Lectio Div Catholic Gospel

From the responsorial psalm: "Blessed the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commands. His posterity shall be mighty upon the earth; the upright generation shall be blessed. Blessed the man who fears the Lord."

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 18:1-8)

"For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought, ‘While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being, because this widow keeps bothering me I shall deliver a just decision for her lest she finally come and strike me.’” The Lord said, “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says. Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones who call out to him day and night? Will he be slow to answer them?"

In the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus emphasizes the importance of persevering in prayer. Jesus uses the example of a dishonest judge who is initially indifferent but ultimately grants the widow justice because of her constant pleading. This illustrates that even if God seems slow to respond, our persistent prayer will eventually be answered by our loving Father. The parable concludes with a question about the strength of our faith in our experience of God's justice and mercy. "But when the Son of Man comes," Jesus says, "will he find faith on earth?”

God, help me see what today's Gospel and psalm reveal about your justice and its work in the lives of those who act justly. To pray always and not become weary requires persistence and faith in your justice and mercy. “Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says," Jesus tells the disciples. As I recognize the limitations of human justice, give me the grace to depend more strongly on you for my daily needs and for the constant need of my soul, which seeks union with you whether or not it recognizes that. As Saint Gertrude did, let me be thankful, Lord, for your mercy in preparing me to know the infinite mystery of your justice manifested through the passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ your Son. Saint Gertrude, 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.

From the responsorial psalm: "Open my eyes, that I may consider the wonders of your law. Blessed are they who follow the law of the Lord!"

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 17:26-37)

“As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be in the days of the Son of Man; they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage up to the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot: they were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building; on the day when Lot left Sodom, fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all. So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed."

Jesus continues to tell the disciples about the coming of God's kingdom—that it is already among them and is yet to come in the final judgment. He stresses constant vigilance for that day when one who is in the field "must not return to what was left behind." Similar to what we hear in today's psalm, Jesus asks the disciples to open their eyes to the awesome majesty of the coming of God's kingdom in its full glory. The particular way that Jesus guides the disciples rests on salvation history in his retelling of the story of Noah and the wife of Lot, who became a pillar of salt as she looked back at Sodom, a place of sinfulness and corruption. Jesus invites us to turn our eyes on the kingdom of God already present and to be vigilant for the return of Christ and the final judgment.

Father in heaven, you see what I have before me today and know my desire to make the best of your gifts of time and opportunity. Amid the day's activities, let me not forget that all of these things I am attached to can suddenly be taken from me. All that I see and can respond to means nothing unless I respond in love to the love with which you first loved us. As John says in the first reading, if I walk according to your commandment to love one another, I remain in Christ's teaching, the teaching of the Father and the Son. Lord, take the little faith that I have and bless me as I seek to do all that you command.

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.

From the responsorial psalm: "The LORD secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets captives free. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob."

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 17:20-25)

Then he said to his disciples, “The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it. There will be those who will say to you, ‘Look, there he is,’ or ‘Look, here he is.’ Do not go off, do not run in pursuit."

Jesus is asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God will come. He tells them that the kingdom of God cannot be announced and is not here or there but among them. Perhaps privately, Jesus then tells the disciples that they will long to see the days of the Son of Man as they had been even as they look for the coming of the kingdom in the fullness of time. Speaking to the Pharisees, Jesus responds in kind to their question about the coming of the kingdom. To the disciples and warning them not to pursue what is false, he reveals that as the Son of Man, he brings down from heaven the kingdom to gather us as one to the eternal kingdom in heaven.

God, help me understand today's readings. You remain outside of space and time. The words of Jesus your Son express the interconnectedness of time—what has been, what is, and what will be—so that no one hesitates to wait for you to appear. Although invisible and not be found in my surroundings, give me the grace to realize and respond to your gift of the kingdom that is already here in the present moment. As I move throughout the day, let me ask you to remind me of every opportunity you give me to remain in your kingdom even as I long to see it come. "I am the vine, you are the branches, says the Lord: whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit."

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.

