Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection September 03, 2024

03rd September 2024 (Tuesday)

Psalter: Week 2

Reading of the Day

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:10b-16

Brethren: The Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Psalm 145:8-9, 10-11, 12-13ab, 13cd-14 (R. 17a)

R/. The Lord is just in all his ways.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. A great prophet has arisen among us, and God has visited his people.

R/. Alleluia.

Gospel : Luke 4:31-37

At that time: Jesus went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are – the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Tuesday – Twenty-Second Week of Ordinary Time

Guidelines: The world is unclean because it is possessed by many unclean demons. It is high time that it needs a process of expulsion

1. The people marveled at Jesus because they saw in him a unique authority both in his words and deeds that is in his preaching and healing. His words and actions carried conviction and passion, authenticity and sanctity, goodness and kindness. It was an authority that was rooted in a deep spirituality, groomed in sound integrity, and manifested in selfless charity.

2. It was the right type of authority because it was based on true power. The true power is only that which comes from God. In other words, true power is truly divine and spiritual. An authority is corrupt and degenerated when it bases itself on the power that is unspiritual and mundane.

3. Jesus’ authority was powerful to expel demons because it was derived from God. He was Spirit-filled and integral. The authority of Jesus was holistic, a harmonious blend of word and deed. There was no dichotomy between what he said and taught and what he did. He was not like many of us who say one thing and do another thing.

4. The authority of Jesus was always good-oriented and good-promoting. This is seen in his healing acts of demon-expulsion. Evil and demonic possession do not find a place in the reign of his authority. That is why he commands the unclean spirits to get off. Whenever authority accommodates and makes room for evil, it is clearly demoniac.

5. Today, where is that spiritual and moral authority in the church? How many disciples have the power to dispel the demons? First of all, do they have the desire at least to drive away the evil spirits? Is it the authority to heal the demon-possession or is the authority itself demon-possessed?

6. St Gregory the Great (540 – 604) whose memory we celebrate today reminds us of the celebration of the Lord in the liturgy. He is one of the most admired popes in history. He was known as “the Father of Christian worship”, by virtue of his exceptional efforts at revising the Roman worship of the day.

Practice: We are called to be empowered with the spiritual and moral authority of Jesus to expel the demons. But are we dispossessed enough of our egos to be possessed by the Spirit of God?