Liturgical Readings for : Monday, 30th September, 2024
Monday of the Twenty-Sixth Week in Ordinary Time, Year 2
Memorial of St Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church
FIRST READING
A reading from the Book of Job 1:6-22
The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back. Blessed be the name of the Lord!’
One day the sons of God came to attend on the Lord, and among them was Satan. So the Lord said to Satan,
‘Where have you been?’
‘Round the earth, ‘he answered ‘roaming about.
So the Lord asked him,
‘Did you notice my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth:
a sound and honest man who fears God and shuns evil.’
‘Yes,’ Satan said ‘but Job is not God-fearing for nothing, is he?
Have you not put a wall round him and his house and all his domain? You have blessed all he undertakes, and his flocks throng the countryside. But stretch out your hand and lay a finger on his possessions:
I warrant you, he will curse you to your face.’ ‘
Very well,’ the Lord said to Satan ‘all he has is in your power. But keep your hands off his person.’
So Satan left the presence of the Lord.
On the day when Job’s sons and daughters were at their meal and drinking wine at their eldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job.
‘Your oxen‘ he said ‘were at the plough, with the donkeys grazing at their side, when the Sabaeans swept down on them and carried them off. Your servants they put to the sword: I alone escaped to tell you.’
He had not finished speaking when another messenger arrived.‘
The fire of God’ he said ‘has fallen from the heavens and burnt up all your sheep, and your shepherds too: I alone escaped to tell you.’
He had not finished speaking when another messenger arrived.
‘The Chaldaeans,’ he said ‘three bands of them, have raided your camels and made off with them. Your servants they put to the sword: I alone escaped to tell you.’
He had not finished speaking when another messenger arrived.
‘Your sons and daughters’ he said ‘were at their meal and drinking wine at their eldest brother’s house, when suddenly from the wilderness a gale sprang up, and it battered all four corners of the house which fell in on the young people. They are dead: I alone escaped to tell you.’
Job rose and tore his gown and shaved his head. Then falling to the ground he worshipped and said:
‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, naked I shall return.
The Lord gave, the Lord has taken back. Blessed be the name of the Lord!’
In all this misfortune Job committed no sin nor offered any insult to God.
The Word of the Lord Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 16
Response Turn your ear to me, O Lord; hear my words.
1. Lord, hear a cause that is just, pay heed to my cry.
Turn your ear to my prayer: no deceit is on my lips. Response
2. From you may my judgement come forth: Your eyes discern the truth.
You search my heart, you visit me by night. You test me and you find in me no wrong. Response
3. I am here and I call, you will hear me, O God. Turn your ear to me; hear -my words.
Display your great love, you whose right hand saves your friends
from those who rebel against them. Response
Gospel Acclamation Jn 14: 23
Alleluia, Alleluia!
If anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him .
Alleluia
Or Mk 10: 45
Alleluia, Alleluia!
The Son of Man came to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Alleluia !
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you. And with your spirit
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke 9:46-50 Glory to you, O Lord
The least among you all, that is the one who is great.
An argument started between them about which of them was the greatest. Jesus knew what thoughts were going through their minds, and he took a little child and set him by his side and then said to them,
‘Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me;
and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
For the least among you all, that is the one who is great.’
John spoke up.
‘Master,’ he said ‘we saw a man casting out devils in your so name, and because he is not with us we tried to stop him.‘
But Jesus said to him, ‘You must not stop him: anyone who is not against you is for you’.
The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
********************
Gospel Reflection Monday, Twenty Sixth Week in Ordinary Time Luke 9:46-50
It is often the way in the gospels that the disciples are on a very different wavelength to Jesus. We find an example of that clash of mindsets in today’s gospel reading. The disciples were having an argument among themselves as to which of them was the greatest. Jesus had been gathering a group of disciples about himself. He wanted them to regard one another as equals. Jesus once referred to his disciples as his brothers and sisters. Yet, some of them at least were trying to get ahead of others, perhaps claiming that they were closer to Jesus than others were and, therefore, would have a more prominent role in the coming kingdom of God. This seeking after status, position, influence, is a very human phenomenon. We are being reminded that Jesus’ first disciples were as flawed as the rest of us. Jesus responded to his argument among his disciples by doing something and saying something.
He took a child and set the child by his side, and he said, ‘Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name, welcomes me’. A child had no power or rank or influence. Children were considered among the least, at the other end of the spectrum to the high and mighty of the world. Jesus was saying to his disciples that the truly great in his community are those who welcome the least in the world as if they were Jesus himself. He wants his disciples, all of us, to stand alongside the least, those who have least influence, least power, least prestige and honour. The community he was forming were to befriend and welcome those whom the world tends to consider unimportant. That is the kind of church we are all called to help create in our own place and time.
________________________________
The Scripture Readings are taken from The Jerusalem Bible, published 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd.
