Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 30, 2017
First Reading: Romans 8.11-17
11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.16The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Psalm 68
1Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.2As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.3But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.4Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.5A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.6God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.7O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah:8The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel.9Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.10Thy congregation hath dwelt therein: thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for the poor.11The Lord gave the word: great was the company of those that published it.12Kings of armies did flee apace: and she that tarried at home divided the spoil.13Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.14When the Almighty scattered kings in it, it was white as snow in Salmon.15The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan.16Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.17The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.18Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.19Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.20He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.21But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.22The Lord said, I will bring again from Bashan, I will bring my people again from the depths of the sea:23That thy foot may be dipped in the blood of thine enemies, and the tongue of thy dogs in the same.24They have seen thy goings, O God; even the goings of my God, my King, in the sanctuary.25The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.26Bless ye God in the congregations, even the Lord, from the fountain of Israel.27There is little Benjamin with their ruler, the princes of Judah and their council, the princes of Zebulun, and the princes of Naphtali.28Thy God hath commanded thy strength: strengthen, O God, that which thou hast wrought for us.29Because of thy temple at Jerusalem shall kings bring presents unto thee.30Rebuke the company of spearmen, the multitude of the bulls, with the calves of the people, till every one submit himself with pieces of silver: scatter thou the people that delight in war.31Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.32Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah:33To him that rideth upon the heavens of heavens, which were of old; lo, he doth send out his voice, and that a mighty voice.34Ascribe ye strength unto God: his excellency is over Israel, and his strength is in the clouds.35O God, thou art terrible out of thy holy places: the God of Israel is he that giveth strength and power unto his people. Blessed be God.
Gospel: Luke 13.10-17
10And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.11And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.12And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.13And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.14And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day.15The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering?16And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day?17And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the transformative power of the Spirit of God and the freedom it brings. In the first reading from Romans, St. Paul reminds us that the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead dwells within us, making us children of God. This Spirit calls us to live not according to the flesh, which leads to death, but to mortify the deeds of the flesh and embrace the life of the Spirit. As sons and daughters of God, we are heirs of his glory, but this also means sharing in Christ’s sufferings so that we may be glorified with him.
In the Gospel, Jesus encounters a woman who has been bent over for eighteen years, a vivid image of spiritual and physical bondage. Jesus, moved by compassion, heals her on the Sabbath, sparking controversy with the synagogue ruler. Jesus defends his action by pointing out the hypocrisy of rigidly observing the Sabbath while neglecting the freedom and healing that God’s Spirit offers. The woman, a daughter of Abraham, is freed from her infirmity, and the crowd rejoices at the glory of God revealed in her healing.
Together, these readings remind us that the Spirit of God brings life, freedom, and healing. We are called to live as children of God, open to the Spirit’s work in us and through us. Like the woman in the Gospel, we must allow Jesus to set us free from the burdens that weigh us down, whether they are physical, emotional, or spiritual. Let us not be bound by fear or rigid traditions, but instead, embrace the Spirit’s transformative power and live as heirs of God’s glory.