Daily Readings - Mon Nov 02 2020
Lamentations
17I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten what prosperity is.18So I say, "My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the LORD."19I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.20I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.21Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:22Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.23They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.24I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."25The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;26it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
1 Corinthians
51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--52in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.53For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel - Matthew 11.25-30 or John 12.23-26
Matthew
25At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.26Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.27"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.28"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."
John
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 hope, transformation, and the invitation to rest in God’s presence. The first reading from Lamentations expresses a deep sorrow and sense of loss, yet it holds onto hope in God’s mercies. The author reminds us that even in the midst of suffering, God’s faithfulness endures, and His compassion never fails. This text, likely written during a time of great affliction for the people of Israel, calls us to trust in God’s goodness even when all seems lost.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts our gaze to the ultimate hope of the resurrection. St. Paul reminds us that our current struggles are not the end of the story. Through Christ, death has been defeated, and we will all be transformed. This passage is a powerful reminder that our lives are not limited to this earthly existence but are oriented toward eternal life with God. The resurrection is not just a future event but a present reality that shapes how we live today.
In the Gospel, Jesus offers us an invitation to rest. He speaks to those who are burdened and weary, promising refreshment and peace. Jesus’ words are an invitation to reorient our lives around Him, to take on His yoke, which is “sweet and light.” This is not a call to escape our struggles but to find strength and meaning in them by uniting ourselves to Christ. Like the readings from Lamentations and Corinthians, the Gospel encourages us to trust in God’s plan and to find hope in His promises.
These readings remind us that our faith is rooted in hope, even when life feels heavy. We are called to trust in God’s faithfulness, to look forward to the ultimate victory over death, and to find rest in Christ’s presence. Let us carry this hope with us, especially in moments of struggle, and let us turn to Jesus, who promises to refresh our souls and give us the strength to carry on.