Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 13, 2023
First Reading: Joel 1.13-15; 2.1-2
13Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God.14Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.15Alas for that day! For the day of the LORD is near; it will come like destruction from the Almighty.
1Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand-2a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come.
Psalm 9
1I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders.2I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.3My enemies turn back; they stumble and perish before you.4For you have upheld my right and my cause; you have sat on your throne, judging righteously.5You have rebuked the nations and destroyed the wicked; you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.6Endless ruin has overtaken the enemy, you have uprooted their cities; even the memory of them has perished.7The LORD reigns forever; he has established his throne for judgment.8He will judge the world in righteousness; he will govern the peoples with justice.9The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.10Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.11Sing praises to the LORD, enthroned in Zion; proclaim among the nations what he has done.12For he who avenges blood remembers; he does not ignore the cry of the afflicted.13O LORD, see how my enemies persecute me! Have mercy and lift me up from the gates of death,14that I may declare your praises in the gates of the Daughter of Zion and there rejoice in your salvation.15The nations have fallen into the pit they have dug; their feet are caught in the net they have hidden.16The LORD is known by his justice; the wicked are ensnared by the work of their hands. Higgaion. Selah17The wicked return to the grave, all the nations that forget God.18But the needy will not always be forgotten, nor the hope of the afflicted ever perish.19Arise, O LORD, let not man triumph; let the nations be judged in your presence.20Strike them with terror, O LORD; let the nations know they are but men. Selah
Gospel: Luke 11.15-26
15But some of them said, "By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons."16Others tested him by asking for a sign from heaven.17Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them: "Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall.18If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub.19Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges.20But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.21"When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.22But when someone stronger attacks and overpowers him, he takes away the armor in which the man trusted and divides up the spoils.23"He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters.24"When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, 'I will return to the house I left.'25When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.26Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about spiritual conflict and the call to repentance. The first reading from Joel describes a time of crisis, urging the people to return to God through fasting and gathering. It warns of the Day of the Lord, a time of darkness and gloom, emphasizing the need for humility and repentance. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus facing accusations of using Satan's power, where He responds by highlighting the divided kingdom and the strength of God's kingdom. He also warns about the return of an unclean spirit, illustrating the dangers of superficial faith.
The context of Joel's prophecy likely addresses a period of disaster, such as a locust invasion, calling Israel to repentance and reminding them of their covenant with God. In Luke, Jesus confronts opposition, reflecting the spiritual conflict and misunderstanding of His mission. Both readings tie together themes of spiritual conflict and the necessity of genuine commitment to God.
Applying these teachings to our lives, we are encouraged to examine our spiritual state, repent, and align ourselves with God's kingdom. The readings warn against complacency and superficial faith, emphasizing the need for a strong spiritual foundation. The moral lesson is clear: genuine commitment to God is essential, as a lukewarm faith can lead to worse spiritual outcomes. Let us strive for a deep, unwavering faith, avoiding the pitfalls of spiritual shallowness and embracing the transformative power of God's kingdom.