Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 2, 2022
First Reading: Job 19.1, 23-27
1Then Job replied:23"Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll,24that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever!25I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.26And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;27I myself will see him with my own eyes-I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!
Psalm 103
1Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.2Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-3who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,4who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,5who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.6The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.7He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:8The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.9He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;10he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;12as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.13As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;14for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.15As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field;16the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.17But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-18with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.19The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.20Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.21Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.22Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Gospel: John 12.23-26
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 encounter two profound reflections on suffering, hope, and redemption. The first reading from Job presents a man in the depths of anguish, yet unwavering in his faith. Job, despite his immense suffering, declares his trust in a Redeemer who will one day vindicate him. His words are a testament to the enduring power of hope, even in the darkest of times. The Gospel from John shifts our focus to Jesus, who speaks of the necessity of self-sacrifice. Using the metaphor of the grain of wheat, Jesus teaches that true life comes through death to self, emphasizing that those who follow him must embrace this path of service and surrender.
These readings, though separated by centuries, are deeply connected. Job's hope for a Redeemer finds its fulfillment in Jesus, who through his own death and resurrection, reveals the ultimate act of self-giving love. Both readings invite us to reflect on the paradox of suffering and its role in our spiritual journey. Job's faith in the face of adversity and Jesus' call to self-denial remind us that our struggles, when embraced with trust in God, can lead to transformation and new life.
In our daily lives, these teachings challenge us to reevaluate our approach to suffering and self-interest. Like Job, we are called to hold fast to hope, even when our circumstances seem insurmountable. Like Jesus, we are invited to let go of our attachment to worldly comfort and instead embrace lives of service and love. The moral lesson here is clear: true freedom and fulfillment are found not in avoiding suffering, but in surrendering to God's will and trusting in his plan. Let us, therefore, approach each day with courage, ready to embrace the crosses we bear, knowing that through them, we may bear fruit that endures.