Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 31, 2019
First Reading: Romans 8.31b-39
31What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?32He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?33Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.34Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?36As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.38For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,39nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Psalm 109
1Be not silent, O God of my praise!2For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me, speaking against me with lying tongues.3They encircle me with words of hate, and attack me without cause.4In return for my love they accuse me, but I give myself to prayer.5So they reward me evil for good, and hatred for my love.6Appoint a wicked man against him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.7When he is tried, let him come forth guilty; let his prayer be counted as sin!8May his days be few; may another take his office!9May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow!10May his children wander about and beg, seeking food far from the ruins they inhabit!11May the creditor seize all that he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil!12Let there be none to extend kindness to him, nor any to pity his fatherless children!13May his posterity be cut off; may his name be blotted out in the second generation!14May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out!15Let them be before the LORD continually, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth!16For he did not remember to show kindness, but pursued the poor and needy and the brokenhearted, to put them to death.17He loved to curse; let curses come upon him! He did not delight in blessing; may it be far from him!18He clothed himself with cursing as his coat; may it soak into his body like water, like oil into his bones!19May it be like a garment that he wraps around him, like a belt that he puts on every day!20May this be the reward of my accusers from the LORD, of those who speak evil against my life!21But you, O GOD my Lord, deal on my behalf for your name's sake; because your steadfast love is good, deliver me!22For I am poor and needy, and my heart is stricken within me.23I am gone like a shadow at evening; I am shaken off like a locust.24My knees are weak through fasting; my body has become gaunt, with no fat.25I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they wag their heads.26Help me, O LORD my God! Save me according to your steadfast love!27Let them know that this is your hand; you, O LORD, have done it!28Let them curse, but you will bless! They arise and are put to shame, but your servant will be glad!29May my accusers be clothed with dishonor; may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a cloak!30With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD; I will praise him in the midst of the throng.31For he stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who condemn his soul to death.
Gospel: Luke 13.31-35
31At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you."32And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.33Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.'34O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!35Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the depth of God’s love and the challenges of living out that love in a world often resistant to it. In the first reading from Romans, St. Paul assures us that nothing—no trial, no suffering, no power in creation—can separate us from the love of God poured into our hearts through Christ Jesus. This is a profound statement of hope and trust, reminding us that even in the darkest moments, we are not alone or abandoned. God’s love is not conditional; it is not withdrawn when we face difficulty or when we fail. It endures all things, and it is this love that gives us the strength to overcome every adversity.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks with both determination and sorrow. He knows that Herod seeks to kill him, yet he continues his mission, undeterred. He laments over Jerusalem, which has rejected the prophets and refused to accept the love and protection he offers. Jesus’ words reveal the tension between the steadfastness of God’s love and the freedom of human response. While God’s love is unwavering, we are free to accept or reject it. Jesus’ sorrow over Jerusalem is a reminder that God’s love is not imposed; it must be received with openness and humility.
These readings call us to reflect on how we live out God’s love in our own lives. Like St. Paul, we are to trust in the unshakable love of God, even when the world around us seems hostile or uncertain. Like Jesus, we are to persevere in our mission to share that love, even when it is rejected. In our daily lives, this means facing challenges with faith, loving those who may not love us in return, and remaining steadfast in our commitment to follow Christ. Let us ask ourselves: Do I truly trust in God’s love? Am I willing to share that love, even when it is difficult? May we, like Jesus, embrace the cross with courage and hope, knowing that God’s love is our ultimate victory.