Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection September 26, 2024
Twenty-Fifth Week of Ordinary Time
26th September 2024 (Thursday)
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Ecclesiastes 1:2-11
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever. The sun rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises. The wind blows to the south and goes round to the north; round and round goes the wind, and on its circuits the wind returns. All streams run to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the streams flow, there they flow again. All things are full of weariness; a man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing. What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us. There is no remembrance of former things, nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after.
Psalm 90:3-4, 5-6, 12-13, 14 and 17 (R. 1)
R/. O Lord, you have been our refuge, from generation to generation.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. I am the way, and the truth, and the life, says the Lord no one comes to the Father except through me.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel: Luke 9:7-9
At that time: Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen. Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Thursday – Twenty-Fifth Week of Ordinary Time
Guidelines: Man in his intelligence discovers much knowledge and acquires and accomplishes many things. But alas he lacks the wisdom to discern the nature of life
1. Vanity of vanities and all is vanity. Thus affirms the author at the very beginning of the book, Ecclesiastes. What profound and realistic teaching about the truth of life! It is very true that many vainly and uselessly toil and toil especially for material prosperity and worldly upcoming.
2. But little do they realize that nothing of these gives a lasting and deeper satisfaction and contentment. All things are full of weariness. “The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing”.
3. This is not advocating pessimism or negativism at life realities. It is not looking at life or others cynically. It is also not a failure to appreciate the good and positive things in life. Thus it is also meant not to kill the spirit of hard work, enthusiasm, and the drive to do and accomplish something.
4. Why then such a reminder about the vanity of life realities and activities? The main thrust is to be deeply aware of the perishable and transient nature of our worldly pursuits and activities. All these have inherent shallowness and superficiality, precarity, and uncertainty.
5. Therefore they should not become hindrances or substitutes in our striving for depth, spiritual and imperishable realities. We should not become too engrossed and entangled in these worldly affairs and lose sight of the essentials.
6. Some of such vanities are unbridled and deviated pursuits for money, possessions, power, popularity, immoral pleasures, and gratifications. We have a typical example of such vanity in Herod the tetrarch in the gospel.
7. When he heard about Jesus, about his authenticity, unparalleled spiritual authority, and power of working miracles, he was perplexed. He felt threatened. He saw in Jesus a potential threat to his very throne. Also, he was filled with jealousy at the rising popularity of Jesus.
8. He was also frightened at the corrective teaching of Jesus, whether the same story would repeat like John the Baptist who rebuked him. This was all a negative fear about the Lord. If only he had the positive fear of the Lord, he would have become wise and could see the Lord and life itself with clarity.
Practice: When vanity grips us, our vision is lost. We will not be able to see life’s realities clearly and properly. We will be under the shades of illusion and falsity. We need the wisdom to see and discern
