Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection October 02, 2024

02nd October 2024 (Wednesday)

Psalter: Week 2

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Job 9:1-12, 14-16

Job answered his friends and said: “Truly I know that it is so: But how can a man be in the right before God? If one wished to contend with him, one could not answer him once in a thousand times. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength -who has hardened himself against him, and succeeded?- he who removes mountains, and they know it not, when he overturns them in his anger, who shakes the earth out of its place, and its pillars tremble; who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars; who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea, who made the Bear and Orion, the Pleiades and the chambers of the south; who does great things beyond searching out, and marvellous things beyond number. Behold, he passes by me, and I see him not; he moves on, but I do not perceive him. Behold, he snatches away; who can turn him back? Who will say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ How then can I answer him, choosing my words with him? Though I am in the right, I cannot answer him; I must appeal for mercy to my accuser. If I summoned him and he answered me, I would not believe that he was listening to my voice.”

Psalm 88:10bc-11, 12-13, 14-15 (R. 3a)

R/. Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. I count everything as loss, because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and be found in him.

R/. Alleluia.

Gospel: Luke 9:57-62

At that time: As Jesus and his disciples were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Daily Gospel Reflection

Wednesday – Twenty-Sixth Week of Ordinary Time

Guidelines: God in His love, guards over us and guards us against forces of evil. When the Lord is our refuge and shield, can any evil or harm knock us down or sweep us away?

1. “The angels in heaven always look upon the face of my heavenly Father” – these words of Jesus clearly attest the intimate communion of the angels with God. Today, we commemorate the guardian angels.

2. The guardian angels are the channels and heavenly agents of God’s own guarding over us. They concretely manifest to us that God watches over us always and everywhere. They are our never-leaving companions who travel with us along this journey of life.

3. Each one of us is assigned with one guardian angel and this shows how personally God takes care of us. Through the instrumentality of the guardian angels, God continues to be our guardian and guard.

4. As a guardian, He takes charge of us, cares and sustains us and holds full responsibility for our progress in maturity. As a guard, He protects us and guards us against all opposing and harmful forces of evil and guides us on even and holy paths.

5. In the light of the gospel, they assist us in becoming true disciples of Christ, by accepting his call, by being focused on the Lord, detached from all the rest and being selflessly committed to the mission of God’s kingdom.

Practice: Blessed are we to be personally cared for and guided by God! We are safe, secure and serene under His guarding and guiding mantle