Daily Readings - Sat Oct 07 2017

First Reading - Baruch 4.5-12, 27-29

⁵Be ever more peaceful in soul, O people of God, the memorial of Israel⁶You have been sold to the nations, not into destruction, but because of this, in resentment, you provoked God to wrath, and so you have been delivered to adversity⁷For you have exasperated him who made you, the eternal God, by sacrificing to evil spirits, and not to God⁸For you have forgotten God, who nurtured you, and you have saddened Jerusalem, your nurse⁹For she saw the wrath of God approaching you, and she said, "Listen, region of Zion, for God has brought upon me great sorrow¹⁰For I have seen the captivity of my people, my sons and daughters, which the Eternal has led over them¹¹For I nurtured them with joy, but I sent them away with weeping and sorrow¹²Let no one rejoice over me, a widow and a desolation, for I am forsaken by many because of the sins of my sons, because they strayed from the law of God²⁷Be ever more peaceful in soul, sons, and call out to the Lord, for you will be remembered by him who led you away²⁸For as much as you thought to go astray from God, ten times as much again he will require of you when converting²⁹For he who led you into evil, he himself will again lead you to eternal happiness with your salvation.

Gospel - Luke 10.17-24

Luke

Chapter 10

¹⁷Then the seventy-two returned with gladness, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us, in your name.¹⁸And he said to them: "I was watching as Satan fell like lightning from heaven¹⁹Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the powers of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you²⁰Yet truly, do not choose to rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.²¹In the same hour, he exulted in the Holy Spirit, and he said: "I confess to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent, and have revealed them to little ones. It is so, Father, because this way was pleasing before you²²All things have been delivered to me by my Father. And no one knows who the Son is, except the Father, and who the Father is, except the Son, and those to whom the Son has chosen to reveal him.²³And turning to his disciples, he said: "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see²⁴For I say to you, that many prophets and kings wanted to see the things that you see, and they did not see them, and to hear the things that you hear, and they did not hear them.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound reflections on our relationship with God. The passage from Baruch presents a somber tone, addressing the consequences of turning away from God. It speaks of a people who, through their sins, faced adversity and the sorrow of a mother figure, Jerusalem, mourning her children's estrangement from God. Yet, amidst this sorrow, there is hope—a call to repentance and trust in God's enduring mercy. The Gospel from Luke shifts our focus to the disciples' return from their mission, rejoicing in their newfound power over demons. Jesus, however, redirects their joy, urging them to find true rejoicing in the fact that their names are written in heaven. He praises the Father for revealing divine truths to the humble, emphasizing that spiritual understanding is a gift from God, not a result of human wisdom. This passage underscores the importance of humility and gratitude in our spiritual journey. Both readings guide us to reflect on our own lives. Baruch reminds us to acknowledge our sins and return to God with repentant hearts, while Luke encourages us to approach our spiritual gifts with humility and gratitude. In our daily lives, let us cultivate self-awareness, seeking to recognize when we stray from God's path. Let us trust in His mercy and remain humble, understanding that our spiritual successes are not our own doing but a grace from God. May we find joy in our relationship with God and remain thankful for the revelations He grants us.