Daily Catholic Mass Readings for November 2, 2023
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.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15.20-23
20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.21For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
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 powerful reflections on hope, resurrection, and the transformative power of self-giving love. The first reading from Job captures the depths of his suffering, yet amidst his pain, Job clings to an unshakable hope in his Redeemer. He expresses his confidence that even in death, his Redeemer lives and that he will one day see God face to face. This passage reminds us that faith is not about escaping suffering but about trusting in God’s ultimate triumph over it.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts our gaze to the resurrection of Christ, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. Paul emphasizes that just as death came through Adam, so too has the resurrection come through Christ. This passage underscores the universal scope of salvation—Christ’s resurrection is not just for the few but for all, and it is through Him that we are brought to life. The Gospel from John complements this by presenting Jesus’ own words about the necessity of self-sacrifice. Jesus uses the metaphor of the grain of wheat that must fall to the ground and die to bear fruit, teaching us that true life comes through letting go of our own selfish desires. He calls us to follow Him in this path of self-giving love, promising that where He is, His servants will also be.
These readings invite us to reflect on the paradox of Christian life: that death precedes resurrection, and that self-giving love is the path to true fulfillment. In our daily lives, we are called to embrace this mystery, trusting that even in moments of darkness or sacrifice, God is at work bringing new life. Let us ask ourselves: Where am I being called to “fall to the ground” and let go? How can I imitate Christ’s self-giving love in my relationships and decisions? May we, like Job, hold fast to the hope of eternal life, and may we, like Christ, find joy in serving others, knowing that our ultimate reward is to be with Him forever.