Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 3, 2018
First Reading: Job 9.1-12, 14-16
1Then Job replied:2"Indeed, I know that this is true. But how can a mortal be righteous before God?3Though one wished to dispute with him, he could not answer him one time out of a thousand.4His wisdom is profound, his power is vast. Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?5He moves mountains without their knowing it and overturns them in his anger.6He shakes the earth from its place and makes its pillars tremble.7He speaks to the sun and it does not shine; he seals off the light of the stars.8He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.9He is the Maker of the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.10He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted.11When he passes me, I cannot see him; when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.12If he snatches away, who can stop him? Who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'14"How then can I dispute with him? How can I find words to argue with him?15Though I were innocent, I could not answer him; I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.16Even if I summoned him and he responded, I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
Psalm 88
1O LORD, the God who saves me, day and night I cry out before you.2May my prayer come before you; turn your ear to my cry.3For my soul is full of trouble and my life draws near the grave.4I am counted among those who go down to the pit; I am like a man without strength.5I am set apart with the dead, like the slain who lie in the grave, whom you remember no more, who are cut off from your care.6You have put me in the lowest pit, in the darkest depths.7Your wrath lies heavily upon me; you have overwhelmed me with all your waves. Selah8You have taken from me my closest friends and have made me repulsive to them. I am confined and cannot escape;9my eyes are dim with grief. I call to you, O LORD, every day; I spread out my hands to you.10Do you show your wonders to the dead? Do those who are dead rise up and praise you? Selah11Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction?12Are your wonders known in the place of darkness, or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?13But I cry to you for help, O LORD; in the morning my prayer comes before you.14Why, O LORD, do you reject me and hide your face from me?15From my youth I have been afflicted and close to death; I have suffered your terrors and am in despair.16Your wrath has swept over me; your terrors have destroyed me.17All day long they surround me like a flood; they have completely engulfed me.18You have taken my companions and loved ones from me; the darkness is my closest friend.
Gospel: Luke 9.57-62
57As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."58Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."59He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."60Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."61Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good bye to my family."62Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between humility, trust, and discipleship. In the first reading from Job, we encounter a man overwhelmed by the majesty and power of God. Job acknowledges that humanity cannot justify itself before God, for God’s ways are incomprehensible and His strength unmatched. He humbly recognizes that even if he were to try to argue his case, he would not fully understand God’s ways. This passage reminds us of the limits of human understanding and the importance of surrendering to God’s will with humility and trust.
In the Gospel, Jesus calls His disciples to radical commitment. He challenges them to prioritize the kingdom of God above all else, even over family obligations and personal comfort. The would-be followers in the Gospel are hesitant, tied down by worldly concerns, but Jesus insists that true discipleship requires letting go of such attachments. His words are stark: “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” This teaching underscores the need for unwavering focus and trust in following Christ, even when the path is difficult or uncertain.
Together, these readings call us to embrace humility and trust in our relationship with God. Like Job, we must acknowledge our limitations and surrender to God’s plan, even when it doesn’t make sense to us. Like the disciples, we are called to radical commitment, putting God’s will above our own desires and distractions. In our daily lives, this means letting go of the need to control everything and instead trusting in God’s providence. It means being willing to step out in faith, even when the road ahead is unclear. May we learn to trust in God’s goodness and follow Him with hearts fully surrendered.