Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection November 05, 2024

05th November 2024 (Tuesday)

Psalter: Week 3

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Philippians 2:5-11

Brethren: Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Psalm 22:26b-27, 28, 29-30, 31-32

R/. You are my praise, Lord, in the great assembly

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, says the Lord

R/. Alleluia.

Gospel: Luke 14:15-24

At that time: One of those who reclined at table with Jesus said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready. But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please excuse me. And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to examine them. Please excuse me.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come. So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame. And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room. And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.”

Daily Gospel Reflection

Tuesday – Thirty-First Week of Ordinary Time

Guidelines: The grace of God is ever available but we shall be deprived of it if we take it for granted and do not respond

God is always merciful and generous. He never ceases to offer His grace in abundance. The greatest act of His grace and love is seen in offering His own Son as the ransom for our salvation. The very coming of Jesus as a human, his life, ministry and death are the most authentic expressions and testimonies of self-emptying, humility and surrender, all for our sake. He always wants to nurture us and treat us royally with a banquet. He goes on inviting us to be in His presence and relish its richness in various ways through frequent opportunities. But as it is the typical tendency, often selfless benevolence and generosity are not duly valued and appreciated for their worth. We are so engrossed in our worldly affairs and secondary preoccupations that we fail to respond positively and cooperate actively to God’s grace. We have plenty of excuses for why we cannot go to His presence and sit with Him. So foolishly we misjudge our priorities and neglect God’s voice and closeness. We do not realize how precious is the treasure we are forfeiting. The time will come when we will be rejected and stand dejected. Therefore, what is needed now is to put on the same attitude of Jesus, to hearken to His invitation and to cooperate with God’s grace.

Practice: In fact, it is not God who excludes us from the reign of His presence and blessings but we ourselves deliberately keep ourselves out