Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection October 05, 2024

05th October 2024 (Saturday)

Psalter: Week 2

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Job 42:1-3, 5-6, 12-17

Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.” And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first daughter Jemimah, and the name of the second Keziah, and the name of the third Keren-happuch. And in all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers. And after this Job lived for one hundred forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, four generations. And Job died, an old man, and full of days.

Psalm 119:66, 71, 75, 91, 125, 130

R/. O Lord, let your face shine forth on your servant.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have revealed to little children the mysteries of the kingdom.

R/. Alleluia.

Gospel: Luke 10:17-24

At that time: The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

Daily Gospel Reflection

Saturday – Twenty-Sixth Week of Ordinary Time

Guidelines: True joy consists only in accomplishing something for God

1. Everyone wants and seeks happiness. But the difference is in regard to where they seek it and how they seek to obtain it. The happiness that is sought in worldly things is superficial, shallow, short-lived, delusive, deviating and even harmful. At times, even the happiness that is found in spiritual successes can be misleading because it is a short-sighted motive and benefit.

2. This was the joy of the disciples on their return after a successful mission of preaching and healing, stirring many hearts and expelling many evil spirits. This was a legitimate and reasonable joy.

3. But Jesus invites them to a higher realm of joy by a higher realm of motive and success, and that is “being registered in the Book of life”, “being counted by God”, and not so much “being reckoned in the sight of the world”.

4. And this was heavenly joy that St Faustina experienced. Today We commemorate her feast. She delighted in extraordinary revelations from the Lord, and apparitions of him. She is venerated for bequeathing to us the precious devotion to the Divine Mercy and she is known as the “Apostle of Divine Mercy”.

Practice: What is the motive of our satisfaction and happiness in our mission – is it because of the worth-admirable works or the sole motive of heavenly glory?