Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 31, 2019
First Reading: Romans 8.31b-39
31So, what should we say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us32He who did not spare even his own Son, but handed him over for the sake of us all, how could he not also, with him, have given us all things33Who will make an accusation against the elect of God? God is the One who justifies34who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus who has died, and who has indeed also risen again, is at the right hand of God, and even now he intercedes for us35Then who will separate us from the love of Christ? Tribulation? Or anguish? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or peril? Or persecution? Or the sword36For it is as it has been written: "For your sake, we are being put to death all day long. We are being treated like sheep for the slaughter.37But in all these things we overcome, because of him who has loved us38For I am certain that neither death, nor life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, nor the present things, nor the future things, nor strength39nor the heights, nor the depths, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord
Psalm 109
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David2O God, do not be silent toward my praise, for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful one have been opened against me3They have spoken against me with deceitful tongues, and they have surrounded me with hateful words, and they fought against me over nothing4Instead of choosing to act on my behalf, they detracted me. But I gave myself to prayer5And they set evil against me, instead of good, and hatred, in return for my love6Establish the sinner over him, and let the devil stand at his right hand7When he is judged, may he go forth in condemnation, and may his prayer be counted as sin8May his days be few, and let another take his episcopate9May his sons be orphans, and his wife a widow10May his sons be carried by those who walk unsteadily, and may they go begging. And may they be cast out of their dwelling places11May the money lenders scrutinize all his belongings, and let foreigners plunder his labors12May there be no one to assist him, nor anyone to be compassionate to his orphaned children13May his posterity be in utter ruin. In one generation, may his name be wiped away14May the iniquity of his fathers return in memory before the sight of the Lord, and do not let the sin of his mother be wiped away15May these be opposite the Lord always, but let their memory perish from the earth16For certain things are not remembered about them, in order to be merciful17And so the destitute man was pursued, with the beggar and the remorseful in heart, so as to be put to death18And he loved a curse, and it came to him. And he was unwilling to have a blessing, and it went far from him. And he clothed himself with curses like a garment, and it entered his inner self like water, and it entered his bones like oil19May it be to him like a garment that covers him, and like a belt that always cinches him20This is the work of those who detract me with the Lord and who speak evils against my soul21But as for you, Lord, O Lord: act on my behalf for your name’s sake. For your mercy is sweet22Free me, for I am destitute and poor, and my heart has been disquieted within me23I have been taken away like a shadow when it declines, and I have been shaken off like locusts24My knees have been weakened by fasting, and my flesh has been replaced by oil25And I have become a disgrace to them. They saw me, and they shook their heads26Help me, O Lord, my God. Save me according to your mercy27And let them know that this is your hand, and that you, O Lord, have done this28They will curse, and you will bless. May those who rise up against me be confounded. But your servant will rejoice29May those who detract me be clothed with shame, and may they be covered with their confusion, as if with a double cloak30I will confess exceedingly to the Lord with my mouth. And I will praise him in the midst of the multitude31For he stands at the right hand of the poor, in order to save my soul from persecutors
Gospel: Luke 13.31-35
31On the same day, some of the Pharisees approached, saying to him: "Depart, and go away from here. For Herod wishes to kill you.32And he said to them: "Go and tell that fox: ‘Behold, I cast out demons and accomplish healings, today and tomorrow. And on the third day I reach the end.33Yet truly, it is necessary for me to walk today and tomorrow and the following day. For it does not fall to a prophet to perish beyond Jerusalem34Jerusalem, Jerusalem! You kill the prophets, and you stone those who are sent to you. Daily, I wanted to gather together your children, in the manner of a bird with her nest under her wings, but you were not willing35Behold, your house will be left desolate for you. But I say to you, that you shall not see me, until it happens that you say: ‘Blessed is he who has arrived in the name of the Lord.’
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the depth of God’s love and the challenges of living out that love in a world often resistant to it. In the first reading from Romans, St. Paul assures us that nothing—no trial, no suffering, no power in creation—can separate us from the love of God poured into our hearts through Christ Jesus. This is a profound statement of hope and trust, reminding us that even in the darkest moments, we are not alone or abandoned. God’s love is not conditional; it is not withdrawn when we face difficulty or when we fail. It endures all things, and it is this love that gives us the strength to overcome every adversity.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks with both determination and sorrow. He knows that Herod seeks to kill him, yet he continues his mission, undeterred. He laments over Jerusalem, which has rejected the prophets and refused to accept the love and protection he offers. Jesus’ words reveal the tension between the steadfastness of God’s love and the freedom of human response. While God’s love is unwavering, we are free to accept or reject it. Jesus’ sorrow over Jerusalem is a reminder that God’s love is not imposed; it must be received with openness and humility.
These readings call us to reflect on how we live out God’s love in our own lives. Like St. Paul, we are to trust in the unshakable love of God, even when the world around us seems hostile or uncertain. Like Jesus, we are to persevere in our mission to share that love, even when it is rejected. In our daily lives, this means facing challenges with faith, loving those who may not love us in return, and remaining steadfast in our commitment to follow Christ. Let us ask ourselves: Do I truly trust in God’s love? Am I willing to share that love, even when it is difficult? May we, like Jesus, embrace the cross with courage and hope, knowing that God’s love is our ultimate victory.