Daily Readings - Tue Nov 11 2025

Wisdom

Chapter 2

²³For God created man to be immortal, and he made him in the image of his own likeness²⁴But by the envy of the devil, death entered the world²⁵yet they imitate him, who are from his side

¹But the souls of the just are in the hand of God and no torment of death will touch them²In the eyes of the foolish, they seemed to die, and their departure was considered an affliction³and their going away from us, a banishment. Yet they are in peace⁴And though, in the sight of men, they suffered torments, their hope is full of immortality⁵Troubled in few things, in many things they will be well compensated, because God has tested them and found them worthy of himself⁶Like gold in the furnace, he has proved them, and as a holocaust victim, he has received them, and in the time of their visitatio⁷they will shine, and they will dash about like sparks among stubble⁸They will judge the nations and they will rule over the people, and their Lord will reign forever⁹Those who trust in him, will understand the truth, and those who are faithful in love will rest in him, because grace and peace is for his elect

Luke

Chapter 17

⁷But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, would say to him, as he was returning from the field, ‘Come in immediately; sit down to eat,⁸and would not say to him: ‘Prepare my dinner; gird yourself and minister to me, while I eat and drink; and after these things, you shall eat and drink?⁹Would he be grateful to that servant, for doing what he commanded him to do¹⁰I think not. So too, when you have done all these things that have been taught to you, you should say: ‘We are useless servants. We have done what we should have done.’

Sermon

The first reading from the Book of Wisdom reminds us that God created humanity for immortality, fashioned in His own image. However, death entered the world through the envy of the devil. Despite this, the souls of the just remain in God’s hands, untouched by death’s torment. To the foolish, the righteous may seem to die or suffer, but in truth, they are at peace, tested and refined like gold in a furnace. They will shine in the time of God’s visitation and judge the nations, reigning with the Lord forever. This passage assures us that those who trust in God and remain faithful will understand the truth and find rest in His love. The Gospel from Luke presents a parable about a servant and his master. Jesus asks if a master would immediately welcome a servant who has just finished working in the field to sit and eat. He points out that the master would instead expect the servant to prepare dinner and serve first. Jesus then applies this to our relationship with God: when we have done all that we are commanded, we should not expect praise but rather humbly acknowledge that we have only done our duty. This teaching emphasizes the virtue of humility and the recognition that our service to God and others is not for earthly reward but out of love and obedience. Both readings invite us to reflect on our attitude toward suffering and service. The Book of Wisdom encourages us to trust in God’s plan, even in the face of suffering, knowing that our ultimate peace and glory are in Him. The Gospel calls us to embrace humility, recognizing that our efforts to live according to God’s will are not for our own glory but as a response to His grace. In daily life, this means accepting challenges with faith, serving others without seeking recognition, and finding joy in doing God’s will. Let us strive to live as “useless servants,” humbly trusting in God’s love and providence.