November 4th, 2018

Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time

LECTIONARY
152

FIRST READING
DT 6:2-6

Moses spoke to the people, saying:
"Fear the LORD, your God,
and keep, throughout the days of your lives,
all his statutes and commandments which I enjoin on you,
and thus have long life.
Hear then, Israel, and be careful to observe them,
that you may grow and prosper the more,
in keeping with the promise of the LORD, the God of your fathers,
to give you a land flowing with milk and honey.

"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone!
Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God,
with all your heart,
and with all your soul,
and with all your strength.
Take to heart these words which I enjoin on you today."

PSALM
PS 18:2-3, 3-4, 47, 51

Response: I love you, Lord, my strength.

I love you, O LORD, my strength,
O LORD, my rock, my fortress, my deliverer.

My God, my rock of refuge,
my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold!
Praised be the LORD, I exclaim,
and I am safe from my enemies.

The LORD lives! And blessed be my rock!
Extolled be God my savior.
You who gave great victories to your king
and showed kindness to your anointed.

SECOND READING
HEB 7:23-28

Brothers and sisters:
The levitical priests were many
because they were prevented by death from remaining in office,
but Jesus, because he remains forever,
has a priesthood that does not pass away.
Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him,
since he lives forever to make intercession for them.

It was fitting that we should have such a high priest:
holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners,
higher than the heavens.
He has no need, as did the high priests,
to offer sacrifice day after day,
first for his own sins and then for those of the people;
he did that once for all when he offered himself.
For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests,
but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law,
appoints a son,
who has been made perfect forever.

GOSPEL
MK 12:28B-34

One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him,
"Which is the first of all the commandments?"
Jesus replied, "The first is this:
Hear, O Israel!
The Lord our God is Lord alone!
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
with all your soul,
with all your mind,
and with all your strength.
The second is this:
You shall \ve your neighbor as yourself.
There is no other commandment greater than these."
The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher.
You are right in saying,
'He is One and there is no other than he.'

And 'to love him with all your heart,r
with all your understanding,
with all your strength,
and to love your neighbor as yourself'
is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding,
he said to him,
"You are not far from the kingdom of God."
And no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Daily Reflection

4th November 2018

31st Sunday in Ordinary time

The Shema ( Deut 6:4) is one of the most important tenets of Judaism. It begins with the word ‘listen’. To listen, is at the core of the Biblical message which Jesus points out in the Gospel. Jesus points out that partial listening, that is listening to God or loving God alone is not enough. Jesus presents another dimension to the Shema in the Gospel. Listen to the needs of the poor as much as you would listen to the commandments of God.

The author of the letter to the Hebrews, speaking of Jesus’ eternal priesthood. highlights this aspect of listening. Jesus saves people by “interceding” for them before God’s throne. Intercession involves lending a listening ear and acting on what is needed.

Pope Francis, in the recent Synod, has asked for a ‘listening church’, in order to present Jesus to the present and future generations.

Let us ask for God’s grace that we may listen and respond to both the divine and the human call to love.