Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 5, 2024

First Reading: Philippians 2.5-11

⁵For this understanding in you was also in Christ Jesus⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be seized⁷Instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and accepting the state of a man⁸He humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, even the death of the Cross⁹Because of this, God has also exalted him and has given him a name which is above every name¹⁰so that, at the name of Jesus, every knee would bend, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those in hell¹¹and so that every tongue would confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father

Psalm 22

Psalms

Chapter 22

¹Unto the end. For the tasks of early morning. A Psalm of David. O God, my God, look upon me. Why have you forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my offenses²My God, I will cry out by day, and you will not heed, and by night, and it will not be foolishness for me³But you dwell in holiness, O Praise of Israel⁴In you, our fathers have hoped. They hoped, and you freed them⁵They cried out to you, and they were saved. In you, they hoped and were not confounded⁶But I am a worm and not a man: a disgrace among men, and an outcast of the people⁷All those who saw me have derided me. They have spoken with the lips and shook the head⁸He has hoped in the Lord, let him rescue him. Let him save him because he chooses him⁹For you are the one who has drawn me out of the womb, my hope from the breasts of my mother¹⁰I have been thrown upon you from the womb; from the womb of my mother, you are my God¹¹Do not depart from me. For tribulation is near, since there is no one who may help me¹²Many calves have surrounded me; fat bulls have besieged me¹³They have opened their mouths over me, just like a lion seizing and roaring¹⁴And so, I have been poured out like water, and all my bones have been scattered. My heart has become like wax, melting in the midst of my chest¹⁵My strength has dried up like clay, and my tongue has adhered to my jaws. And you have pulled me down, into the dust of death¹⁶For many dogs have surrounded me. The council of the malicious has besieged me. They have pierced my hands and feet¹⁷They have numbered all my bones. And they have examined me and stared at me¹⁸They divided my garments among them, and over my vestment, they cast lots¹⁹But you, O Lord, do not take your help far from me; be attentive to my defense²⁰O God, rescue my soul from the spear, and my only one from the hand of the dog²¹Save me from the mouth of the lion, and my humility from the horns of the single-horned beast²²I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the Church, I will praise you²³You who fear the Lord, praise him. All the offspring of Jacob, glorify him²⁴May all the offspring of Israel fear him. For he has neither spurned nor despised the pleas of the poor. Neither has he turned his face away from me. And when I cried out to him, he heeded me²⁵My praise is with you, within a great church. I will pay my vows in the sight of those who fear him²⁶The poor will eat and be satisfied, and those who yearn for the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will live forever and ever²⁷All the ends of the earth will remember, and they will be converted to the Lord. And all the families of the Gentiles will adore in his sight²⁸For the kingdom belongs to the Lord, and he will have dominion over the Gentiles²⁹All the fat of the earth have gnashed their teeth, and they have adored. In his sight, they will fall down, all those who descend to the ground³⁰And my soul will live for him, and my offspring will serve him³¹There will be announced for the Lord a future generation, and the heavens will announce his justice to a people who will be born, whom the Lord has made

Gospel: Luke 14.15-24

Luke

Chapter 14

¹⁵When someone sitting at table with him had heard these things, he said to him, "Blessed is he who will eat bread in the kingdom of God.¹⁶So he said to him: "A certain man prepared a great feast, and he invited many¹⁷And he sent his servant, at the hour of the feast, to tell the invited to come; for now everything was ready¹⁸And at once they all began to make excuses. The first said to him: ‘I bought a farm, and I need to go out and see it. I ask you to excuse me.¹⁹And another said: ‘I bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine them. I ask you to excuse me.²⁰And another said, ‘I have taken a wife, and therefore I am not able to go.²¹And returning, the servant reported these things to his lord. Then the father of the family, becoming angry, said to his servant: ‘Go out quickly into the streets and neighborhoods of the city. And lead here the poor, and the disabled, and the blind, and the lame.²²And the servant said: ‘It has been done, just as you ordered, lord, and there is still room.²³And the lord said to the servant: ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel them to enter, so that my house may be filled²⁴For I tell you, that none of those men who were invited will taste of my feast.’

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter profound reflections on humility and God’s grace. The passage from Philippians presents a hymn that highlights Christ’s self-emptying and obedience, leading to His exaltation. This serves as a model for believers to embrace humility and service. In the Gospel, Luke shares a parable where a master’s invitation to a feast is rejected by the comfortable, only to be accepted by the marginalized. This parable critiques complacency and emphasizes God’s preference for the humble. Both readings underscore the importance of humility and openness to God’s invitation. Christ’s humility in Philippians leads to His glorification, while in Luke, the humble and marginalized are those who truly respond to God’s call. This duality reminds us that true faith requires humility and a willingness to prioritize God’s invitation above worldly concerns. In our daily lives, this teaches us to avoid complacency and self-reliance. We are called to examine our priorities, ensuring we do not let earthly distractions hinder our response to God. The moral lesson is clear: humility and openness to God’s invitation are essential. Let us reflect on our own response to God’s call, striving to embrace humility and follow Christ wholeheartedly.