Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 17, 2020

First Reading: Ephesians 1.15-23

¹⁵Because of this, and hearing of your faith that is in the Lord Jesus, and of your love toward all the saints¹⁶I have not ceased giving thanks for you, calling you to mind in my prayers¹⁷so that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give a spirit of wisdom and of revelation to you, in knowledge of him¹⁸May the eyes of your heart be illuminated, so that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and the wealth of the glory of his inheritance with the saints¹⁹and the preeminent magnitude of his virtue toward us, toward we who believe in accord with the work of his powerful virtue²⁰which he wrought in Christ, raising him from the dead and establishing him at his right hand in the heavens²¹above every principality and power and virtue and dominion, and above every name that is given, not only in this age, but even in the future age²²And he has subjected all things under his feet, and he has made him the head over the entire Church²³which is his body and which is the fullness of him who accomplishes everything in everyone

Psalm 8

Psalms

Chapter 8

¹Unto the end. For the oil and wine presses. A Psalm of David. O Lord, our Lord, how admirable is your name throughout all the earth! For your magnificence is elevated above the heavens²Out of the mouths of babes and infants, you have perfected praise, because of your enemies, so that you may destroy the enemy and the revenger³For I will behold your heavens, the works of your fingers: the moon and the stars, which you have founded⁴What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you visit him⁵You reduced him to a little less than the Angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor⁶and you have set him over the works of your hands⁷You have subjected all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and in addition: the beasts of the field⁸the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, which pass through the paths of the sea⁹O Lord, our Lord, how admirable is your name throughout all the earth

Gospel: Luke 12.8-12

Luke

Chapter 12

⁸But I say to you: Everyone who will have confessed me before men, the Son of man will also confess him before the Angels of God⁹But everyone who will have denied me before men, he will be denied before the Angels of God¹⁰And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven of him. But of him who will have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven¹¹And when they will lead you to the synagogues, and to magistrates and authorities, do not choose to be worried about how or what you will answer, or about what you might say¹²For the Holy Spirit will teach you, in the same hour, what you must say.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between faith, hope, and the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. In the first reading from Ephesians, St. Paul expresses his gratitude for the faith of the Ephesians and prays that they may receive a spirit of wisdom and revelation to deepen their understanding of God’s plan for them. He reminds them of the hope of their calling and the immense inheritance they have in Christ, who is the head of the Church, his body. This passage emphasizes the richness of God’s grace and the unity of all believers in Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches about the importance of confessing him before others and warns about the gravity of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. He reassures his disciples that when they face persecution or trials, the Holy Spirit will guide them in what to say. This passage underscores the central role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, especially in moments of challenge or uncertainty. Together, the readings highlight the interplay between faith, hope, and the divine assistance we receive through the Holy Spirit. As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are reminded to trust in the Holy Spirit’s guidance, especially when we face difficult decisions or challenges. Like the Ephesians, we are called to live with hope and confidence in God’s plan for us. Let us strive to be faithful witnesses to Christ, knowing that the Holy Spirit will empower us to live out our faith courageously. May we also deepen our understanding of God’s love and the unity we share as members of Christ’s body, the Church.