DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION

SEPTEMBER 28, 2024

SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

(OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF SAINT LAWRENCE RUIZ AND COMPANIONS, MARTYRS / SAINT WENCESLAUS, MARTYR)

FIRST READING

ECCLESIASTES 11:9--12:8 OR (2 MACCABEES 7:1-2, 9-14 / 1 PETER 3:14-17)

11 9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment. 10 Remove vexation from your mind, and put away pain from your body; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. 12 1 Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when you will say, "I have no pleasure in them"; 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain; 3 in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look through the windows are dimmed, 4 and the doors on the street are shut; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; 5 they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets; 6 before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, 7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.

The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 89(90):3-6, 12-14, 17 OR (PSALMS 34:2-9 / PSALMS 126:1-6)

Response: In every age, O Lord, thou have been our refuge.

Thou turnest man back to the dust,
and sayest, "Turn back, O children of men!"
For a thousand years in thy sight
are but as yesterday when it is past,
or as a watch in the night.

R. In every age, O Lord, thou have been our refuge.

Thou dost sweep men away; they are like a dream,
like grass which is renewed in the morning:
in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;OR (JOHN 15:18-21 / MATTHEW 10:34-39)​_
in the evening it fades and withers.

R. In every age, O Lord, thou have been our refuge.

So teach us to number our days
that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Return, O LORD! How long?
Have pity on thy servants!

R. In every age, O Lord, thou have been our refuge.

Satisfy us in the morning with thy steadfast love,OR (JOHN 15:18-21 / MATTHEW 10:34-39)​_
that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish thou the work of our hands upon us,
yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.

R. In every age, O Lord, thou have been our refuge.
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GOSPEL

They were astonished at the majesty of God

LUKE 9:43-45 OR (JOHN 15:18-21 / MATTHEW 10:34-39)

43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he did, he said to his disciples, 44 "Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men." 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION

DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS

The scapegoat foreshadowed Christ's passion, by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)

"The mystery of the passion may be seen also in another instance. According to the Mosaic law, two goats were offered. They were not different in any way from one another (Leviticus 16:7-8), but they were alike in size and appearance. Of these, one was called 'the lord,' and the other was called 'sent-away.' When the lot was cast for the one called 'lord,' it was sacrificed. The other one was sent away from the sacrifice, and therefore had the name of 'sent-away.' Who was signified by this? The Word, though he was God, was in our likeness and took the form of us sinners, as far as the nature of the flesh was concerned. The male or female goat was sacrificed for sins. Death was our desert, for we had fallen under the divine curse because of sin. When the Savior of all undertook the responsibility, he transferred to himself what was due to us and laid down his life, that we might be sent away from death and destruction."

(excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 53)
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Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.