Listening and Responding
Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
“Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Mark 8:34
There are three interwoven themes in today’s readings: listening to God, faith vs. good works, and losing our life in order to find it. How are they related? The Suffering Servant of Isaiah undergoes much distress and ridicule, but is able to bear it because he has listened to the promptings of God day after day. The psalm tells us that God listens, too. God hears our prayers for help and is always ready to save us. As our faith deepens, so does our desire to do the works of justice and charity that build up the reign of God. God directs our actions in ways we often cannot see, and we don’t always see the results. We are called upon in faith to trust that what we do is enough, and that willingness to listen to God’s promptings will lead us in the right way.
Copyright © J. S. Paluch Co., Inc.
Readings of the Week
Monday: 1 Cor 11:17-26, 33; Ps 40:7-10, 17; Lk 7:1-10
Tuesday: 1 Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a; Ps 100:1-5; Lk 7:11-17
Wednesday: 1 Cor 12:31 — 13:13; Ps 33:2-5, 12, 22; Lk 7:31-35
Thursday: 1 Cor 15:1-11; Ps 118:1b-2, 16ab-17, 28; Lk 7:36-50
Friday: Eph 4:1-7, 11-13; Ps 19:2-5; Mt 9:9-13
Saturday: 1 Cor 15:35-37, 42-49; Ps 56:10c-14; Lk 8:4-15
Sunday: Wis 2:12, 17-20; Ps 54:3-8; Jas 3:16 — 4:3; Mk 9:30-37
Saints & Special Observances
Sunday: Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time; Catechetical Sunday
Monday: St. Robert Bellarmaine; Yom Kippur (Jewish day of atonement) begins at sunset
Wednesday: St. Januarius
Thursday: Ss. Andrew Kim Taegŏn and Paul Chŏng Ha-sang and Companions
Friday: St. Matthew
Saturday: Blessed Virgin Mary