Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection November 30, 2024

30th November 2024 (Saturday)

Psalter: Week 2

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Romans 10:9-18

9. Brethren, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14. How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15. And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16. But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17. So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.18. But I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for “Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.”

Psalm 19:2-3, 4-5 (R. 5a)

R/. Their sound goes forth through all the earth

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. Follow me, says the Lord, and I will make you fishers of men.

R/. Alleluia.

Gospel: Matthew 4:18-22

At that time: 18. While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” 20. Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Saturday – Thirty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

Guidelines: God calls us anywhere or at any time. He may call us in our own ordinary situations, amidst our normal duties. What is important is that we hear and receive his call

1. 30 November marks the feast of St Andrew, the brother of St Peter, and one of the Twelve Apostles. He was called directly by the Lord to follow him. He left everything and lived with Jesus. After Pentecost, he became a missionary and was martyred in Greece on a cross. This was especially known as “St Andrew’s cross” because it was in the form of an “X”.

2. One first thing to note is that Jesus called him while he was on his usual duty of fishing. There was no specially created situation. There was no special ambience of prayer or silence. From this, we can understand that God’s call can come to us anywhere and at any time.

3. We need not wait for special or specific moments. His voice may call out to us while we are engaged in our normal duties. This calls us then to be attentive and alert so that we can see him and hear his voice and respond to him. We may miss him if we wait only for special occasions.

4. His call is a call for something higher. It is no more fishing for fish but fishing for souls. His dignity is raised. He is elevated to a new way of life. A profit-oriented profession turns into a selfless vocation. Working for livelihood changes into working for life in eternity. Family concerns give way to the concerns of the larger family of God, the kingdom of God.

5. His response to Jesus’ call to follow him is very prompt and radical as well. There was no delay or hesitation. There was no process of discernment. Jesus just calls him, “Follow me,” and immediately he follows him.

6. What is further worth-noting is the spirit of renunciation and detachment. He leaves the nets, the family, the house, and all that is dear and precious. He does not carry them with him. He decisively parts with all that is old and is willing to plunge into a new way of life. There is nothing that he clings to or is attached to.

7. The gospel of John (John 1. 35-42) depicts a different story of his call. He was a former disciple of John of the Baptist. As John the Baptist points to Jesus passing by, “Look, here is the Lamb of God,” he immediately begins to follow him. Jesus turns to him and asks him, “What are you looking for?”

8. Andrew responds with another question, “Where do you stay?” Jesus invites him, “Come and see.” He goes, sees, and stays with him that night. It was not just a casual stay as a guest. Something profound and dramatic happens. He experiences Jesus personally as the Messiah. That is why he brings his brother Peter to Jesus, telling him, “We have found the Messiah.”

9. Here too, though the external details vary, the essentials are similar. His call begins with an initial search for Jesus’place (‘where’). But it turns into a life-changing experience for the person (‘Messiah’). His allegiance changes. He already shares the effect of his following Jesus by leading Peter too to the same Lord.

Practice: God always calls us for a higher purpose. That is the same as the Apostles’. It is to become fishers of souls. For this, we need to decisively part with the old ways and attachments and securities. We need to launch upon a new and radical way of life in following Jesus