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Come after me, says the Lord, and I will make you fishers of men.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 5:1-11 today's readings).

For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."

As today's Gospel begins, Jesus is standing by the shore speaking to the crowds who press in on him as they hear him teach. Seeing that Simon Peter and his partners James and John disembark, Jesus asks Peter to help him by moving out a short distance from the shore to teach the crowds. When he is done speaking, Jesus tells Simon Peter and the others: "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." After fishing all night and catching nothing, Peter questions Jesus but nonetheless does as he commands. What begins as Peter lends the use of his boat to Jesus ends in a catch of fish that nearly sinks both boats. Peter and the others gave a little to Jesus and find God's boundless generosity. Even more, Jesus gives Simon Peter, James, and John a purpose in following him that exceeds anything they could have accomplished in their professional life. And they abandon themselves to Christ with humility and trust. Luke tells us, "When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him."

God, help instill in me the trust that Peter, James, and John have in following Jesus to be his disciples. Peter doesn't ask Jesus to lay out a step-by-step plan before following him but instead recognizes his dependence on Jesus, your Son. The fisherman Simon Peter understood that his livelihood depended on knowledge and wisdom but that there was no guarantee of success. Peter fell to his knees before Jesus, repentant. He saw knowledge and wisdom itself in the person of Jesus and responded to the call that Saint Paul speaks of in the first reading: "that you may be filled with the knowledge of God's will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord." Give me the grace, Lord, to listen out for you in trust and follow where you lead.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

I, like a green olive tree in the house of God, Trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. I trust in the mercy of God for ever.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 4:38-44) today's readings).

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent."

The day before the crowds go looking for Jesus, he cured Simon's mother-in-law and later cured sick people with various diseases. Jesus exorcized demons from many people, and the demons recognized who Jesus was, calling him the Son of God. Word must have spread quickly for the crowds to go looking for Jesus in a deserted place. In his actions, Jesus proclaims the Gospel and makes clear his purpose as the Son of God. The Gospel acclamation also spells out his purpose: "The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives."

God, deepen my understanding for the work your Son accomplished through his earthly mission and for his example of proclaiming the Gospel without counting the cost. "I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God," he said, "because for this purpose I have been sent." Give me the grace today and every day to understand the purpose you have for me as I give witness to Christ through my words and actions. I can't do this through my own will but through my hope and trust in your continuous outpouring of grace. "I trust in the mercy of God for ever." You are truly present in the Eucharist, Lord; let me come to you there.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Take my yoke upon you, says the Lord, and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 14:1, 7-14) today's readings).

Jesus told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, 'Give your place to this man,' and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place."

Jesus says this to guests present at a banquet of one of the leading Pharisees—an incisive teaching for all present who observe and hear him. Jesus witnesses the guests taking places of honor at the table and shares a parable with them about humility and the position you perceive yourself to hold. It ends with a consequence that is often disregarded: "For every one who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." In the first reading, Sirach speaks similar words to a beloved hearer: "My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God." Jesus invites us to take up the yoke of humility, to learn from him in being humble of heart.

God, help me today to accept the invitation of Jesus to be meek and humble. At the same time, give me the opportunity today to be a means of your love to someone who may not be able to respond in kind. "Blessed indeed will you be, Jesus says, "because of their inability to repay you." Pour out generously the gifts of understanding and wisdom when I struggle or resist finding the purpose in the yoke Jesus invites me to take up. Seeing and receiving it is more than I can do on my own, and I depend on you to guide me. God, come to my assistance; Lord, make haste to help me!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Banquet_in_the_House_of_Levi_by_Paolo_Veronese_-_Accademia_-_Venice_2016_(2).jpg

Before the LORD, for he comes, for he comes to rule the earth; He will rule the world with justice and the peoples with equity. The Lord comes to rule the earth with justice.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 25:14-30) today's readings).

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one–to each according to his ability. Then he went away."

In the parable of the talents, a master gives his three servants varying amounts of money (talents) to manage while he is away. Two of them generate a return on their investment of the talents; one of them does not. Jesus is not sharing investment advice in this parable but instead teaches the disciples to use the gifts God gave them faithfully so that they come at the end of their earthly life to full participation in the kingdom. Just as the master is happy to see a return on the talents from two of the servants, God is pleased to see the unique gifts he bestows on us used to their fullness. As good stewards of God's gifts, we see cumulative growth of them over time, so that Jesus concludes the parable, saying, "For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."

Father in heaven, you are the giver of all good gifts. Give me the grace to use the gifts and talents you give me to their fullest. Make clear to me today what those gifts are and how I can use them to serve you. For the sake of your glory, I want to hear and do your will with full confidence in this life and one day enter into eternal life, hearing you say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart. Be glad in the LORD, you just, and give thanks to his holy name. Rejoice in the Lord, you just!

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 6:17-29) today's readings).

Herod feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man, and kept him in custody. When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him.

Mark recounts the beheading of John the Baptist at the command of King Herod. Herod is "deeply distressed" when Herodias's daughter asks for John's head to be brought in on a platter. Nonetheless, Herod holds to the oaths he made and orders the executioner to murder John. Yet, Mark also tells us that Herod recognized John as a "righteous and holy man." He says this of Herod's relationship with John: "When he heard him speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him." Something drew Herod to John, a faithful prophet who spoke the word of God. As John spoke the word, a light drew him toward it before turning away from it. Following it, Herod would have found out this: "Light dawns for the just; and gladness, for the upright of heart."

God, strengthen in me the desire to hear and respond with gladness of to your word. Herod freely chose to turn away from you as he exercised free will. Give me the grace to recognize your gift of free will, and help me be prudent in the opportunities you present so that I can use it. John the Baptist was martyred because he chose to witness to the truth. Guide me along the way, Lord, as I seek to be a witness to your truth. Saint John the Baptist, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Jesus said to his disciples: "Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."

If I take the wings of the dawn, if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea, Even there your hand shall guide me, and your right hand hold me fast. You have searched me and you know me, Lord.

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 23:27-32, today's readings).

Jesus said, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men's bones and every kind of filth. Even so, on the outside you appear righteous, but inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing."

Jesus condemns the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy; they appear beautiful on the outside and in adorning the memorials of the righteous, whom their ancestors killed. Yet, on the inside they are filled with "dead men's bones and every kind of filth" as they mask the inner decay of immorality and sin. As Saint Paul shares the Gospel in the first reading, he conveys the spirit of love that the Father continuously pours out on us, encouraging and insisting that those who follow Christ "walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into his Kingdom of glory."

God, as Saint Paul gives thanks unceasingly in sharing and receiving your word—not the word of men but the word of God—I ask for the grace to do the same. The Gospel acclamation describes the divine outcome of nurturing and keeping the word immanent, of persisting in prayer as Saint Monica did: "Whoever keeps the word of Christ, the love of God is truly perfected in him." The words of Christ to the Pharisees—"inside you are filled with hypocrisy and evildoing"—penetrate deep within to help me recognize when I lose sight of the word and turn away from you. Yet, Lord, in your goodness, even there you attend to me, and the psalmist's prayer is mine as I say: "Even there your hand shall guide me, and your right hand hold me fast." Saint Monica, pray for us!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.