Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 11, 2019
First Reading: Joel 1.13-15; 2.1-2
13Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.14Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,15Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.
1Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;2A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
Psalm 9
1I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.2I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.3When mine enemies are turned back, they shall fall and perish at thy presence.4For thou hast maintained my right and my cause; thou satest in the throne judging right.5Thou hast rebuked the heathen, thou hast destroyed the wicked, thou hast put out their name for ever and ever.6O thou enemy, destructions are come to a perpetual end: and thou hast destroyed cities; their memorial is perished with them.7But the LORD shall endure for ever: he hath prepared his throne for judgment.8And he shall judge the world in righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.9The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.10And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.11Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.12When he maketh inquisition for blood, he remembereth them: he forgetteth not the cry of the humble.13Have mercy upon me, O LORD; consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me, thou that liftest me up from the gates of death:14That I may shew forth all thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion: I will rejoice in thy salvation.15The heathen are sunk down in the pit that they made: in the net which they hid is their own foot taken.16The LORD is known by the judgment which he executeth: the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands. Higgaion. Selah.17The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.18For the needy shall not alway be forgotten: the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever.19Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.20Put them in fear, O LORD: that the nations may know themselves to be but men. Selah.
Gospel: Luke 11.15-26
15But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.16And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.17But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.18If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.19And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.20But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.21When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:22But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.23He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.24When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.25And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.26Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the urgency of repentance and the reality of spiritual struggle. In the first reading from Joel, we hear a call to lament and prepare for the Day of the Lord, which is described as a time of darkness and devastation. Joel urges the priests and the people to sanctify a fast, gather in prayer, and cry out to the Lord. This passage emphasizes the nearness of God’s judgment and the need for humility and conversion. The prophet’s words are a stark reminder that our actions have consequences and that we must turn to God with sincerity before it is too late.
In the Gospel, Jesus responds to accusations that He casts out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the leader of demons. He counters this by pointing out the absurdity of Satan working against himself and instead reveals that His power comes from God. He warns that the unclean spirit, once expelled, may return if the soul is not filled with the grace of God. This teaching highlights the spiritual battle we face and the importance of being rooted in God’s kingdom. If we do not actively seek to follow Christ and allow His Spirit to dwell within us, we risk being overtaken by darkness.
These readings call us to examine our lives and our relationship with God. Joel’s call to repentance and Jesus’ warning about the unclean spirit remind us that our spiritual lives require constant attention and vigilance. We must not take God’s grace for granted or assume that we are safe from the forces of evil. Instead, we should strive to live in a state of ongoing conversion, seeking God’s mercy and strength in our daily lives. Let us turn to the Lord with humble hearts, asking for the grace to remain faithful and to be filled with His Spirit, so that we may stand firm against the temptations and challenges of our world.