Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 24, 2024
First Reading: Ephesians 3.13-21
13So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.14For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,16that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love,18may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.20Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Psalm 33
1Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.2Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.4For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.5He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.7He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.8Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!9For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.10The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.11The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!13The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man;14from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,15he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.16The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.17The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.18Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,19that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.20Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.21For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.22Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
Gospel: Luke 12.49-53
49"I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!50I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!51Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.52For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the transformative power of God’s love and the challenges that come with living out our faith. In the first reading from Ephesians, St. Paul offers a heartfelt prayer for the believers, asking that they be strengthened by the Spirit and rooted in faith and love. He longs for them to grasp the immense depth of Christ’s love and to be filled with the fullness of God. This prayer, born out of Paul’s own sufferings, expresses his deep concern for the unity and spiritual growth of the early Christian community.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of the fire he has come to cast upon the earth, a fire that will bring division rather than peace. He describes how even within families, his message will set people against one another. This passage is often misunderstood, but it highlights the radical nature of the Gospel. Jesus is not advocating for conflict, but he is warning us that living according to his teachings will often challenge the status quo and require us to make difficult choices. True discipleship can lead to tension, even among those closest to us, as it calls us to prioritize God’s will above all else.
These readings remind us that following Christ is not a path of comfort or ease. It demands courage, sacrifice, and a willingness to stand firm in our faith, even when it leads to division. Yet, as St. Paul’s prayer makes clear, this journey is not solitary. We are united in Christ, and it is through his love that we find strength and purpose. Let us ask ourselves: Are we willing to embrace the challenges of living the Gospel? Are we open to being transformed by the fire of God’s love? May we, like St. Paul, pray for the grace to be rooted in faith and love, and may we, like Jesus, remain steadfast in our commitment to the truth, even when it demands great sacrifice.