DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION
NOVEMBER 16, 2024
SATURDAY OF THE THIRTY-SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
(OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF SAINT MARGARET OF SCOTLAND / GERTRUDE, VIRGIN)
FIRST READING
3 JOHN 5-8 OR (ISAIAH 58:6-11 / EPHESIANS 3:14-19)
5 Beloved, it is a loyal thing you do when you render any service to the brethren, especially to strangers, 6 who have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey as befits God's service. 7 For they have set out for his sake and have accepted nothing from the heathen. 8 So we ought to support such men, that we may be fellow workers in the truth.
The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM
PSALMS 111(112):1-6 OR (PSALMS 112:1-9 / PSALMS 23:1-6)
Response: Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Or
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD!
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
His descendants will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Or
R. Alleluia.
Wealth and riches are in his house;
and his righteousness endures for ever.
Light rises in the darkness for the upright;
the LORD is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Or
R. Alleluia.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends,
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered for ever.
R. Blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Or
R. Alleluia.
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GOSPEL
Always pray and do not lose heart
LUKE 18:1-8 OR (JOHN 15:9-17 / JOHN 15:1-8)
1 And he told them a parable, to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor regarded man; 3 and there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, Vindicate me against my adversary.' 4 For a while he refused; but afterward he said to himself, Though I neither fear God nor regard man, 5 yet because this widow bothers me, I will vindicate her, or she will wear me out by her continual coming.'" 6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God vindicate his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will vindicate them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION
DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS
Persistent prayer transforms iniquity and wickedness into mercy, by Ephrem the Syrian (306-373 AD)
"How was that unjust judge immoral and wicked? How was the upright judge gracious and just? The first in his iniquity was not willing to vindicate the widow, and in his wickedness, he was not willing to put her mind at rest. The justice of God knows how to vindicate, and his grace discerns how to give life. The iniquity of this wicked judge was contrary to the justice of God, and the wickedness of this rebel was in opposition to the grace of the gentle One. His wickedness therefore was stubbornness, for it dared to go against the fear of God. His boldness was stubborn, for it refused the lowly person."
"These two were stubborn, but persistent prayer was even more stubborn. The persistence of the widow humiliated both the iniquity that was rebelling against God and the boldness that was behaving arrogantly towards human beings. She subjected them to her will, so that they might provide her with a vindication over her adversary. Persistence transformed these two bitter branches, and they bore sweet fruit that was against their nature. The iniquity of the judge brought about a righteous judgment and a just retribution for the falsely accused woman. His wickedness gave peace to the afflicted one, although iniquity does not know how to judge, and wickedness does not know how to give refreshment. Persistence forced these two evil and bitter branches to give good fruit against their nature. If we persist in prayer, we should be even more able to prevail on the grace and justice of God to give us fruit that agrees with their nature. Let justice vindicate us, and let grace refresh us. Accordingly, the fruit of justice is the just reward of the oppressed, while the giving of refreshment to the afflicted is the fruit of grace.".
(excerpt from COMMENTARY ON TATIAN'S DIATESSARON 16.16.6)
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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.