Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 31, 2019
First Reading: Romans 8.31b-39
31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Psalm 109
1O God, whom I praise, do not remain silent,2for wicked and deceitful men have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.3With words of hatred they surround me; they attack me without cause.4In return for my friendship they accuse me, but I am a man of prayer.5They repay me evil for good, and hatred for my friendship.6Appoint an evil man to oppose him; let an accuser stand at his right hand.7When he is tried, let him be found guilty, and may his prayers condemn him.8May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership.9May his children be fatherless and his wife a widow.10May his children be wandering beggars; may they be driven from their ruined homes.11May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.12May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children.13May his descendants be cut off, their names blotted out from the next generation.14May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the LORD; may the sin of his mother never be blotted out.15May their sins always remain before the LORD, that he may cut off the memory of them from the earth.16For he never thought of doing a kindness, but hounded to death the poor and the needy and the brokenhearted.17He loved to pronounce a curse- may it come on him; he found no pleasure in blessing- may it be far from him.18He wore cursing as his garment; it entered into his body like water, into his bones like oil.19May it be like a cloak wrapped about him, like a belt tied forever around him.20May this be the LORD's payment to my accusers, to those who speak evil of me.21But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me.22For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me.23I fade away like an evening shadow; I am shaken off like a locust.24My knees give way from fasting; my body is thin and gaunt.25I am an object of scorn to my accusers; when they see me, they shake their heads.26Help me, O LORD my God; save me in accordance with your love.27Let them know that it is your hand, that you, O LORD, have done it.28They may curse, but you will bless; when they attack they will be put to shame, but your servant will rejoice.29My accusers will be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in shame as in a cloak.30With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD; in the great throng I will praise him.31For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save his life from those who condemn him.
Gospel: Luke 13.31-35
31At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you."32He replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.'33In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day--for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!34"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!35Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the depth of God’s love and the challenges of living out that love in a world often resistant to it. In the first reading from Romans, St. Paul assures us that nothing—no trial, no suffering, no power in creation—can separate us from the love of God poured into our hearts through Christ Jesus. This is a profound statement of hope and trust, reminding us that even in the darkest moments, we are not alone or abandoned. God’s love is not conditional; it is not withdrawn when we face difficulty or when we fail. It endures all things, and it is this love that gives us the strength to overcome every adversity.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks with both determination and sorrow. He knows that Herod seeks to kill him, yet he continues his mission, undeterred. He laments over Jerusalem, which has rejected the prophets and refused to accept the love and protection he offers. Jesus’ words reveal the tension between the steadfastness of God’s love and the freedom of human response. While God’s love is unwavering, we are free to accept or reject it. Jesus’ sorrow over Jerusalem is a reminder that God’s love is not imposed; it must be received with openness and humility.
These readings call us to reflect on how we live out God’s love in our own lives. Like St. Paul, we are to trust in the unshakable love of God, even when the world around us seems hostile or uncertain. Like Jesus, we are to persevere in our mission to share that love, even when it is rejected. In our daily lives, this means facing challenges with faith, loving those who may not love us in return, and remaining steadfast in our commitment to follow Christ. Let us ask ourselves: Do I truly trust in God’s love? Am I willing to share that love, even when it is difficult? May we, like Jesus, embrace the cross with courage and hope, knowing that God’s love is our ultimate victory.