Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 23, 2021
First Reading: Romans 8.1-11
1Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,2because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.3For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man,4in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.5Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.6The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;7the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.8Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God.9You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.10But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.
Psalm 24
1The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it;2for he founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters.3Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place?4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false.5He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior.6Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob. Selah7Lift up your heads, O you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.8Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle.9Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.10Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty- he is the King of glory. Selah
Gospel: Luke 13.1-9
1Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.2Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?3I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.4Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?5I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."6Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.7So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'8"'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.9If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.'"
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful messages that invite us to reflect on our spiritual lives. The first reading from Romans reminds us of the transformative power of the Holy Spirit. Paul explains that through Christ, we are no longer bound by the flesh but are set free to live according to the Spirit. This life in the Spirit brings peace and justification, and it is through the Spirit that our mortal bodies can be enlivened. The Gospel, however, presents a different tone. Jesus responds to tragic events by emphasizing the importance of repentance. He warns that suffering does not necessarily indicate greater sin but rather serves as a call for all to turn away from sin. The parable of the fig tree reinforces this message, illustrating God’s patience and mercy, giving us time to bear fruit through repentance and care.
The readings complement each other by highlighting the necessity of spiritual transformation. Romans focuses on the internal change brought by the Spirit, while the Gospel emphasizes the external response of repentance. Together, they remind us that living a fruitful and Spirit-led life requires both inner renewal and outward conversion. The context of Romans is one of theological reflection, explaining the benefits of life in Christ, while Luke’s Gospel is set in a more urgent tone, with Jesus addressing the crowds and using parables to drive home the importance of repentance.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to examine our relationship with God and our neighbors. Are we living according to the flesh or the Spirit? Are we bearing fruit in our lives, or are we standing stagnant like the unproductive fig tree? The moral lesson here is clear: repentance and spiritual renewal are not one-time events but ongoing processes. Just as the fig tree is given another chance to bear fruit, we too are given the opportunity to turn our lives around and live in a way that reflects the Spirit of God. Let us embrace this mercy and strive to live lives that are fruitful and pleasing to God.