Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 2, 2022
First Reading: Job 19.1, 23-27
1Then Job answered and said:23"Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book!24Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!25For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.26And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God,27whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me!
Psalm 103
1Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,3who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,4who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,5who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.6The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.7He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.9He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.10He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;12as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.13As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.14For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.15As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field;16for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.17But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children,18to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.19The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.20Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!21Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!22Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!
Gospel: John 12.23-26
23And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.24Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.25Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.26If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound reflections on suffering, hope, and redemption. The first reading from Job presents a man in the depths of anguish, yet unwavering in his faith. Job, despite his immense suffering, declares his trust in a Redeemer who will one day vindicate him. His words are a testament to the enduring power of hope, even in the darkest of times. The Gospel from John shifts our focus to Jesus, who speaks of the necessity of self-sacrifice. Using the metaphor of the grain of wheat, Jesus teaches that true life comes through death to self, emphasizing that those who follow him must embrace this path of service and surrender.
These readings, though separated by centuries, are deeply connected. Job's hope for a Redeemer finds its fulfillment in Jesus, who through his own death and resurrection, reveals the ultimate act of self-giving love. Both readings invite us to reflect on the paradox of suffering and its role in our spiritual journey. Job's faith in the face of adversity and Jesus' call to self-denial remind us that our struggles, when embraced with trust in God, can lead to transformation and new life.
In our daily lives, these teachings challenge us to reevaluate our approach to suffering and self-interest. Like Job, we are called to hold fast to hope, even when our circumstances seem insurmountable. Like Jesus, we are invited to let go of our attachment to worldly comfort and instead embrace lives of service and love. The moral lesson here is clear: true freedom and fulfillment are found not in avoiding suffering, but in surrendering to God's will and trusting in his plan. Let us, therefore, approach each day with courage, ready to embrace the crosses we bear, knowing that through them, we may bear fruit that endures.