DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION

NOVEMBER 5, 2024

TUESDAY OF THE THIRTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

FIRST READING

PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11 OR (WISDOM 3:1-9)

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 21(22):26-32 OR (PSALMS 23:1-6)

Response: I will praise thee, Lord, in the assembly of thy people.

From thee comes my praise in the great congregation;
My vows I will pay before those who fear him.
The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the LORD!
May your hearts live for ever!

R. I will praise thee, Lord, in the assembly of thy people.

All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the LORD;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him.

R. I will praise thee, Lord, in the assembly of thy people.

For dominion belongs to the LORD,
and he rules over the nations.
Yea, to him shall all the proud of the earth bow down;

R. I will praise thee, Lord, in the assembly of thy people.

Before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
and he who cannot keep himself alive.
Posterity shall serve him;
men shall tell of the LORD to the coming generation,
and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
that he has wrought it.

R. I will praise thee, Lord, in the assembly of thy people.
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GOSPEL

Invitation to the King's banquet table

LUKE 14:15-24 OR (JOHN 6:37-40)

15 When one of those who sat at table with him heard this, he said to him, "Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!" 16 But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; 17 and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, Come; for all is now ready.' 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.' 19 And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.' 20 And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' 21 So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.' 22 And the servant said, Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' 23 And the master said to the servant, `Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'"

The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION

DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS

The heavenly food of Jesus' word, by Clement of Alexandria (150-215 AD)

"The holy agape is the sublime and saving creation of the Lord... An agape is in reality heavenly food, a banquet of the Word. The agape, or love, 'bears all things, endures all things, hopes all things. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8). 'Blessed is he who eats bread in the kingdom of God' (Luke 14:15). The most unlikely of all downfalls is charity that does not fail to be thrown down from heaven to earth among all these dainty seasonings. Do you still imagine that I refer to a meal that will be destroyed? (1 Corinthians 6:13) 'If I distribute my goods to the poor and do not have love,' Scripture says, 'I am nothing' (1 Corinthians 13:3). The whole law and the word depend on this love (Matthew 22:40). If you love the Lord your God and your neighbor (Mark 12:30-31), there will be a heavenly feast in heaven. The earthly feast, as we have proved from Scripture, is called a supper. It is permeated with love yet is not identified with it but is an expression of mutual and generous good will."

(excerpt from CHRIST THE EDUCATOR 2,1)
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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.