Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 13, 2017
First Reading: Wisdom 1.1-7
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Psalm 139
1O LORD, you have searched me and known me!2You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar.3You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.4Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether.5You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me.6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.7Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?8If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!9If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,10even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.11If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,"12even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.13For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.14I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.15My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.16Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them.17How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!18If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.19Oh that you would slay the wicked, O God! O men of blood, depart from me!20They speak against you with malicious intent; your enemies take your name in vain!21Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?22I hate them with complete hatred; I count them my enemies.23Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!24And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
Gospel: Luke 17.1-6
1And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!2It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.3Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,4and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."5The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"6And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the essence of wisdom, justice, and the power of faith. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom reminds us to love justice and seek the Lord with a simple heart. It warns that wisdom cannot dwell in a soul dominated by malice or sin, emphasizing the importance of purity and sincerity in our relationship with God. The Gospel from Luke, on the other hand, highlights the importance of forgiveness and faith. Jesus teaches His disciples to correct and forgive one another, even multiple times a day, illustrating the boundless mercy of God. The Apostles, recognizing the challenge of such teachings, ask for increased faith, to which Jesus responds by illustrating the immense power of even the smallest amount of faith.
The connection between these readings lies in their call to trust in God's wisdom and live virtuously. Wisdom is not just knowledge but a way of life that seeks justice and goodness. Similarly, faith is not merely belief but a trust that empowers us to overcome life's challenges. Jesus' teachings on forgiveness remind us that our faith must be active, leading us to reconcile with others and trust in God's providence.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to cultivate wisdom by living justly and seeking God with sincerity. They remind us to practice forgiveness generously, as God forgives us. Let us trust in the power of our faith, no matter how small, knowing it can move mountains. May we strive to live with hearts open to God's wisdom and guided by the faith that transforms our lives and the world around us.