Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 20, 2018

First Reading: Ephesians 1.15-23

¹⁵For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints,¹⁶I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,¹⁷that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,¹⁸having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,¹⁹and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might²⁰that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,²¹far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.²²And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,²³which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Psalm 8

Psalms

Chapter 8

¹O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.²Out of the mouth of babes and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger.³When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,⁴what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?⁵Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.⁶You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,⁷all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,⁸the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.⁹O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

Gospel: Luke 12.8-12

Luke

Chapter 12

⁸"And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God,⁹but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.¹⁰And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.¹¹And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say,¹²for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

Sermon

In today's readings, we explore the profound relationship between faith, wisdom, and the Holy Spirit. The first reading from Ephesians highlights Paul's gratitude for the Ephesians' faith and love, as he prays for their enlightenment and understanding of God's plan. He emphasizes the hope and inheritance believers have in Christ, who is exalted above all creation as the head of the Church. This passage underscores the richness of our spiritual inheritance and the unity we share in Christ's body. The Gospel from Luke shifts focus to Jesus' teachings on confession and the Holy Spirit's role. Jesus assures us that acknowledging Him before others will be met with His acknowledgment before the angels, while denial leads to denial. He also warns against blaspheming the Holy Spirit, the only unforgivable sin. Jesus then comforts His followers, promising that the Holy Spirit will guide their words when they face persecution or scrutiny. These readings together remind us of the Holy Spirit's vital role in our lives. Ephesians shows the Spirit as the source of wisdom and revelation, while Luke portrays the Spirit as our guide in times of trial. In our daily lives, this means trusting in the Spirit's guidance, especially in our speech and actions. When we face challenges, we can rely on the Spirit's wisdom to navigate them with grace and truth. The moral lesson here is one of faithfulness and trust, encouraging us to remain steadfast in our confession of Christ and open to the Spirit's leading. By doing so, we embody the hope and unity that define our life in Christ.