October 12
Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intention
7:45 AM – Theresa Ares / Manuel Ares
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Readings
First Reading
Romans 1:16-25
Brothers and sisters: I am not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: for Jew first, and then Greek. For in it is revealed the righteousness of God from faith to faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous by faith will live.”
The wrath of God is indeed being revealed from heaven against every impiety and wickedness of those who suppress the truth by their wickedness. For what can be known about God is evident to them, because God made it evident to them. Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse; for although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened. While claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes.
Therefore, God handed them over to impurity through the lusts of their hearts for the mutual degradation of their bodies. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 19:2-3, 4-5
R. (2a) The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
Gospel Acclamation
Hebrews 4:12
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of God is living and effective,
able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 11:37-41
After Jesus had spoken, a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home. He entered and reclined at table to eat. The Pharisee was amazed to see that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal. The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees! Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil. You fools! Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside? But as to what is within, give alms, and behold, everything will be clean for you.”
“The heavens proclaim the glory of God.”
Reflection
Today our readings take a bit of a dark turn. The God who shows us his infinite mercy now erupts in his anger against those who will use all their abilities to repress the truth that they are nothing more than evil idolators.
Paul writes in his letter to the Romans about how those who should know better are serving their own appetites instead of serving God, but. He tells the Romans; “They exchanged the truth for a lie and revered and worshipped the creature rather than the creator.” He could have been talking about the very people that Jesus rails against in our Gospel for today.
Jesus upbraids the Pharisee who is amazed to see that Jesus does not observe the ritual washing before a meal. Even though the outside of the Pharisee’s body is clean, his insides are filled with evil. Both Jesus and Paul identify the things that make us all walk away from God rather than towards Him. We often get stuck thinking that everything we have has been obtained through our own efforts. We forget that many of the blessings we experience on earth come from the goodness of our God. In this forgetfulness lies the arrogance and pride that many people in our world experience.
What we need to take from our readings today is that we are humble creatures who rely on God’s goodness to get by in a world that could be a lot less accommodating to our needs. God is good all the time. When we forget that, we are no better than the Pharisees and evil people who Paul mentions in his letter. Let us be thankful for all that God does for us.
God bless,
Deacon Dare
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