Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 6, 2023
First Reading: Romans 11.29-36
29For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.30For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief:31Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy.32For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.33O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!34For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?35Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?36For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
Psalm 69
1Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul.2I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me.3I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God.4They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: they that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored that which I took not away.5O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hid from thee.6Let not them that wait on thee, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: let not those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel.7Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.8I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.9For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.10When I wept, and chastened my soul with fasting, that was to my reproach.11I made sackcloth also my garment; and I became a proverb to them.12They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.13But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O LORD, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.14Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.15Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.16Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.17And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.18Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies.19Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and my dishonour: mine adversaries are all before thee.20Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.21They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.22Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap.23Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake.24Pour out thine indignation upon them, and let thy wrathful anger take hold of them.25Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents.26For they persecute him whom thou hast smitten; and they talk to the grief of those whom thou hast wounded.27Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into thy righteousness.28Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.29But I am poor and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high.30I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.31This also shall please the LORD better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.32The humble shall see this, and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.33For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.34Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.35For God will save Zion, and will build the cities of Judah: that they may dwell there, and have it in possession.36The seed also of his servants shall inherit it: and they that love his name shall dwell therein.
Gospel: Luke 14.12-14
12Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.13But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:14And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are reminded of God's boundless mercy and the call to live with humility and generosity. The passage from Romans highlights the mystery of God's ways, emphasizing that His mercy is universal and beyond human comprehension. It underscores that we are all recipients of His grace, regardless of our past beliefs or actions. The Gospel from Luke complements this by offering a practical application of living out God's mercy. Jesus teaches us to extend hospitality not to those who can repay us but to those on the margins—the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind. This act of selfless generosity reflects the heart of God, who showers mercy on all without expectation of return.
The connection between the two readings lies in their emphasis on God's universal and unconditional love. In Romans, we see that God's mercy is not limited by human unbelief or failure, and in Luke, we are challenged to mirror this mercy in our interactions with others. Jesus' teaching on hospitality is not just about who we invite to our tables but about how we view and treat all people. It calls us to move beyond reciprocal relationships and instead embrace a way of living that prioritizes compassion and kindness, especially toward those often overlooked.
As we reflect on these readings, let us consider how we can live out this mercy and generosity in our daily lives. It might mean reaching out to someone who feels excluded, offering a kind word to someone who needs encouragement, or simply being present for those who feel alone. Remember, our actions of love and mercy are not for earthly reward but for the promise of eternal life. May we trust in God's wisdom and ways, even when they seem incomprehensible, and may we strive to be vessels of His mercy in a world that deeply needs it.