November 12th, 2018

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, Bishop and Martyr

LECTIONARY
491

FIRST READING
TI 1:1-9

Paul, a slave of God and Apostle of Jesus Christ
for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones
and the recognition of religious truth,
in the hope of eternal life
that God, who does not lie, promised before time began,
who indeed at the proper time revealed his word
in the proclamation with which I was entrusted
by the command of God our savior,
to Titus, my true child in our common faith:
grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.

For this reason I left you in Crete
so that you might set right what remains to be done
and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you,
on condition that a man be blameless,
married only once, with believing children
who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious.
For a bishop as God’s steward must be blameless, not arrogant,
not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive,
not greedy for sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness,
temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled,
holding fast to the true message as taught
so that he will be able both to exhort with sound doctrine
and to refute opponents.

PSALM
verses

Response: Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.

Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.

He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.

GOSPEL
Lk 17:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’
you should forgive him.”

And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”

Daily Reflection

Jesus says that, with Satan’s interference and misuse of human freedom, there will be stumbling blocks to faith and Christian discipleship. The image of the millstone means that it would be better to die than be the cause of another’s failure. The one who blocks another’s way has to be corrected as an act of love. Jesus encourages correction and forgiveness "seven times" which means every time. Servants of the Lord should be strict as well as gentle with the Word of God. They should be strong witnesses and love what is good. We are called to bring back those who have strayed, and to bring unity among the faithful. The good seen in us will convince those who stray to come back. This is what St Josaphat, a Polish archbishop and martyr whose body is still incorrupt, worked for: to bring straying Christians back to the Church.

MAY WE BRING BACK THOSE WHO STRAY

Let the Church always be a place of mercy and hope where everyone is welcomed, loved and forgiven – Pope Francis.