Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 2, 2017
First Reading: Job 19.1, 23-27
1Then Job replied:23"Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll,24that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever!25I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.26And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;27I myself will see him with my own eyes-I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
Psalm 103
1Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.2Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-3who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,4who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,5who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.6The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.7He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:8The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.9He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;10he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;12as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.13As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;14for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.15As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field;16the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.17But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-18with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.19The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.20Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.21Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.22Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15.20-23
20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
Gospel: John 12.23-26
23Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.25The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the profound themes of hope, resurrection, and self-sacrifice. The first reading from Job presents a man in the depths of suffering, yet his faith remains unshaken. Job declares his trust in a Redeemer who will one day raise him from the earth, a testament to his unwavering hope in God's promise. This passage reminds us that even in our darkest moments, faith can be a powerful source of strength and comfort.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians expands on this theme of resurrection. Paul explains that just as death came through Adam, so too has the resurrection of the dead come through Christ. Jesus is the first-fruits of this resurrection, and through Him, all believers will be brought to life. This passage underscores the universal significance of Christ's resurrection and its implications for all humanity. It invites us to see our own lives in the context of God's larger plan of salvation.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches that true life comes through self-sacrifice. Using the metaphor of the grain of wheat, He explains that unless we die to ourselves, we cannot bear fruit. This is a call to live a life of service and love, following the example of Christ. The readings today remind us that our faith is rooted in the hope of eternal life, and that this hope transforms how we live in the present. May we embrace the call to die to ourselves, trusting that in doing so, we will find true life in Christ.