Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 21, 2018
First Reading: Isaiah 53.10-11
10But it was the will of the Lord to crush him with infirmity. If he lays down his life because of sin, he will see offspring with long lives, and the will of the Lord will be directed by his hand11Because his soul has labored, he will see and be satisfied. By his knowledge, my just servant will himself justify many, and he himself will carry their iniquities
Psalm 33
1A Psalm of David. Exult in the Lord, you just ones; together praise the upright2Confess to the Lord with stringed instruments; sing psalms to him with the psaltery, the instrument of ten strings3Sing to him a new song. Sing psalms to him skillfully, with loud exclamation4For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his works are in faith5He loves mercy and judgment. The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord6By the word of the Lord, the heavens were established, and all their power, by the Spirit of his mouth7gathering together the waters of the sea, as if in a container, placing the depths in storage8Let all the earth fear the Lord, and may all the inhabitants of the world quake before him9For he spoke, and they became. He commanded, and they were created10The Lord scatters the counsels of the nations. Moreover, he reproves the thoughts of the people, and he rejects the counsels of the leaders11But the counsel of the Lord remains for eternity, the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation12Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his inheritance13The Lord has looked down from heaven. He has seen all the sons of men14From his well-prepared dwelling place, he has gazed upon all who dwell on the earth15He has formed the hearts of each one of them; he understands all their works16The king is not saved by great power, nor will the giant be saved by his many powers17The horse is false safety; for he will not be saved by the abundance of his powers18Behold, the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him and on those who hope in his mercy19so as to rescue their souls from death and to feed them during famine20Our soul remains with the Lord. For he is our helper and protector21For in him, our heart will rejoice, and in his holy name, we have hoped22Let your mercy be upon us, O Lord, just as we have hoped in you
Second Reading: Hebrews 4.14-16
14Therefore, since we have a great High Priest, who has pierced the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, we should hold to our confession15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to have compassion on our infirmities, but rather one who was tempted in all things, just as we are, yet without sin16Therefore, let us go forth with confidence toward the throne of grace, so that we may obtain mercy, and find grace, in a helpful time
Gospel: Mark 10.35-45
35And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, drew near to him, saying, "Teacher, we wish that whatever we will ask, you would do for us.36But he said to them, "What do you want me to do for you?37And they said, "Grant to us that we may sit, one at your right and the other at your left, in your glory.38But Jesus said to them: "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink from the chalice from which I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am to be baptized?39But they said to him, "We can." Then Jesus said to them: "Indeed, you shall drink from the chalice, from which I drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism, with which I am to be baptized40But to sit at my right, or at my left, is not mine to give to you, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.41And the ten, upon hearing this, began to be indignant toward James and John42But Jesus, calling them, said to them: "You know that those who seem to be leaders among the Gentiles dominate them, and their leaders exercise authority over them43But it is not to be this way among you. Instead, whoever would become greater shall be your minister44and whoever will be first among you shall be the servant of all45So, too, the Son of man has not come so that they would minister to him, but so that he would minister and would give his life as a redemption for many.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through profound lessons on service, humility, and redemption. The first reading from Isaiah presents a prophecy of the suffering servant, who bears the sins of many, highlighting Jesus' role in redemption. The second reading from Hebrews reinforces this by portraying Jesus as the compassionate High Priest, inviting us to approach God with confidence. The Gospel from Mark vividly illustrates Jesus teaching His disciples about true leadership, emphasizing service over power.
These readings interweave the themes of service and humility, showing Jesus as the ultimate servant who redeems through suffering. Isaiah's prophecy finds fulfillment in Jesus, who in Mark's Gospel, teaches that leadership is about serving others. Hebrews bridges this by reminding us of Jesus' compassion, encouraging us to approach God with trust.
In our daily lives, these teachings call us to embrace humility and service. We are invited to follow Jesus' example by prioritizing others' needs and trusting in God's plan. Let us reflect on how we can serve selflessly, just as Jesus did, and find strength in His compassionate heart.