Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection September 10, 2025
Wednesday – 23rd Week in Ordinary Time
10th September 2025 (Wednesday)
Psalter: Week 3
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Colossians 3:1-11
Brethren: If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Psalm 145:2-3, 10-11, 12-13ab (R. 9a)
R/. How good is the Lord to all.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Rejoice and leap for joy, says the Lord, for behold, your reward is great in heaven.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Luke 6:20-26
At that time: Jesus lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Wednesday – 23rd Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: In our life, two options are placed before us: bliss and curse. It is left to us to choose. But each choice will have its own results and consequences
1. The Word of God of today encounters us with a radical contrast between being blessed and being cursed. It sheds clear light on both the modes of being, on how one becomes blessed or cursed.
2. It places before us the ways and means by which one attains bliss and also how one forfeits the same and falls to curse. Subsequently, it also challenges us to choose between the two.
3. This contrast between bliss and curse is furthered in the gospel in the light of the beatitudes. Poverty, hunger, weeping and suffering make one blessed, while riches, fullness, laughter, and self-glory make one cursed.
4. As is evident, there is a clear contrast between the two polarities: Poverty is in contrast to riches. Hunger is in contrast to having full, weeping is in contrast to laughter, and suffering is in contrast to self-glory.
5. But these need more clarity and cannot be understood at their face and surface level. Accordingly, “poverty” is not merely material poverty. It is poverty in spirit. This implies a profound spirit of humility, self-insufficiency, and total dependence on God and surrender to Him. On the contrary, “being rich” signifies feeling self-sufficient, complacent, arrogant, materialistic, and money-minded.
6. “Hunger” is not merely the material hunger for food but much more. It signifies a deep hunger and thirst for God, higher things, spiritual concerns, righteousness, and justice. On the contrary, “having full” signifies a lack of this inner craving but being filled with the things and interests of the world. It is “satisfaction” in indifference and unjust “oppression”. In other words, it is to “be drunk” with worldliness.
7. “Weeping” is not merely a matter of feeling sad and shedding some tears. It implies a deep sensitivity, tenderness, and compassion, a positive vulnerability to be moved and even wounded by the plight of others. It would also mean the ability and the willingness to be empathetic and in solidarity with those who are suffering. On the contrary, “laughter” would signify seeking temporary gratifications, unhealthy pleasures, unlawful fun, and prohibited deviations. It would also imply deriving happiness at the cost of others, through ridicule, mockery, and making fun.
8. “Suffering” is not merely physical suffering. It would include insult, persecution, and calumny. It is the spirit of self-abnegation and self-resignation. It is rejoicing to suffer something for Christ, considering it an honour. This is in contrast to the applause, flattery, and pleasantries of the world; this is seeking cheap popularity, self-projection, and self-promotion. In short, it is all undue craving for self-glory.
9. Thus, the positive thrust of the blessedness of discipleship in Luke (vv. 20-23) is very much similar to that in Mt 5. 3-12, there are some noteworthy differences. There is an addition of a strong tone of curse and condemnation against the non-disciples (vv. 24-26).
10. A disciple will be blessed with immense recompense on account of his fidelity. The ingredients of this rewarded bliss will be: becoming rich, gaining the kingdom of heaven itself, being satiated and filled by God Himself, being consoled and comforted, and being honoured and credited in God’s sight.
11. But on the other hand, misery awaits those who follow the world and not the Lord: desolation and discomfort for the rich, hunger and deprivation for those who are full, sorrow and pain for those who enjoy and have fun about, discredit and misery for those who ride in self-glory and cheap popularity and fame
My Practice: Let us not be so short-sighted as to be caught up with what is present and temporary. Let us wisely steer ourselves to be focused on and oriented to the eternal future
