25th Week in Ordinary Time
28th September 2023 (Thursday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Haggai 1:1-8
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest: “Thus says the Lord of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” Then the word of the Lord came by the hand of Haggai the prophet, “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your panelled houses, while this house lies in ruins? Now, therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord.”
Psalm 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b (R. 4a)
R/. The Lord takes delight in his people.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. I am the way, and the truth, and the life, says the Lord no one comes to the Father except through me
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Luke 9:7-9
At that time: Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen. Herod said, “John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?” And he sought to see him.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Highlight: Faith, the eye!
Guidlines: Many people do not wish to adhere to God’s will and plans because they are not convenient to the comfort and pleasure of their life. That is why they keep God at a safe distance so as not to be disturbed or pricked{alertSuccess}
1. The words of Haggai the prophet in the first reading are quite self-penetrating if only we are a little honest. Though the will of the Lord was clear that they should rebuild the temple in Jerusalem, still the people were mediocre and procrastinating. Haggai challenges their cooling of fervour and points to the futility of life and all its good things without God’s blessing.
2. He declares: “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your panelled houses, while this house (of God) lies in ruins?” “Consider how you have fared. You have sown much, and have harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm, and he who earns wages earns wages to put them into a bag with holes”.
3. All our efforts without God’s benevolence will indeed amount to nothing. It is exactly like the disciples fishing without the Lord: they had toiled the whole night but caught nothing. How rightly the psalmist also attests in Ps 127: if the Lord does not build the house, in vain the labourers' labour; if the Lord does not keep vigil, in vain the guards keep vigil.
4. Similarly, all the best of pursuits and enterprises will be futile when not assisted and guided by God’s hand. Even the best of things will not bring satisfaction and fulfilment when they are under the gracious purview of God.
5. Therefore, what is needed is openness and docility to see and accept God’s will at work. When one lacks this disposition, then there is fear and perplexity at God’s presence. Herod in the gospel is a typical example of this lack of docility. At the presence and power of Jesus, he was perplexed and disturbed. Jesus was a threat to him and not a welcome for conversion.
Practice: The mere desire to see Jesus is not enough. We should see why. Even Herod wanted to see Jesus, but not out of faith{alertSuccess}