatched. He humbly recognizes that even if he were to try to argue his case, he would not fully understand God’s ways. This passage reminds us of the limits of human understanding and the importance of surrendering to God’s will with humility and trust.
In the Gospel, Jesus calls His disciples to radical commitment. He challenges them to prioritize the kingdom of God above all else, even over family obligations and personal comfort. The would-be followers in the Gospel are hesitant, tied down by worldly concerns, but Jesus insists that true discipleship requires letting go of such attachments. His words are stark: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” This teaching underscores the need for unwavering focus and trust in following Christ, even when the path is difficult or uncertain.
Together, these readings call us to embrace humility and trust in our relationship with God. Like Job, we must acknowledge our limitations and surrender to God’s plan, even when it doesn’t make sense to us. Like the disciples, we are called to radical commitment, putting God’s will above our own desires and distractions. In our daily lives, this means letting go of the need to control everything and instead trusting in God’s providence. It means being willing to step out in faith, even when the road ahead is unclear. May we learn to trust in God’s goodness and follow Him with hearts fully surrendered.