From the responsorial psalm: "He guides me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side With your rod and your staff that give me courage. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want."

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 17:11-19)

As they were going they were cleansed. And one of them, realizing he had been healed, returned, glorifying God in a loud voice; and he fell at the feet of Jesus and thanked him.

Lepers see Jesus as he travels through Samaria and Galilee. The ten lepers remain at a distance and call out loudly to him, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" In a few words, Jesus heals them, saying, "Go show yourselves to the priests." As the lepers go, they are miraculously healed of their leprosy as they obey Jesus' command through their faith and action. But only one leper—a Samaritan, a foreigner—returns to thank Jesus, falling to his knees. Jesus says, "Stand up and go; your faith has saved you." Through his faith and gratitude, the leper receives complete healing in mind, body, and soul. As the day progresses, will there be time to stop and thank God for the work he accomplishes through us as we do his will.

God, let me consider the Gospel acclamation: "In all circumstances, give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." I am sure that throughout the day I will experience what I believe are dark valleys, paths that appear to lead to no good end. Even in those circumstances, stir up in me the desire to take comfort in you, knowing you are present with your rod and your staff to guide and protect me. Keep me in your care, Lord. Give me the grace to give you thanks always for being at my side to give me courage as I move through every moment of the day. Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, 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.

From the responsorial psalm: "Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD? or who may stand in his holy place? He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean, who desires not what is vain. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face."

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 17:1-6)

"Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times in one day and returns to you seven times saying, 'I am sorry,' you should forgive him."

Jesus recognizes the inevitability of sin. In the same breath, he warns the disciples of the dire consequences of causing "one of these little ones" to sin—that it would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck and that he be tossed into the sea. Although we choose to sin through free will, our brothers and sisters and all of those around us can lead us into the temptation of sin, whether through counsel, command, consent, provocation, or praise. About these very same people, Jesus says, "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him." Forgiveness calls for repentance from the offender countless times as they say sorry, yet this might never come to be. The Apostles on hearing this, perhaps recognizing the high bar Jesus places before them, ask him to increase their faith. And it only takes a little—faith the size of a mustard seed to be an instrument of God's mercy. Faith in the mercy of the Father allowed Jesus to say from the cross, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."

God, help me dwell today on the Gospel and on the first reading. Saint Paul describes a blameless steward who is in service to you: "blameless, not arrogant, not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive, not greedy for sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness, temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled, holding fast to the true message." Arrogance, irritability, aggression, and other sins do not call for acceptance and approval but forgiveness for those who repent of them. Guide me Lord; make me blameless and a lover of goodness, holding fast to you in faith. Teach me to forgive even those who wound without knowing what they do. Saint Martin of Tours, 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.

From the responsorial psalm: "The LORD keeps faith forever, secures justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets captives free. Praise the Lord, my soul!"

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark (Mk 12:38-44)

Calling his disciples to himself, he said to them, "Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole livelihood."

Jesus warns the crowds of the scribes. They seek attention by the way they behave and dress, and they seek out places of honor in the marketplace and at banquets. And then Jesus says something else that seems to stand apart from the rest of what he says. He tells the crowds, "They devour the houses of widows and as a pretext recite lengthy prayers." As he sits down opposite the treasury, Jesus observes rich people putting in large amounts of money. Then a widow approaches and puts in two small coins worth a few cents. Jesus contrasts the action of the scribes who swallow up the property of healthy widows and lengthen their prayers in an attempt at restitution with the widow herself who gives out of her whole livelihood. The widow is an image and example of God's boundless generosity.

God, help me be generous today with the gifts you gave me first. In the first reading, the widow serves Elijah out of her extreme poverty. Yet, Elijah tells her, "Do not be afraid." In serving others, the widows in the first reading, the responsorial psalm, and the Gospel all receive new life from you who sustained them and raised them up. Throughout the day, guide me toward opportunities to meet someone in their poverty and be generous in your gift of mercy as you are generous to me. Lord, you give food to the hungry and set captives free!

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.

From the responsorial psalm: "God is our refuge and our strength, an ever-present help in distress. Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!"

