Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 12, 2021
First Reading: Wisdom 13.1-9
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Psalm 19
1The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.2Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.3There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.4Their measuring line goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun,5which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.6Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.7The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;8the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;9the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.10More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.11Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.12Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.13Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.14Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Gospel: Luke 17.26-37
26Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.27They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.28Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot--they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,29but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all--30so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.31On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back.32Remember Lot's wife.33Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.34I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left.35There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left."36See Footnote37And they said to him, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between creation, judgment, and our ultimate encounter with God. In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, we hear a critique of those who fail to recognize the true God despite the beauty and order of creation. The author laments that people often mistake the works of God’s hands—like the sun, moon, and natural elements—as gods themselves, rather than acknowledging the Creator who surpasses all His creation. This passage reminds us that creation is not an end in itself but a pointer to the One who brought it all into being. It warns against the idolatry of forgetting the transcendent God in favor of lesser, finite realities.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses the examples of Noah’s flood and the destruction of Sodom to warn His listeners about the suddenness of God’s judgment. He emphasizes that life will seem normal—people will be eating, drinking, buying, and selling—right up until the moment of reckoning. Jesus calls His followers to be vigilant and detached from worldly concerns, urging them not to look back or cling to earthly possessions when the time of reckoning comes. The passage concludes with the enigmatic image of eagles gathering where the body is, suggesting that true discipleship requires a radical orientation toward God’s will.
Together, these readings challenge us to live with a deeper awareness of God’s presence and purpose in our lives. While the first reading warns against reducing God to His creation, the Gospel warns against becoming so consumed by the world that we fail to recognize the signs of God’s action. In our daily lives, this means cultivating a sense of detachment, not in the sense of rejecting the world, but in the sense of not being controlled by it. It means seeking God in all things, recognizing His hand in creation, and staying attentive to His call. Ultimately, these readings remind us that our true home is not in this world but in the eternal life that God offers. Let us strive to live with our hearts fixed on Him, ready to respond whenever He calls.