MASS READINGS & SAINT QUOTE OF THE DAY - Saturday - October 30, 2021

Saturday - October 30, 2021

"Let, then, the life of Mary be as it were virginity itself, set forth in a likeness, from which, as from a mirror, the appearance of chastity and the form of virtue is reflected. From this you may take your pattern of life, showing, as an example, the clear rules of virtue: what you have to correct, to effect, and to hold fast. The first thing which kindles ardour in learning is the greatness of the teacher. What is greater than the Mother of God?"

~ Saint Ambrose

October 30, 2021

Saturday of the Thirtieth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 484

 

Reading 1                                                                 Rom 11:1-2a, 11-12, 25-29

Brothers and sisters:

I ask, then, has God rejected his people?

Of course not!

For I too am a child of Israel, a descendant of Abraham,

of the tribe of Benjamin.

God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew.

Do you not know what the Scripture says about Elijah,

how he pleads with God against Israel?

 

Hence I ask, did they stumble so as to fall?

Of course not!

But through their transgression

salvation has come to the Gentiles,

so as to make them jealous.

Now if their transgression is enrichment for the world,

and if their diminished number is enrichment for the Gentiles,

how much more their full number.

 

I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers and sisters,

so that you will not become wise in your own estimation:

a hardening has come upon Israel in part,

until the full number of the Gentiles comes in,

and thus all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

 

The deliverer will come out of Zion,

he will turn away godlessness from Jacob;

and this is my covenant with them

when I take away their sins.

 

In respect to the Gospel, they are enemies on your account;

but in respect to election,

they are beloved because of the patriarch.

For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

 

Responsorial Psalm                                              94:12-13a, 14-15, 17-18

 

R. (14a) The Lord will not abandon his people.

 

Blessed the man whom you instruct, O LORD,

whom by your law you teach,

Giving him rest from evil days.

R. The Lord will not abandon his people.

For the LORD will not cast off his people,

nor abandon his inheritance;

But judgment shall again be with justice,

and all the upright of heart shall follow it.

R. The Lord will not abandon his people.

Were not the LORD my help,

my soul would soon dwell in the silent grave.

When I say, “My foot is slipping,”

your mercy, O LORD, sustains me.

R. The Lord will not abandon his people

 

Alleluia                                                                      Mt 11:29ab

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

For I am meek and humble of heart.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel                                                                       Lk 14:1, 7-11

 

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine

at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,

and the people there were observing him carefully.

 

He told a parable to those who had been invited,

noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,

do not recline at table in the place of honor.

A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,

and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,

‘Give your place to this man,’

and then you would proceed with embarrassment

to take the lowest place.

Rather, when you are invited,

go and take the lowest place

so that when the host comes to you he may say,

‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’

Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,

but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

 

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Good discernment today can be very challenging. We want to do God's will, but there are so many people in positions of authority who are contradicting God's will. With strong insistence, they're telling us how to live, what to believe, what to teach our children, and whether to be vaccinated against Covid or take a stand against mandates. Sometimes it's obvious when a leader is working against God, but often it is not -- especially when they claim to be Catholic or they hold positions of authority within the Church.

 

This can be very confusing. Even stressful.

 

If the voice of authority is within the Church but we disagree with his mandates, how are we to handle it? What's the holy response? Is it quiet compliance?

 

Jesus provides guidance in this Saturday's Gospel reading, but it might surprise you. It's often over-looked. We listen to the parable and miss the reason why he told this particular story at this particular time.

 

Jesus had been invited to a meal in the home of a Pharisee -- a religious leader, someone in authority. But it was not a private meetup. The Pharisee had invited his friends: "And the people there were observing him carefully" because it was the Sabbath and Jesus had a history of breaking Sabbath laws. They thought they had the authority to reprimand him, and they were looking for the opportunity to do so.

 

How did Jesus handle this? He embarrassed and insulted them with his parable about seating positions. He chose that particular parable at that particular time because he was challenging those who had maneuvered themselves into places of honor around the table.

 

It's important to remember that "giving honor to" does not always mean "obeying". Jesus honored the Pharisee who invited him to dinner by graciously accepting his offer. But honoring him did mean obeying any of his ill-conceived commands, even if it meant being persecuted for healing someone on the Sabbath.

 

Like Jesus, we should honor and respect those who are in authority but we should never obey orders that contradict God's will. We should disobey any commands that are harmful or inappropriate (i.e., sinful).

 

The problem is: It can be difficult to feel good about disobeying. The solution: Remember that there is a chain of authority that should guide all of our decisions. It begins with God. He is, of course, the only voice of authority that really matters. He reveals it in his Word and Sacred Tradition (i.e. 2000+ years of Church teachings)

 

Second in the chain of command is the authority that God has given to us -- you and me. We first see our God-given authority in Genesis 1:28 ("Fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over... "everything.) In the New Testament, Jesus gives us authority over demons and sickness, and the authority to preach the Good News.

 

Third in the chain is delegated authority. This includes leaders in government, teachers in classrooms, and clergy in the Church. Our ability to discern if their commands should be obeyed is equal to how well our consciences have been formed (by studying the Word and traditional teachings of the Church), how much our consciences are inspired by Holy Spirit (by having a good, personal relationship with the Holy Spirit), and how strongly we desire to be submissive to God's will.

 

When Saint Paul wrote that we must always submit to governing authorities (Romans 13:1-5), he was talking about rulers who "hold no terror for those who do right but are feared by those who do wrong." In other words, authorities who are acting on God's behalf -- truly and not just by our assumption or their claim.

 

Whenever this is out of order, there's a problem and Satan has an open door.

 

What should be our response to the disorders in authority that occur today? First, research the truth as much as you can. This needs to include the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the teachings of Saints, and other official Church writings. Saint Pope John Paul II wrote a wealth of Holy Spirit-inspired encyclicals and apostolic exhortations that are totally reliable, for example.

 

Second, place your faith in God over and above your research. How strong is your relationship with the Holy Spirit? How actively are the Spirit's gifts and fruits manifesting in your life? How often do you use the Sacrament of Confession and the Penitential Rite of Mass to purify your thinking? How important to you is the desire to be holy and saintly?

 

Without an active and lively relationship with the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of Truth), we cannot trust what we hear from the world or from authorities in the Church who undiscerningly trust (i.e. without the Holy Spirit) what they hear in the world.

 

Today's Prayer 

Lord, I thank You and praise You, because you take my life beyond my own limitations. I want to follow Your loving paths till the end. Amen.

 

God Bless You.....

The Rosary Family

The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”