Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 4, 2019

First Reading: Romans 11.29-36

²⁹For the gifts and the call of God are without regret³⁰And just as you also, in times past, did not believe in God, but now you have obtained mercy because of their unbelief³¹so also have these now not believed, for your mercy, so that they might obtain mercy also³²For God has enclosed everyone in unbelief, so that he may have mercy on everyone³³Oh, the depths of the richness of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How incomprehensible are his judgments, and how unsearchable are his ways³⁴For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor³⁵Or who first gave to him, so that repayment would be owed³⁶For from him, and through him, and in him are all things. To him is glory, for all eternity. Amen

Psalm 69

Psalms

Chapter 69

¹Unto the end. For those who will be changed: of David. Save me, O God, for the waters have entered, even to my soul²I have become stuck in a deep quagmire, and there is no firm footing. I have arrived at the height of the sea, and a tempest has overwhelmed me³I have endured hardships, while crying out. My jaws have become hoarse; my eyes have failed. Meanwhile, I hope in my God⁴Those who hate me without cause have been multiplied beyond the hairs of my head. My enemies, who persecuted me unjustly, have been strengthened. Then I was required to pay for what I did not take⁵O God, you know my foolishness, and my offenses have not been hidden from you⁶Let those who wait for you, O Lord, the Lord of hosts, not be shamed in me. Let those who seek you, O God of Israel, not be confounded over me⁷For because of you, I have endured reproach; confusion has covered my face⁸I have become a stranger to my brothers and a sojourner to the sons of my mother⁹For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproached you have fallen upon me¹⁰And I covered my soul with fasting, and it has become a reproach to me¹¹And I put on a haircloth as my garment, and I became a parable to them¹²Those who sat at the gate spoke against me, and those who drank wine made me their song¹³But as for me, truly, my prayer is to you, O Lord. This time has pleased you well, O God. In the multitude of your mercy, in the truth of your salvation, hear me¹⁴Rescue me from the quagmire, so that I may not become trapped. Free me from those who hate me and from deep waters¹⁵Do not allow the tempest of water to submerge me, nor the deep to absorb me. And do not allow the well to close in on me¹⁶Hear me, O Lord, for your mercy is kind. Look upon me, according to the fullness of your compassion¹⁷And do not turn your face away from your servant, for I am in trouble: heed me quickly¹⁸Attend to my soul, and free it. Rescue me, because of my enemies¹⁹You know my reproach, and my confusion, and my reverence²⁰All those who trouble me are in your sight; my heart has anticipated reproach and misery. And I sought for one who might grieve together with me, but there was no one, and for one who might console me, and I found no one²¹And they gave me gall for my food. And in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink²²Let their table be a snare before them, and a retribution, and a scandal²³Let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and may their back always be crooked²⁴Pour out your indignation upon them, and may the fury of your anger take hold of them²⁵May their dwelling place be deserted, and may there be no one who dwells in their tabernacles²⁶For they persecuted whomever you struck. And they have added to the grief of my wounds²⁷Assign an iniquity upon their iniquity, and may they not enter into your justice²⁸Delete them from the Book of the Living, and let them not be written down with the just²⁹I am poor and sorrowful, but your salvation, O God, has taken me up³⁰I will praise the name of God with a canticle, and I will magnify him with praise³¹And it will please God more than a new calf producing horns and hoofs³²Let the poor see and rejoice. Seek God, and your soul will live³³For the Lord has heard the poor, and he has not despised his prisoners³⁴Let the heavens and the earth praise him: the sea, and everything that crawls in it³⁵For God will save Zion, and the cities of Judah will be built up. And they will dwell there, and they will acquire it by inheritance³⁶And the offspring of his servants will possess it; and those who love his name will dwell in it

Gospel: Luke 14.12-14

Luke

Chapter 14

¹²Then he also said to the one who had invited him: "When you prepare a lunch or dinner, do not choose to call your friends, or your brothers, or your relatives, or your wealthy neighbors, lest perhaps they might then invite you in return and repayment would made to you¹³But when you prepare a feast, call the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind¹⁴And you will be blessed because they do not have a way to repay you. So then, your recompense will be in the resurrection of the just.

Sermon

In today's readings, we are presented with profound reflections on God's mercy and our call to humility and generosity. The first reading from Romans reminds us that God's gifts and call are irrevocable, and His mercy is available to all. Paul emphasizes the mystery of God's ways, which are beyond human comprehension, yet He showers mercy on everyone. The Gospel from Luke offers a practical lesson: Jesus teaches that true generosity lies in inviting those who cannot repay us, promising that our reward will be in the resurrection. This teaching challenges us to move beyond reciprocal relationships and embrace selfless love. Both readings highlight the theme of God's universal mercy and our response to it. Romans provides the theological foundation, explaining that God's mercy is not limited and is available to all people. Luke then gives us a practical application of this mercy, urging us to extend it to others, especially those on the margins. This connection between the readings encourages us to live out God's mercy in our daily interactions. Applying these teachings to our lives, we are called to humility and trust in God's plan. We should approach others with generosity, not expecting anything in return, mirroring God's unconditional love. The moral lesson here is clear: true humility and trust in God's providence lead us to live selflessly, confident that our ultimate reward comes from Him. Let us embrace this call to mercy and generosity, reflecting God's love in all we do.