Daily catholic Reflection: November 10, 2024, Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

1 Kgs 17:10-16

Ps 146:7, 8-9, 9-10

Heb 9:24-28

Mk 12:38-44 or 12:41-44            Full Readings

Saint Leo the Great

Giving from the Heart

Brethren today's first and Gospel readings teach us a very fundamental lesson not only for our spiritual growth but also for our daily social living, that is giving from the heart, and when expanded, it includes also that nobody is too poor to give as we learn from Elijah and the poor widow in the first reading. When Elijah went to a poor widow to ask for some food, the woman had only remained with a little flour for her and his son. Nevertheless, the woman prepared for him to eat, and the Lord blessed the woman with more and more food. The Lord blesses the generous giver, the one who gives from the heart like he did to Abel. He however detests the selfish giver like Cain.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Saturday, November 9, 2024, Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome

Ezekiel 47: 1-2, 8-9, 12,

Psalm 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9,

1 Corinthians 3:9c-11, 16-17,

John 2:13-22            Full Readings

Dedication of Saint John Lateran Basilica

Zeal for the Temple

Today we celebrate the feast of the dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the first church ever known to have been built, and the church of the Pope himself (not St Peter's Basilica). The church operated for about 300 years without any church building. Fanta, the wife of Emperor Constantine, gave her Lateran palace to Pope St Miltiades. Pope St Sylvester consecrated it on 9 November 324 AD. This was the first public consecration of a church. This Basilica was dedicated to the Saviour, to Saint John the Baptist and to Saint John the Evangelist, and is considered the mother of all the Churches. Afterwards, it became the residence of the popes and venue of many ecumenical councils.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Friday, November 8, 2024, Friday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

 

Phil 3:17—4:1

Ps 122:1-2, 3-4AB, 4CD-5

Lk 16:1-8                 Full Readings

Blessed John Duns Scotus

Shrewdness for attaining the Kingdom of God

Brethren, today's Gospel, if taken literally, may be shocking. Jesus seemed to praise a steward (a manager entrusted with his master's goods) who misused his employer's money. What did the steward do that made Jesus praise him? The steward was responsible for managing his wealthy landowner's property. The steward very likely overcharged his master's tenants for their use of the land and kept more than his fair share of the profit. When the landowner discovered the steward's dishonest practice, he was to immediately remove him from his job, leaving him penniless and ashamed to beg or do manual work. The servant acting shrewdly, he reduces the debts of the other servants so that they will welcome him after he had been stripped off his job and the master praised him for acting shrewdly.

Daily catholic Reflection: Thursday, November 7, 2024, Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Phil 3:3-8a

Ps 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7

Lk 15:1-10                                Full Readings

Saint Didacus

The Joy for a Repentant Sinner

Today's Gospel presents to us two parables: the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the lost coin. These parables are all in the context of welcoming sinners, because Jesus told them when the Pharisees asked him why he associated with sinners. These parables pass the same message, that there is joy in heaven when a sinner repents, this also presupposes joy in the church here on earth.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Wednesday, November 7, 2024, Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Phil 2:12-18

PS 27:1, 4, 13-14

LK 14:25-33                                Full Readings

Saint Nicholas Tavelic and Companions

Counting the Cost

Brethren, Jesus does not pull his punches, and in today's Gospel delivers a series of devastating body-blows to anyone who is looking for easy discipleship. All through this journey up to Jesus’ own death at Jerusalem the cost of discipleship has been a recurrent theme: ‘Let the dead bury their dead’, the Parable of the Rich Fool, ‘From one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded’, ‘Father against son, son against father’, and today, ‘Hate father and mother’ and ‘Give up all your possessions’. When Jesus made these demands, he knew what lay ahead of him because he would undergo suffering and was only asking his disciples to follow his own course. We must count the cost before beginning to build the tower. Most of us have, of course, already started to build the tower. There is no turning back from the plough, only prayer for courage and loyalty which exceed our own powers.

Daily Catholic Reflection: Tuesday, November 5, 2024, Tuesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time

Phil 2:5-11

Ps 22:26b-27, 28-30ab, 30e, 31-32

Lk 14:15-24                                Full Readings

Saint Peter Chrysologus 

Responding to God's Invitation

Today we read Luke's version of the king who invited the guests for a wedding feast and when the time for the wedding reached, none of the invited guests would turn up. The king out of anger and disappointment sent his servants to collect anyone from the city, for the feast had to take place. Today we are also invited to that feast. The king represents God, and the invited guests are we, his people. God is always inviting us, not forcing us to commune with him. Are you ready to commune with him or you are going to give excuses? Let us be humble and respond to his invitation.

Daily catholic Reflection: Sunday, November 3, 2024, Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year B

Deuteronomy 6:2-6

Ps 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51

Hebrews 7:23-28

Mark 12:28b-34                  Full Readings

Saint Martin de Porres

The Shema

The Hebrew word, Shema means hear and the famous statement Shema Yisrael (Listen O Israel) is the centre piece of the morning, afternoon and evening prayers of the Jews. It is depicted from the Hebrew scripture passages, Deut 6:4-9, Deut 11:13-21 and Numbers 15:37-41. It presents a faith statement of the Jews in the only one God. The first statement declares this monotheistic faith, "Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One." The Shema was supposed to be known by heart by every Jew and was to be recited as many times as possible during the day. The following statements require that since God is one, he deserves our wholesome love and that this love should also be extended to our neighbors.