October 20th, 2018

Memorial of Saint Teresa of Jesus, Virgin and Doctor of the Church

LECTIONARY
472

FIRST READING
EPH 1:15-23

Brothers and sisters:
Hearing of your faith in the Lord Jesus
and of your love for all the holy ones,
I do not cease giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers,
that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation
resulting in knowledge of him.
May the eyes of your hearts be enlightened,
that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call,
what are the riches of glory
in his inheritance among the holy ones,
and what is the surpassing greatness of his power
for us who believe,
in accord with the exercise of his great might,
which he worked in Christ,
raising him from the dead
and seating him at his right hand in the heavens,
far above every principality, authority, power, and dominion,
and every name that is named
not only in this age but also in the one to come.
And he put all things beneath his feet
and gave him as head over all things to the Church,
which is his Body,
the fullness of the one who fills all things in every way.

PSALM
PS 8:2-3AB, 4-5, 6-7

Response: You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.

O LORD, our LORD, how glorious is your name over all the earth!
You have exalted your majesty above the heavens.
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings
you have fashioned praise because of your foes.

When I behold your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars which you set in place—
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?

You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.

GOSPEL
LK 12:8-12

Jesus said to his disciples:
“I tell you,
everyone who acknowledges me before others
the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God.
But whoever denies me before others
will be denied before the angels of God.

“Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,
but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
will not be forgiven.
When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities,
do not worry about how or what your defense will be
or about what you are to say.
For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say.”

Daily Reflection

20th October 2018

Paul exudes Christian character when he prays and gives thanks for the Ephesians each time he thinks of them and their faith. He prays even more for the gifts of “wisdom & revelation” so that they “grow in knowledge of (Jesus)” whom God has “raised above” every name.

The Gospel has Jesus speaking in the context of fearlessness in the face of persecution and telescoping this into the background of the Last Judgement. To accept Jesus is to accept the power of the Holy Spirit at work in Him. Thus, the sin against the Holy Spirit that Jesus mentions is not just a denial of Jesus but, rather, a stubborn rejection of the Holy Spirit working in the person of Jesus and the Spirit’s capacity to lead, guide and transform the disciple. This is made aptly clear when Jesus tells the disciples “not to prepare” their defence when brought before authorities but to trust in the Spirit’s guidance.

Are you a disciple? Have you entrusted yourself to the power of the Holy Spirit?