Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 5, 2018
First Reading: Job 38.12-21; 40.3-5
12Did you, after your birth, command the birth of the sun and show the sunrise its place13And did you hold the extremities of the earth, shaking them, and have you shaken the impious out of it14The seal will be restored like clay, and it will remain in place like a garment15From the impious, the light will be taken away, and the exalted arm will be broken16Have you entered the depths of the sea, and have you taken a walk in the uttermost parts of the abyss17Have the gates of death been opened to you, and have you seen the doors of darkness18Have you considered the breadth of the earth? If you know all things, reveal them to me19Which is the way that holds the light, and which is the place of darkness20In this way, you might lead each thing to its final place, and understand the paths of its house21So then, did you know when you were to be born? And did you know the number of your days
Psalm 139
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David. O Lord, you have examined me, and you have known me2You have known my sitting down and my rising up again3You have understood my thoughts from afar. My path and my fate, you have investigated4And you have foreseen all my ways. For there is no word in my tongue5Behold, O Lord, you have known all things: the newest and the very old. You have formed me, and you have placed your hand over me6Your knowledge has become a wonder to me. It has been reinforced, and I am not able to prevail against it7Where will I go from your Spirit? And where will I flee from your face8If I ascend into heaven, you are there. If I descend into Hell, you are near9If I assume my feathers in early morning, and dwell in the utmost parts of the sea10even there, your hand will lead me forth, and your right hand will hold me11And I said: Perhaps darkness will overwhelm me, and the night will be my illumination, to my delight12But darkness will not be impenetrable to you, and night will illuminate like the day: for just as its darkness is, so also is its light13For you have possessed my temperament. You have supported me from the womb of my mother14I will confess to you, for you have been magnified terribly. Your works are miraculous, as my soul knows exceedingly well15My bone, which you have made in secret, has not been hidden from you, and my substance is in accord with the lower parts of the earth16Your eyes saw my imperfection, and all this shall be written in your book. Days will be formed, and no one shall be in them17But to me, O God, your friends have been greatly honored. Their first ruler has been exceedingly strengthened18I will number them, and they will be more numerous than the sand. I rose up, and I am still with you19O God, if only you would cut down sinners. You men of blood: depart from me20For you say in thought: They will accept your cities in vain21Have I not hated those who hated you, Lord, and wasted away because of your enemies22I have hated them with a perfect hatred, and they have become enemies to me23Examine me, O God, and know my heart. Question me, and know my paths24And see if there might be in me the way of iniquity, and lead me in the way of eternity
Gospel: Luke 10.13-16
13Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that have been wrought in you, had been wrought in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in haircloth and ashes14Yet truly, Tyre and Sidon will be forgiven more in the judgment than you will be15And as for you, Capernaum, who would be exalted even up to Heaven: you shall be submerged into Hell16Whoever hears you, hears me. And whoever despises you, despises me. And whoever despises me, despises him who sent me.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound reflections on humility and accountability. The first reading from Job depicts a moment of divine confrontation, where God questions Job about the creation of the world and natural phenomena. Job, humbled by the realization of his own limitations, responds with a deep sense of awe and repentance, acknowledging his place before the Almighty. This passage reminds us of the vastness of God's power and our own finite understanding, urging us to approach life with humility.
The Gospel from Luke shifts our focus to Jesus' reproach of the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. These cities, despite witnessing miracles, failed to repent. Jesus highlights that their accountability is greater due to the opportunities they had, contrasting them with Tyre and Sidon, which would have repented under similar circumstances. This passage underscores the theme of accountability and the consequences of rejecting God's grace.
Both readings tie together through the themes of humility and response to God's presence. Job's humility in the face of divine questioning mirrors the call to repentance in the Gospel. In our daily lives, we are reminded to recognize the blessings and signs God provides. We must approach life with gratitude and humility, acknowledging our limitations and God's sovereignty. The moral lesson is clear: we must respond to God's grace with openness and a willingness to change, avoiding the spiritual complacency that leads to downfall. Let us seek to live in accordance with God's will, embracing humility and repentance as we navigate our faith journey.