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (Jn 2:13-22)

Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews said, "This temple has been under construction for forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?" But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.

The Jewish Passover is near, and many pilgrims travel to Jerusalem to worship at the temple. As Jesus enters the temple area, he finds people selling oxen, sheep, and doves. Money changers are seated there. In response, with a whip made of cords, he drives them all out and overturns the tables of the money changers. And he says to those selling doves, "Take these out of here, and stop making my Father's house a marketplace." John makes clear what would otherwise be puzzling. Jesus refers to the "temple of his Body" in the same way Saint Paul refers to the Spirit that dwells in God's holy temple: "Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" Where the Spirit of God dwells—our bodies—is not the place for a noisy, cluttered exchange of things and ideas but a quieted dwelling place to receive the person of Jesus.

God, as a way to understand the Gospel, let me consider what today's feast represents for the Church and what it means to me. The dedication feast calls attention to the Church on earth as the Body of Christ and a sign of what is yet to be in our eternal dwelling place in heaven. The disciples recognized the zeal of Jesus in the temple area but only after the resurrection came to understand that the temple of the Body would need to die and rise before we also could be restored to eternal life. The Gospel acclamation says, "I have chosen and consecrated this house, says the Lord, that my name may be there forever." All thanks and praise to you, Lord, that you have made me to be your holy dwelling place even as I long for my eternal home in the life of the world to come.

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: Sailko, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:San_giovanni_in_laterano,_interno,_presbiterio_01.jpg

From the responsorial psalm: "I rejoiced because they said to me, “We will go up to the house of the LORD.” And now we have set foot within your gates, O Jerusalem. Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord."

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 16:1-8)

"For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than the children of light.”

Spoken after telling the parable of the dishonest steward, Jesus identifies a contrast between the shrewd stewardship of worldly goods and the kind of stewardship Jesus calls us to exemplify as children of light, his followers. Jesus doesn't say that he approves of the dishonesty of the steward, but he recognizes his resourcefulness in a dire situation. What Jesus suggests to each of us as his sons and daughters who live in the light of faith is to be prudent as we care and nurture and preserve it. Our imperfect attempts meet God's perfect grace. "Whoever keeps the word of Christ," we hear in the Gospel acclamation, "the love of God is truly perfected in him." In a time of crisis, from what source do we draw strength to maintain and uphold our hope as exiles. Our true home is elsewhere. "Our citizenship," Saint Paul says, "is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."

Father in heaven, you give every good gift. The choice to follow you is mine and is not imposed but is your gift of free will. Help me use the things of this world wisely even as I choose daily to nurture and maintain your gift of faith to bring forth your kingdom to the benefit of others. Give me the grace to be prudent—even shrewd—as I seek to live as an honest steward of all of your gifts. To be a child of light means to look to the source of light for guidance. With childlike faith, let me place my trust in you, my sole hope for preserving every good gift you give me. Jesus, I trust in you!

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.

BLOG:

From the responsorial psalm: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid? The Lord is my light and my salvation."

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Lk 14:25-33)

"In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.”

Addressing the great crowds following him made up of individuals and family members traveling together, Jesus counts these among the possessions they need to renounce—that is, father, mother, wife, children, and brothers and sisters, and even oneself. Jesus says, “If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother, . . . he cannot be my disciple." It is not to live in fear but to rest in the Spirit of God if we place him first and by this come to know God through our own cross in following Christ, thereby gaining anew life and redemption. The parables Jesus shares with the crowd relate to spiritual discernment and planning, and the commitment to bring to fulfillment God's work in us. And without his grace, all the planning and action in the world is worth nothing.

God, help me consider the words of Saint Paul as they relate to the Gospel: "For God is the one who, for his good purpose, works in you both to desire and to work." Enliven my desire, Lord, to recognize my cross and do the work of following you as I carry it. With the help of your grace, let me be unafraid to renounce possessions and place you above all other relationships to things and people, even the ones closest to me. Let me see in sacrifices gain and not loss; more, not less. "I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living."

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.