Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 9, 2019
First Reading: Jonah 4.1-11
1But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.2And he prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.3Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live."4And the LORD said, "Do you do well to be angry?"5Jonah went out of the city and sat to the east of the city and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, till he should see what would become of the city.6Now the LORD God appointed a plant and made it come up over Jonah, that it might be a shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort. So Jonah was exceedingly glad because of the plant.7But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the plant, so that it withered.8When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, "It is better for me to die than to live."9But God said to Jonah, "Do you do well to be angry for the plant?" And he said, "Yes, I do well to be angry, angry enough to die."10And the LORD said, "You pity the plant, for which you did not labor, nor did you make it grow, which came into being in a night and perished in a night.11And should not I pity Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know their right hand from their left, and also much cattle?"
Psalm 86
1Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.2Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you--you are my God.3Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day.4Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.5For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.6Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace.7In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me.8There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.9All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.10For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.11Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.12I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.13For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.14O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seek my life, and they do not set you before them.15But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.16Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant.17Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
Gospel: Luke 11.1-4
1Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples."2And he said to them, "When you pray, say: "Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.3Give us each day our daily bread,4and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on prayer, compassion, and the relationship between our desires and God’s will. In the first reading from Jonah, we see the prophet’s frustration and anger when God spares the city of Nineveh. Jonah had grown attached to a plant that provided him shade, and when it withered, he was inconsolable. God used this moment to teach Jonah a lesson about compassion and the value of life, pointing out that Jonah grieved for a plant he did not even cultivate, while God was merciful to an entire city of people who did not know right from wrong. This story highlights Jonah’s limited perspective and God’s boundless mercy.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray. The Lord’s Prayer, as it has come to be known, is a model of simplicity and depth. It begins with reverence for God’s name, a longing for His kingdom, and a request for daily bread. It then moves to forgiveness and protection from temptation. This prayer reminds us that our relationship with God should be rooted in humility, trust, and a recognition of our dependence on Him. It also calls us to live in harmony with others, forgiving as we are forgiven.
These readings connect in their emphasis on aligning our hearts with God’s will. Jonah’s anger and attachment to the plant reveal a lack of trust in God’s plan, while the Lord’s Prayer teaches us to seek God’s will above our own. In our daily lives, we are often like Jonah, clinging to things that are fleeting or focusing on our own desires rather than God’s larger purpose. The readings encourage us to pray with sincerity, to trust in God’s mercy, and to cultivate compassion for others, just as God has shown compassion to us. Let us strive to live with humility, gratitude, and a heart open to God’s will.