Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection November 08, 2024
Thirty-First Week of Ordinary Time
08th November 2024 (Friday)
Psalter: Week 3
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Philippians 3:17-4:1
Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5 (R. see 1)
R/. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Whoever keeps Christ’s word, in him truly the love of God is perfected.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel: Luke 16:1-8
At that time: Jesus said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Friday – Thirty-First Week of Ordinary Time
Guidelines: Often short-sightedness in life leads to short-term goals and shortcuts. The remedy is to be far-sighted and strive for what is more lasting
1. Many suffer from short sight. They do not have a long-term vision and higher goals. Even if some have goals, they may be worldly, in terms of material progress or social upcoming. Thus, there is no guarantee for the quality of the goals. Accordingly, many do not also bother much about the fairness of the means they employ to achieve their goals. They easily follow shortcuts and are guided by deceit and manipulation.
2. Rightly the words of Paul apply to them: They walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their belly is their god and they glory in shameful things. Their minds are set on earthly things. In this context, through the example of a dishonest steward, Jesus drives home to us the need for foresight, and focus on our eternal destiny.
3. Apparently what is praised is the dishonesty of the steward. He was dismissed because of his mismanagement. But he ensures a secure future by manipulating and reducing accounts of the debtors in their favour and winning their favour. But actually what is praised is his shrewdness and farsightedness.
4. This foresight includes certain components. They are namely, promptness to jump into action without being bogged down by his ousting; his focus and concern for a secure future; awareness of his own inability to work hard or to beg; sharp thinking and planning to meet the uncertain and insecure future.
5. If the dishonest manager was so focused and prepared regarding his temporal future, how much more we should be focused and prepared concerning our eternal destiny? How easily do we neglect the essential and eternal in preference to the secondary or unworthy interests and pursuits?
Practice: Apart from the foresight of the manager, do we also succumb to false means and manipulative methods to ensure our safety and security?