Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection September 16, 2024

16th September 2024 (Monday)

Psalter: Week 4

Reading of the Day

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:17-26, 33

Brethren: In the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the chalice, after supper, saying, “This chalice is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the chalice, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.

Psalm 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17 (R. 1 Corinthians 11:26b)

R/. Proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

R/. Alleluia.

Gospel: Luke 7:1-10

At that time: After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Monday – Twenty-Fourth Week of Ordinary Time

Guidelines: Faith becomes commendable when it is blended with trust, humility, and benevolence

1. In the gospel, Jesus highly appreciates a pagan centurion with the compliment, “Not even in Israel have I found such faith”. Thereby, one point is very clear: in the sight of God, faith is not a matter of mere allegiance to a religion or a nation or the performance of certain religious activities.

2. God’s grace goes beyond the human confines of race or religion. Now how is his faith so great even beyond the faith of the Jews, the chosen people of God? What is the uniqueness of his faith? It is a faith that is coupled with trust, humility, and benevolence.

3. The centurion’s trust is profound. He trusts in the power of Jesus to heal his servant even in death bed. He trusts in Jesus’ power even over distance. He trusts in the power of Jesus’ word of command over sickness. That is why he says to Jesus, “Lord, do not trouble yourself to come under my roof… But say the word, and let my servant be healed”.

4. The centurion’s humility is extremely genuine. His humility is not out of low self-esteem. His humility is not an act of self-despisal. He is quite conscious of his own authority that can command those under him to obey.

5. But, he humbly admits that Jesus’ authority far surpasses his own. He is aware that Jesus’ authority is profoundly divine, spiritual, and holy. He confesses his unworthiness before such a holy presence of the divine. Hence his words, “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof”.

6. His words are in contrast to what the elders of the Jews say to Jesus about him: “He is worthy to have you do this for him”. This is the true humility that he seeks Jesus’ healing not due to his merit but only due to Jesus’ mercy.

7. Finally, his faith is not limited to seeking God’s favour. It is a faith soaked into active benevolence. It is benevolence that feels so much concern for a mere servant and pleads with Jesus on his behalf. It is benevolence that loves even the Jewish nation and builds a synagogue for them.

8. In contrast, we find a shallow faith in the first reading from I Corinthians 11. They are the newly chosen people, the Christians. But their faith is tainted by division, discrimination, arrogance, and lack of holiness. They make themselves unworthy by their unworthy interactions and Eucharistic celebrations.

Practice: Anyone who approaches God in true faith will never go disappointed. It only requires deep trust, humility, and benevolence