Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Year II
01st October 2024 (Tuesday)
Psalter: Week 2
As we begin the month of October, today’s Mass readings offer profound lessons on suffering, rejection, and mercy. In the First Reading from the Book of Job, we witness Job’s deep anguish as he wrestles with the meaning of suffering. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches us how to respond with patience and love when faced with rejection. These readings encourage us to reflect on our own struggles and how we can respond to life’s challenges with faith and grace.
Mass Readings
| First Reading | Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23 |
| Response | Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord. |
| Gospel | Luke 9:51-56 |
First Reading
Job 3:1-3, 11-17, 20-23
Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. And Job said: “Let the day perish on which I was born, and the night that said, ‘A man is conceived.” “Why did I not die at birth, come out from the womb and expire? Why did the knees receive me? Or why the breasts, that I should nurse? For then I would have lain down and been quiet; I would have slept; then I would have been at rest, with kings and counsellors of the earth who rebuilt ruins for themselves, or with princes who had gold, who filled their houses with silver. Or why was I not as a hidden stillborn child, as infants who never see the light? There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary are at rest. “Why is light given to him who is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul, who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures, who rejoice exceedingly and are glad when they find the grave? Why is light given to a man whose way is hidden, whom God has hedged in?
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 88:2-3, 4-5a, 5b-6, 7-8 (R. 3a)
R/. Let my prayer come into your presence, O Lord.
O Lord and God of my salvation,
I cry before you day and night.
Let my prayer come into your presence.
Incline your ear to my cry. R/.
For my soul is filled with evils;
my life is on the brink of the grave.
I am reckoned as one in the tomb. R/.
I am like a warrior without strength,
like one roaming among the dead,
like the slain lying in their graves,
like those you remember no more,
cut off, as they are, from your hand. R/.
You have laid me in the depths of the pit,
in regions that are dark and deep.
Your anger weighs down upon me;
I am drowned beneath your waves. R/.
Gospel Acclamation
Mark 10:45
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel
Luke 9:51-56
When the days drew near for Jesus to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But other people did not receive him, because his face was set towards Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.
Today’s Reflection
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on how we handle suffering and rejection. Like Job, we may be tempted to question God in our pain, but faith calls us to trust in His plan, even when we don’t see it clearly. And like the disciples, we may feel the urge to retaliate when wronged, but Jesus shows us a different way—the way of mercy and forgiveness. How can you bring these lessons into your life today? Perhaps by being honest with God about your struggles, or by showing love to someone who may not deserve it.
Morning Prayer
Heavenly Father, in times of suffering and despair, help me to turn to You with trust, even when I don’t understand. Give me the strength to endure hardship with faith, knowing that You are with me. When I am wronged, fill my heart with patience and mercy, just as Jesus showed mercy to those who rejected Him. May Your grace guide me in all my actions today. Amen.
Saint of the Day: St. Thérèse of Lisieux
Today we celebrate the Feast of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, the “Little Flower of Jesus.” St. Thérèse, known for her “Little Way,” teaches us that holiness is found in doing small things with great love. In her short life, she embraced simplicity, humility, and trust in God, even in suffering. Let her example inspire us to love in small but meaningful ways, knowing that God sees even the smallest acts of kindness.
Daily Gratitude
Take a moment to thank God for His mercy and patience in your life. Reflect on how He has been gracious to you, even in moments of doubt, anger, or failure. Gratitude shifts our focus from our struggles to God’s goodness.
Thank you for joining me to reflect the Word of God with me. My Hearty Wishes for you have a fruitful and joyous day. Stay Blessed.
