Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 22, 2020
First Reading: Ephesians 3.13-21
13I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.14For this reason I kneel before the Father,15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Psalm 33
1Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.2Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.4For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.5The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.6By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.7He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.8Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.9For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.10The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.11But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.13From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;14from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-15he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.16No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.17A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.18But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,19to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.20We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.21In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.22May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
Gospel: Luke 12.49-53
49"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.52From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful reflections on the nature of faith, love, and the challenges of following Christ. The first reading from Ephesians is a prayer of St. Paul, who, despite his own sufferings, intercedes for the believers, asking that they be strengthened by the Spirit and rooted in faith and love. He prays that they may come to know the immeasurable depth of God’s love and be filled with the fullness of God. This prayer is a beautiful expression of Paul’s desire for the Church to live in the richness of God’s grace and to glorify Him in all things.
The Gospel reading from Luke presents a stark contrast. Jesus speaks of His mission to cast fire upon the earth, a fire that will bring division rather than peace. He describes how families will be split—three against two, and two against three—because of the radical demands of following Him. This passage is not about Jesus bringing literal fire or physical division but about the transformative and often disruptive power of the Gospel. It challenges us to recognize that living as disciples of Christ will sometimes require us to stand apart from the world and even from those closest to us.
Together, these readings remind us that living a life rooted in faith and love is both a source of strength and a call to courage. Paul’s prayer encourages us to embrace the fullness of God’s love, even as Jesus warns us that this love will not always be easy or comfortable. In our daily lives, we are called to live with conviction, trusting that the fire of God’s love will guide us through the inevitable challenges and divisions. Let us ask for the strength to remain steadfast in our faith, knowing that the ultimate unity and peace we seek are found in God alone.